MBS FileMaker Plugin 16.3

11 hours ago11 hr

In this article we want to introduce you the new functions from the MBS FileMaker Plugin in version 16.3.

MongoDB

In this release, we are pleased to introduce a complete API for working with GridFS, made available through the MBS FileMaker Plugin. GridFS enables you to store large files in MongoDB by splitting them into blocks and storing them across two collections. This allows developers to use MongoDB as a scalable file storage backend for images, documents, and binary data. We'll show you exactly what to expect from the new API in the article MongoDB GridFS in the MBS FileMaker Plugin

Improved script search in FileMaker

We improved our search over all scripts in the Script Workspace:

The tolerant search works better.
The regular expression search got a help screen.
There is an option to exclude comments and one for excluding disabled steps.
You can switch to a compact result list.
We can show exclude buttons to exclude entries. Like when you use the search as a todo list.

You find the new options in the popup menu:

Search all scripts with options

Encryption

In the Encryption section, we have added two new functions for encrypting and decrypting data using RSA-OAEP, OAEP SHA-256, and MGF1 SHA-256. You can use the Encryption.PubKeyEncryptfunction to encrypt data with the corresponding public key. To do this, first specify the type of your input in the parameters. Here, you can choose between Text, Container, Image, Path, PDF, Data, base64, or Hex. Next, enter the data to be encrypted, followed by the input encoding and the reference to the public key. Finally, specify the output type as Base64, Hex, Text, File, or Path, and optionally provide output information. The corresponding function is Encryption.PubKeyDecrypt. The parameters here are similar to those previously mentioned. First, we specify the input format, followed by the encrypted data, the input encoding, the reference to the private key, the output type, and, optionally, output information.

List

In the List section, we have three new functions for searching within a list. The List.ColumnMatchesSubString function returns all list elements that contain a specific text string that you define earlier in the parameters. The List.ColumnMatchesPostfix and List.ColumnMatchesPrefix functions work similarly, with the difference being that the text you're searching for must appear at the end or the beginning of the list entry, depending on the function.

Printer

We've added two new features to the Printer section. The Printer.GetJobsAsJSON function allows us to query printer jobs and have them returned as JSON. We can specify optional parameters, such as the printer name, whether to display only the jobs you sent, all jobs, or only active, completed, or all jobs. The function returns an array containing the print jobs, which provides additional information for each job.

[
	{
		"JobId": 2,
		"PrinterName": "Laserdrucker",
		"MachineName": "\\\\TESTSERVER",
		"Document": "Test",
		"UserName": "cs",
		"Status": 8209,
		"State": "Paused, Printing, Retained",
		"TotalPages": 0,
		"PagesPrinted": 1,
		"Priority": 1,
		"Position": 1,
		"CreationTime": "18.05.2026 13:19:35,022"
	}
]

In addition, we've added the new Printer.CancelJob function, which allows you to cancel a print job by specifying the printer name and the job ID.

LibXL

This release also includes new functions in the LibXL section. With the new functions XL.Sheet.DataValidation and XL.Sheet.DataValidations, you can retrieve details about data validations. For example, you can find out which range the validation applies to or how empty cells are handled. The return value is a JSON object containing this information. With XL.Sheet.DataValidation, you can retrieve information about a specific validation by specifying an index in the parameters, while XL.Sheet.DataValidations provides information about all existing validations in the sheet. For XLSX files, you can determine the number of data validations in a worksheet by using the XL.Sheet.DataValidationSize function.

We've also added new functions for working with the AutoFilter. With XL.Table.IsAutoFilter, you can check whether an AutoFilter already exists. The XL.Table.RemoveFilter function removes the AutoFilter from the sheet. XL.Sheet.AutoFilter.SortLevels returns the number of sort levels. XL.Sheet.AutoFilter.GetSortEx returns the zero-based index of the sorted column in the AutoFilter and its sort order.

Serial Port

With a serial port, it is important that certain transmission parameters match between the sender and receiver. The new SerialPort.Setup function allows you to set several important transmission parameters at once. With this function, you can specify the baud rate, parity, data bytes, and stop bits simultaneously. Previously, you had to call a separate function for each of these parameters.

CURL

The CURL.GetSizeDelivered function allows you to determine, by specifying the CURL connection, how many bytes were delivered to the client.

Audit

The Audit.FieldCacheSize and Audit.TableCacheSize functions return the number of entries in the field cache and table cache. This allows you to know whether we cached fields and tables already. See also Audit.BuildCaches to explicit build caches now or Audit.ClearCaches to clear them, e.g. when your solution closes.

Window

With the new Window.Screen function, you can determine the screen index for a specific window by specifying the window reference.

Mac

There are also new features for Mac and the iOS SDK

Keychain

This release includes several powerful new features in the Keychain section. These allow you to store and manage passwords on macOS and iOS. These features enable FileMaker solutions to securely store credentials in the system Keychain without relying on external storage or insecure plaintext fields. Learn more about these new features in our blog post Secure Password Storage with Keychain Functions in MBS FileMaker Plugin 16.3

CNContact

The CNContact section, which we use to access the address book on Mac and iOS, has gained three new functions. The CNContactPicker.CurrentProperties function allows us to query the properties that are selected in the picker. It returns a JSON array with an entry for each selected property item.

[
  {
    "labelIdentifier" : "07B55F44-F710-4AC4-B5A8-25AB7322F2EC",
    "value" : "[email protected]",
    "key" : "emailAddresses",
    "contactIdentifier" : "4073C419-3AEF-40A6-9F0A-B0CCA3943F90:ABPerson",
    "label" : "_$!<Work>!$_"
  }
]

Using the CNContactPicker.SetDisplayedKeys and CNContactPicker.GetDisplayedKeys functions, we can work with the keys that should be displayed in the picker. This means that with just one click on a contact in the picker, you can view, for example, the phone number without having to open that contact. Using CNContactPicker.SetDisplayedKeys, you can specify the keys for the values that should be displayed here. You can then retrieve this list again using CNContactPicker.GetDisplayedKeys.

Set Variable [ $r ; Value: MBS( "CNContactPicker.SetDisplayedKeys"; "phoneNumbers") ]
Set Variable [ $CN ; Value: MBS( "CNContactPicker.Show"; 0 ) ]

16.3_CNContact.png

Script Workspace

Among the goodies, we've received a function called ScriptWorkspace.Steps, which allows us to display the script steps available in the Script Workspace as a list. For example, you can open the Script Workspace and call the function in the Data Viewer. The result may look like this:

16.3_ScriptSteps.png

System Info

The new MacOS 27 with the name Golden Gate will be launched this fall. We are already prepared for this and you can use SystemInfo.isGoldenGate to check whether the new operating system is running on the computer on which your project is running.

We hope you will also find some interesting new features. We wish you a lot of fun with MBS FileMaker Plugin Version 16.3. If you need a license or have any questions, please contact us.