ryangrg

Um, you went backwards on the GUI for this site. The white background makes much less readable.

My goal was to have less layouts, but then I just end up with a huge stack of tab controls that becomes a nightmare to edit. I'm ditching this idea. I've read the white paper but I never had time to figure out a way of getting around anchor buoy for certain techniques. Must notably, I make heavy use of the technique laid out in Lesson 9.3 of the Filemaker Training Series (for FMP 10), Portal Row Highlights & Preview Panes. I also further build upon it to have the preview pane highlight to reveal another preview pane sometimes going three to four tables deep. For example if you have a customer with multiple addresses then you want to show data related to different addresses as well. Furthermore, you may have contacts related to customer then to the address then info on that contact, needless to say the graph sprawls out big time.

Yes layout names, but not just the name other stuff pertinent to the layout and who the user is also. Basically when you change a record a script trigger changes to the appropriate layout based on the layout names field. But mostly information for customers, suppliers, or whatever can be switched through tab control tool without changing the layout.

I have been playing around with a design pattern utilizing a table for storing layouts with everything else buoyed out. My question is in regards to performance. If I have 80+ tables with a few running several thousand records and growing Is this a bad idea. I would have less tables on the graph but more loading I presume of unnecessary tables on layouts that don't utilize them. Anyone, think I should avoid this strategy? Some layouts will have a thick patch of Tab Panels too, does related information get requested only when it is viewed? Not sure what goes on under the hood, some fead back would be greatly appreciated.

Global repeating fields.

And use merge fields and create more layout objects and more things you have to account individually in each layout, better to sometimes work through Calc's. Also then I can not see a way to sequentially format data nicely as if it were a table or column data in one field, make it a method class - its objectively correct. ! :+) With an if() at min, Case(), or Perhaps Choose() and the gambit of possible functions to use, its possible to align the text in the entire field with varying fonts and static fonts all aligned like a generic word file or what you will. By containing an underlying line length there is always something to measure against. I guess its just a way of automating the formatting processes into one field. Running calculations like this all to run a single inactive/non changeable text field for static or protected data. For one or two liners with filemaker I think this is cool but in reality if want jobs we should be using web viewer with css, javascript, svg even.

Whats the best way how can you get an ocr read without pdf, if better way means easy automated data collection?

I just wanted to know if there was a better way to form my original calculation and there was, Comments suggestion to use Left ( ) instead of using the Trim ( Replace ( ) ) I was using. Thanks

Ok, I think I get it. When I am using Let ( ) I am really creating an Applescript variable. Nevertheless you can get a Filemaker variable into Applescript without a global field. And if the Applescript did not launch from Filemaker you could create a Filemaker script that was called from Applescript containing variables as well.

COURIER IS NOT A SOLUTION! :-) So yes there is a function you can use to constrain a field to fixed number of spaces but those spaces can have varying width depending on font used - unless monotype. Calc as found in records 4-7 do not work with "Lucida Grande" but they do work with records 1-3. I just wanted to understand what was happening and it has to do with the font width not being fixed - thanks Comment - and my calculation handles this situation - so far. It looks like Left ( ) takes each position away from the left - off course - but when it does it removes spaces that correspond to the width of the characters and since I am subtracting the exact number of characters at the start of the string it works. Or something to that effect. Thanks for the input.

So by subtracting the field from the total space I am keeping control of position. Display the current record and found count with out the "Found: y/z" moving as x varies. Like the following: Record: x Found: y/z x = current record y = found count z = total record count

So are non monospace font spaces worth two positions?

Why not pass at runtime. You could create a Filemaker script that gets all variables being used and just call the script from Applescript. They will be available to an Applescript with out initial execution from Filemaker. There is more you can do. Its just not made for you already but the ability is there. I don't know what does pass a variable mean anyway?

I just wanted to make it clear that you can pass variables to Applescript because it is often posted that you can't.

You absolutely can pass FMP variables to Applescript, you must use the Perform Applescript of course and choose calculated Applescript. Define the variables you want to pass to Applescript in a Let function then simply place the Applescript in the calculation portion of the Let function with the variables you defined. Make sure to contain your Applescript in quotes and escape your FMP variables.

I know one would think that would be so but check this test - just move between the records to see whats happening kind of funny. Something about the spaces maybe? TextControl Copy.fp7.zip

Thanks, thats much nicer than the Trim and Replace, but I needed to tweak the left value position to be 12 - lengthValue: Let ( [ value = 888 ; lengthValue = Length ( value ) ; gap = " < At least 12 Spaces > " ] ; Left ( value & gap ; 12 - lengthValue ) & "END" ) This is to change the gap between a number, "value" variable form above, and a text string, "END" from above, as the number changes the gap is adjusted to keep "END" in the same position. ex: _ = " ", 888______END 8888_____END 88888888_END 888888888END :-) But this large number won't be a worry.

Hey all, the calculation below allows the text string "END" to stay in position 12. Am I blind or is there a function that does this already? That is constrain a string to a fixed number of spaces. Let ( [ value = 888 ; gap = " " ; <-- SHOULD HAVE 19 SPACE string = value & gap ] ; Trim ( Replace ( string ; 16 - Length ( value ) ; 1 ; "END" ) ) )

I wanted to run this internally and create a web viewer that stays on the back ground of the layout letting become a more versatile conditional formatter. Using location function for fields as makers and translating to html.

Get filemaker to reduce the price of fm go for iPad. At $40.00 its a good extension for some one who has a database and business logic or Home Setup that can make use of the ipad. Other wise iOS4 for selling targeted data management apps to the entire iPad market. Oh yes and better yet just make good web apps then no dev fees.

Got it. Thanks.

Is there a short cut key for switching from the inspector to the layout in layout mode?

Lets get it done, now pronto in time for next release please. You know you want it. CalcSriptTrigger ( before or after ; Case ( ) ; script ) Summer interns can start now. Or will that make IWP to powerful? Soon enough I'll be rolling my own back-ends and bending the GUI to my every whim with cocoa and be done with it. HAHAHAHA!!!!!! Ok I'm done venting. Love the holiday snow. Can that stay on this thread forever?

Didn't know the best place to post this but anyone know of anything that can add CAD ( computer aided design ) to FMP.

I was under the impression that you could create a script trigger using PHP that would fire on any layout change. Honestly I shouldn't have made this comment because I don't know enough about PHP. So would the solution be to create a button that has a script that commits and updates any changes to the related record. Under IWP don't you all ways need to hit a button to commit records anyhow?