Layouts

[LaRetta]

FM is so sweet in that if you attempt to delete a field, it tells you it's being used by another calculation or script. I wish they would also provide the same protection when attempting to delete a layout which is used in a script.

And with vs. 7 (and multiple tables within one file), my layouts list is very long and difficult to work with. Of course I have named them consistently and you can jump around a bit but it would be nice if it included sub-categories for further grouping them without having to create blank layouts for categories. Second-layer popups would be very nifty.

LaRetta

[PoweredbyFm7]

These are impossible now. I hope, may be in future.

[Vaughan]

I worked on one solution where lots of blank layouts were named "-----" and used to separate groups of layouts, and the layout names were padded with lots of spaces and hyphens to produce a mock hierarchial menu system. Unfortunately it didn't work, users just duplicated layouts at the top of the list and modified them rather than look for the correct layout (each layout was a merge letter).

Since the newly duplicated layouts appeared at the bottom of the menu they ended up only ever being used once because they all ended up having names like "Approved-----------2004 Janine Copy Copy Copy Cop" and only the first few dozen characters would evey show up in the layout menu under Windows anyway.

This file ended up having over 860 layouts in it! I cut it down to less than 60.

[Munchie]

Would it be possible to create a layout that uses portals with the names of layouts to goto easily?

Sort by layout name, group them with relationships, ect?

I've thought about doing it with my solution, however, it's a programmers toy at this point, low priority.

[Fenton]

Yes, it is possible. If you have a table that has the layout names, you can use that for a portal. Then, after clicking a row (to set a global), you can go to the layout by name (in 7, this makes it much easier than in 6).

The trick is getting the layout names into the little table. You can automate it if you choose a certain "block' of layouts to be the ones that go there. You can get them by using the Middle function with the Design function, LayoutNames. Kind of tricky, but it can dynamically set a list to a block of layouts.

But it's fairly easy to just put the layout names that you want in another table. You can get all LayoutNames, then set a global, then delete the ones you don't want, and create records for them, with a Loop (or, easier, import them as a text file).

Like you said, you could add a category field to filter. At that point the layouts are much like any other data.

[Damian Kelly]

Rather than use a portal why not use a global text field and a value list? Then a go to layout button with a goto layout that calls the global as a parameter. You can populate the valuelist by using field values from a calculation that uses the design funtion layoutnames. If you want to remove particular layouts do a substitute on the layout name and replace with "".

Example attached.

The biggest issue with this approach is that you have to use an indexed field for the calc. This is so FileMaker can in effect do a select distinct to find the values to populate the valuelist.

Damian Kelly

Database Developer

FileMaker 7 Certified Developer

_______________________________________________________

Cordis Ltd

1 Raven Wharf

Queen Elizabeth Street

London SE1 2LR

http://www.cordistechnologies.com

Phone: 020 7378 7388

Fax: 0870 4580 411

_______________________________________________________

[Damian Kelly]

Rather than use a portal why not use a global text field and a value list? Then a go to layout button with a goto layout that calls the global as a parameter. You can populate the valuelist by using field values from a calculation that uses the design funtion layoutnames. If you want to remove particular layouts do a substitute on the layout name and replace with "".

Example attached.

The biggest issue with this approach is that you have to use an indexed field for the calc. This is so FileMaker can in effect do a select distinct to find the values to populate the valuelist.

Damian Kelly

Database Developer

FileMaker 7 Certified Developer

_______________________________________________________

Cordis Ltd

1 Raven Wharf

Queen Elizabeth Street

London SE1 2LR

http://www.cordistechnologies.com

Phone: 020 7378 7388

Fax: 0870 4580 411

_______________________________________________________

[Damian Kelly]

Rather than use a portal why not use a global text field and a value list? Then a go to layout button with a goto layout that calls the global as a parameter. You can populate the valuelist by using field values from a calculation that uses the design funtion layoutnames. If you want to remove particular layouts do a substitute on the layout name and replace with "".

Example attached.

The biggest issue with this approach is that you have to use an indexed field for the calc. This is so FileMaker can in effect do a select distinct to find the values to populate the valuelist.

Damian Kelly

Database Developer

FileMaker 7 Certified Developer

_______________________________________________________

Cordis Ltd

1 Raven Wharf

Queen Elizabeth Street

London SE1 2LR

http://www.cordistechnologies.com

Phone: 020 7378 7388

Fax: 0870 4580 411

_______________________________________________________

Example.fp7.zip

[Ender]

These seem like poor solutions to the problem of working with a large number of layouts. A portal navigation or pop-up navigation of all the layouts might be fine if developers were the only ones in the database, but we can't have those tools available on user screens. In addition, they don't work in Layout Mode where I, for one, do most layout editing. I agree with LaRetta, that layout groupings would be a good tool to have.

As for being warned when deleting a layout, I wouldn't find this especially helpful. Using an analysis tool like the DDR or MetadataMagic does a nice job of showing where elements are used.

[Ender]

These seem like poor solutions to the problem of working with a large number of layouts. A portal navigation or pop-up navigation of all the layouts might be fine if developers were the only ones in the database, but we can't have those tools available on user screens. In addition, they don't work in Layout Mode where I, for one, do most layout editing. I agree with LaRetta, that layout groupings would be a good tool to have.

As for being warned when deleting a layout, I wouldn't find this especially helpful. Using an analysis tool like the DDR or MetadataMagic does a nice job of showing where elements are used.

[Ender]

These seem like poor solutions to the problem of working with a large number of layouts. A portal navigation or pop-up navigation of all the layouts might be fine if developers were the only ones in the database, but we can't have those tools available on user screens. In addition, they don't work in Layout Mode where I, for one, do most layout editing. I agree with LaRetta, that layout groupings would be a good tool to have.

As for being warned when deleting a layout, I wouldn't find this especially helpful. Using an analysis tool like the DDR or MetadataMagic does a nice job of showing where elements are used.

[LaRetta]

Hi Mike,

I haven't used the DDR nearly often enough. I printed mine once ... it used almost a ream of paper. It impressed the Owner though ... made him realize I actually WAS doing something after all.

I've created several 'unnamed' (table) layouts when tired to quick view data as I worked (and while writing scripts) and a week later 'cleaned up my mess' by deleting them all. Then a script would break! Yep, I forgot that new script needed a field present and I deleted the layout I had plopped the field on when testing.

I have a resultion to my problem (sloppy work habits) then: 1) Properly name layouts immediately (particularly when script needs them), 2) Use the DDR more often than just as an encyclopedia and 3) Comment ALL fields and scripts no matter how exhausted or rushed. Oh. And create scripts in the script-order they should be when done - easier than dragging them.

Note being pasted on my monitor as we speak ... "Proper work habits eliminate heartache."

LaRetta

[LaRetta]

Hi Mike,

I haven't used the DDR nearly often enough. I printed mine once ... it used almost a ream of paper. It impressed the Owner though ... made him realize I actually WAS doing something after all.

I've created several 'unnamed' (table) layouts when tired to quick view data as I worked (and while writing scripts) and a week later 'cleaned up my mess' by deleting them all. Then a script would break! Yep, I forgot that new script needed a field present and I deleted the layout I had plopped the field on when testing.

I have a resultion to my problem (sloppy work habits) then: 1) Properly name layouts immediately (particularly when script needs them), 2) Use the DDR more often than just as an encyclopedia and 3) Comment ALL fields and scripts no matter how exhausted or rushed. Oh. And create scripts in the script-order they should be when done - easier than dragging them.

Note being pasted on my monitor as we speak ... "Proper work habits eliminate heartache."

LaRetta

[LaRetta]

Hi Mike,

I haven't used the DDR nearly often enough. I printed mine once ... it used almost a ream of paper. It impressed the Owner though ... made him realize I actually WAS doing something after all.

I've created several 'unnamed' (table) layouts when tired to quick view data as I worked (and while writing scripts) and a week later 'cleaned up my mess' by deleting them all. Then a script would break! Yep, I forgot that new script needed a field present and I deleted the layout I had plopped the field on when testing.

I have a resultion to my problem (sloppy work habits) then: 1) Properly name layouts immediately (particularly when script needs them), 2) Use the DDR more often than just as an encyclopedia and 3) Comment ALL fields and scripts no matter how exhausted or rushed. Oh. And create scripts in the script-order they should be when done - easier than dragging them.

Note being pasted on my monitor as we speak ... "Proper work habits eliminate heartache."

LaRetta

[joaocarlo]

Layout 0 (zero) why not??

Like 4th Dimension. In complex databases is very important.

[[]]

Jo

[QuinTech]

Are you suggesting the number of the first layout should be 0 instead of 1? How would that help?

Jerry

[Lee Smith]

Hi Jerry,

Actually, there is a layout zero, and it is used by FileMaker for field information. AFAIK, there is no way to address it, or use it. At least that was the story in previous versions, and I haven't heard that it changed in v7.

HTH

Lee

[joaocarlo]

Layout 0 is like a topframe in Dreamweaver, why must repeating buttons, fields, and so on!!!

Try 4th dimension and see that, and the utility, benefits,