Visually Identifying Active Record?

[Andrew Enright]

Hello all.

I'm new to the forum, so excuse any unintended etiquette slips...

There is something I'm dying to do in FM, and the answer has thus far eluded me...

How can I visually identify which record is active?

In other words:

I have a layout that shows a list of many records, stacked vertically on top of one another. I use this layout during a weekly meeting to show my the rest of my department which projects are routing, in the studio, at the supplier, etc. Problem is, that when using an LCD projector, people visually lose track which record we are discussing. There is no visual signifier that the record is active, other than the fields jumping to the standard white box/dotted outline...

So my question is:

Is there a way to insert a field that changes color, or creates type based on the fact that the record just became active?

I want to click on a record and all of the sudden a big red dot appears next to it, and when I click on another record, the dot disappears from the last record and then reappears next to the newly active one...

Is this possible?

Please help,

A.

[edmonton]

Hi

You can use Text Formatting functions that are available in FMP 7. I think there are some GET functions also, that will tell you which record is active...

You can combine the two to make the active record text to show in different color...

[LaRetta]

Andrew, there is actually a very simple way with vs. 7. You can have each field highlight as you enter it - or the entire record highlight as you enter it. It requires no calculations, no fields, no containers or color swatches, no custom functions, no scripts and no plugins. It works just as well in Find mode and works instantly whether tabbing or clicking into the fields/records.

I've attached two files. The first shows how to achieve field highlight and the second shows how to achieve record highlight. It's actually cheating - one of my favorite things to do. If you have questions on it, let me know.

You can also use a calculation container which contains your color swatch which covers the row behind your fields. But I like letting FM do all of this for me. I don't like using any resources unless necessary. This demo isn't exactly what you asked for but it's so easy, I thought I'd throw it out for you anyway.

You can do your dot also. So many ways to go with FM ... the possibilities are endless. If this doesn't meet your needs let us know and we'll step you through your 'dot' creation.

LaRetta

Highlights.zip

[Ano Nimus]

Laretta, I have d/l-ed it and readily admit I haven't a clue. How on earth did you do that?

[edit]

...time passes...Ano maximizes the window...enlightment strikes!

Ah, found it!

[Andrew Enright]

LaRetta,

Thanx so much for your help.

You are indeed correct, you do have a very simple solution, that works great. You're just using the fact that a field becomes transparent when selected, to reveal a background color, huh? How did you differentiate between the behavior of the FieldHighlight vs. RecordHighlight though...?

Anyway, that's kinda a moot question, because I still need to have my "dot".

Maybe you can help me...

Attached you'll find a picture of the layout I'm working on (sans a few confidential bits).

In that image you'll see a yellow dot on the left. This is the effect I'm after...

When the user selects a record (there are 3 depicted) I'd like to have a dot (or arrow) appear in that small blank space to the left of the record.

Possible?

You have no idea how much I appreciate your help,

A.

[transpower]

I recommend switching to Table View. A vertical bar to the left indicates the active record.

[hayesk]

I recommend switching to Table View. A vertical bar to the left indicates the active record.

List View does that too. But it's hard to see if his layout is black.

[Ted S]

LaRetta,

Very nice! Simple. I like it. We've seen lots of clunky workarounds in the past but you have come up with one is pretty darn clean.

However, stuff like this always makes me wonder if FM's programmers made a consious decision to make FileMaker do this. If they didn't, isn't there a risk that at some future point they will either consiously or perhaps unconsiously "correct their error" and remove the unintended feature that you and I have built into our solutions?

[Andrew Enright]

Yes, I find that the small black bar to the left, though useful for one user in front of a display, is not very visible to a group of people viewing the records via LCD projector. This is the case whether the layout is black (as mine is) or white (as mine used to be).

I need a visual cue that is unmistakeable from at least 15 feet away.

For now, I'm still after a dot or an arrow...

Suggestions?

A.

[edmonton]

I am trying to download the attachment that Andrew has attached in his reply but I get a blank page with a broken image on the top...

Any idea why this is happening....?

Thanx

[Andrew Enright]

I just tried it myself.

Works for me...

A.

[LaRetta]

Hi Andrew,

I've attached an example of activating your dot.

Ted said ... isn't there a risk that at some future point they will either consiously or perhaps unconsiously "correct their error" and remove the unintended feature

Nope. I'm not concerned, Ted. The secret to this highlight feature working (in my first examples) is based upon a standard feature of vs. 7.

The reason it works is because of the new 'Show Field Frames when Active' feature in Layouts. FM will not be discontinuing this, as it is a powerful addition; one which Developers have been requesting for quite some time (to turn off Show Field Frames). Versions prior to 7 could use this field-highlighting trick, but one must attach a script to each field (with 'Allow Entry' off on every field) and a Go To Field [] script step attached to each field. In 7, of course, none of this is necessary and that's why it excites me.

In the 'field highlight' demo, Layouts > Show Field Frames was unchecked. In this way, each field only would 'highlight' because it was set to transparent background. For the list view, this was checked so all fields for each record 'highlighted when the record itself is selected. And yes, there is a white rectangle over the red colored body. It also helps to lock this rectange - it seems to produce less flash (on Windows) than an unlocked rectangle.

A dot is another matter. I attached the script to the RecordID (pretty short on time) but you can attach it to a transparent rectangle over the entire row of fields, so any click of the record will activate the dot. I used Specify Button because the script is just a Set Field []. You can paste an arrow in this global container instead. There may be smoother ways but none are coming to me. Sorry this isn't pretty ... I've been a bit busy of late. I hope this helps you!

LaRetta

DotHighlight.fp7.zip

[Ted S]

LaRetta,

I knew about the field frames but I thought that was limited to just displaying a bunch of mini-dots around the perimiter of the field. I didn't realize that the whole field went transparent during the process. Thanks for pointing this one out!

[LaRetta]

I just wanted to clarify ... The new checkbox in FM7 Layouts allows one to 'unckeck' Show Field Frames. This is the exciting part. If checked, field selection will behave just as it did in versions prior to 7. If you stack a rectangle on top of the body but set the fields to transparent fill, the body color will show through regardless of the version used.

7 is wonderful because it allows us to turn this off (uncheck it). In this way, a field will only highlight when entered but the other fields won't! And a User stepping through data-entry finds it easy to tell exactly where they are because we can highlight the field without resorting to (Select) which can be dangerous. If we use (Select) it highlights the whole field (plus the text) and we risk an errant User key-click wiping out the entire field data. So using (Select) when entering a field isn't a good highlight technique (in my opinion). And the color is limited to the OS colors.

So, 'Show Field Frames' clicked or unclicked doesn't control the transparency on the field backgrounds. If field is transparent, background will show through in all versions; except in prior versions it could not be controlled, ie, ALL fields for the record would highlight simultaneously. That's okay for list views but not field-by-field highlighting. In 7, we are now free to make the background (field highlights) any color we wish. And we can control it with one 'fake' background on top, changing fields to transparent fill, and the proper setting of Show Field Frames. It doesn't get any easier than that.

LaRetta

[Deep Thought II]

this technique was also in CC Calendar FREE... a free solution downloadable from the FM website.

[LaRetta]

Thanks for the reminder! I haven't checked out Cleveland Consulting's FM 7 stuff yet!

I have no doubt many are taking advantage of this new field-control ability. Many used it in prior versions (on a limited level) also. It's certainly not new news ... but FM7 makes it sweet news.

LaRetta