My First Project (New FMP User)

[Sintax]

Hello everyone! I am glad to have found a resource where I can learn and (hopefully) get help with this great program. I am currently using the 30-Demo Version of FMP 7 for Mac and I was hoping to ask some questions. Let me rephrase that, I AM going to ask some questions in hopes of getting some answers.

After messing around with the program for an hour or so I realized that I was going to get no where without some assistance. I went and purchased a FMP 6 Visual Quick Start Guide and while it seems to be helping point me in the right directions, I can't quite wrap my head around some things.

First off, I am waiting for my FMP 7 Developer to arrive as I want to turn my databases into stand alone programs. Will I just be able to import my work that I am doing now into Developer?

For my first project I started from scratch and was just trying to do something simple but something that would allow me to try out several of the different features. I decided that I would make a database for my video game collection. I have an area where (I hope) I can drag and drop a box scanned image into. But where I am stuck on right now are check boxes / radio butons.

I have 11 "Game Features" that will varry from game to game and I want to set them up where I can just click in a box if that game supports it. I am not really sure how to do this. In the 'Database Fields' screen, do I just make a 'Field Name' and use a 'Text' field for the Type?

Example:

------------------

[ ] High Definition

[ ] Dolby Surround

[ ] System Link

Could someone give me some help on setting this up?

The only other question I will bother you guys with right now is the different layouts. I have the layout I am working on now called 'Video Games' (I guess because that is what I saved the files as?). It spans to far width wise to print all the data so I know I need to create another Layout for printing. I also need a layout for Searching and one just to List all the entries in the database in a nice formatted table.

How do I go about linking all these different layouts together? I am reading the book from cover to cover but I skimmed ahead to try and figure this out but it either isn't in there or I just missed it. I guess what I am saying is, I have a graphic button in my 'Header' called "Search". How do I get that to pull up the Search Layout?

I hope this has made some sense and that someone out there will take a few minutes to help me out or point me in the right direction.

Thanks everyone!

Version: v7.x

Platform: Mac OS X Panther

[Ocean West]

Sintax welcome

Go to file - define - value lists there you can create your list of items

on the layout you can specify if you want the field to display as a checkbox or radio button or popup menu via the menu FORMAT - FIELD FORMAT.

[stanley]

Sintax:

You are correct about Developer. You make your solution in FileMaker Pro, and use Developer to turn that into a stand-alone.

As far as your layouts are concerned, you're on the right track. You should set up your "Search" button to either switch to the Search Layout, or to perform a script which has more functionality than that... In Layout Mode, select the button, then go to Format-->Button to set it up to switch to Search Layout (Go To Layout [search Layout])... to use a script, you'd write the script first, then format the button similarly.

Your "Game Features" field should be a text field. When you put it into the layout, click on the field in Layout Mode, then go to Format-->Field Format.. and select "Checkbox Set" where it says "Edit Field"... then you can define a new value list using the custom values "High Definition, Dolby Surround," etc (don't use quotation marks, and separate them with Returns...

HTH

-Stanley

[Sintax]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I just got in and am eager to try this out.

If I may ask another question to Stanley's answer:

"You should set up your "Search" button to either switch to the Search Layout, or to perform a script which has more functionality than that..."

1) How do I make my Search Layout? Do I just create a new layout and call it "Search"

2) Would using a script be better? I haven't gotten to that part of the book yet.

Thanks again!

UPDATE:

OK, I got it... but is there a way to kind of style the check boxes? Well not the check boxes but the amount of space between each option? It really isn't fitting in with the rest of my design as it currently stands.

[Sintax]

Came up with another question:

Would "Insert", "Modify", and "Delete" all be the same Layout? Would it be easier if I linked to a screen shot of my database so you could see what I am talking about?

[stanley]

Sintax:

The check boxes are pretty standardized. There are some tricks and workarounds that let you customize the look of them (by not using them... it's complicated) but you ought to stick with the regular old check boxes...

As far as "Insert", "Modify" and "Delete"... certainly, post a screen shot up.

I think what you're after, though, is that you could use the same layout for initially entering data, and then for modifying later. Some folks have a (nearly) identical "View" layout, which has all the fields locked, so users can see data, but not inadvertently alter things. A "unlock" button takes you to the "Insert/Modify" layout, where the fields are unlocked.

By the way, what book are you using?

-Stanley

[Sintax]

Oh, that "lock / unlock" thing sounds exactly like what I am looking for! I will have to see if I can figure out how to do that.

I am using the book "FileMaker Pro 6 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide".

Screen Capture Of Database (#1)

Screen Capture Of Database (#2)

I seem to be at a dead end right now so I am going to go back to the book. I know that I need to do the following but seem stuck on how to do so:

- Create A Search Layout

- Create A List Layout (or something that will display all the entries)

- Create Some Kind Of "View Only" Layout (where modifications can't be made)

- Rethink The Buttons At The Top (are "insert", "modify", "delete" all necessary buttons?)

- Create A Layout For Printing Records

- Link All Of The Above Together!!!

After that, I should be set!