Advanced Buttons?

[tDot]

I tried searching for this topic, but couldn't find any posts...

I want to be able to create advanced button designs for my FM solution. I'm using FM Developer 5.5. on Windows XP, so that rules out the button tool that I found on Apple's website. Does anyone know of a button generating tool that allows you to create buttons for use in FM on the windows platform?

I found out how to make cool "Aqua" buttons using Photoshop, but am unsure of how I can implement these in my FM layouts. If I "Insert Picture" it inserts a rectangular image (even though my Aqua buttons have rounded ends). Also, the colour that the button makes upon click is HIDEOUS! Anyone out there who is really fussy about button design ever found a solution to these types of issues???

[Leader]

If I understand correctly, you wish to create buttons with custom graphics? And, further, they can have non-rectangular shapes?

Okay, you're way ahead by knowing Photoshop. Some people have trouble with transparency and I'm not certain 5.5 can handle it, so I'll give you a (nearly) foolproof method. Here's what you do:

1. Create your graphic. Try not to use any colors that are the same as the background color of your FM layout.

2. Using the layout color, fill in the irregular areas that would normally be background. Save the file in PhotoShop form for safety.

3. Using the select tool muted down to just a single color without anti-aliasing, select a spot with the background color.

4. Do a Select Similar.

5. Do a Select Inverse.

6. Create an alpha channel. You should see either an all black or all white image and an outline of your selected area.

7. If the alpha image area is all black, make sure your background color is white and hit your backspace key to delete the image outline. If the image is all white, do a Select Inverse again, make sure your background color is black, and hit the backspace key.

8. You may be able to Select All and then copy and paste the image directly into your layout... I'm not sure about FM 5.5. Otherwise, save the file as GIF. You can open the file in a browser to double check that the transparency is working correctly.

9. Within FileMaker in Layout mode, select FILE > IMPORT/EXPORT > IMPORT PICTURE. Then place it where you need it.

10. Use FORMAT > BUTTON to make your settings then.

If FM5 accepts transparency, then you already have it built in to your alpha channel. If it doesn't, then you already faked the background color, so either way it should work.

[tDot]

Thanks Leader. My photoshop skills are not quite as advanced as yours, but I'm sure I could follow. My understanding is that FileMaker only supports transparency in FM7, and only PNG at that.

As far as faking out, I can create a beautiful Aqua-style gel button and make the background the same color as my FM layout color. I import the image and make it a button..all good so far. But when I click on the button in Browse mode, while my mouse is down a rectangle is highlighted (not the nice rounded shape of my gel button. Also, and equally disturbing, is that the colours that are used on Mouse-down highlighting are some kind of weird inverse colour, and do UGLY things when the button image in question has a lot of gradations and multiple colors (as is the case with a Gel button.)

I guess what I was hoping for is if someone had created some kind of a button plug-in I couuld use. Do you know if there is any way to control the highlighting behaviour when a FM button is clicked (on the Windows platform??)

[jorfasan]

HI,

perhaps it is not what your are looking for but it might be valuable to have a look:

Aqua look buttons

If you do not know the website, enjoy.

HTH

[jorfasan]

HI,

perhaps it is not what your are looking for but it might be valuable to have a look:

Aqua look buttons

If you do not know the website, enjoy.

HTH

[jorfasan]

HI,

perhaps it is not what your are looking for but it might be valuable to have a look:

Aqua look buttons

If you do not know the website, enjoy.

HTH

[sbg2]

I'm not sure there are any plug-ins for mousedown but there are for mouseover, like Simple Help plug-in . You will run across other features that are ugly or dont offer much versatility (if any), get used to compromise or over involved work arounds.

[sbg2]

I'm not sure there are any plug-ins for mousedown but there are for mouseover, like Simple Help plug-in . You will run across other features that are ugly or dont offer much versatility (if any), get used to compromise or over involved work arounds.

[sbg2]

I'm not sure there are any plug-ins for mousedown but there are for mouseover, like Simple Help plug-in . You will run across other features that are ugly or dont offer much versatility (if any), get used to compromise or over involved work arounds.