Disable Commit Records

[PKF]

A button-attached script will perform error checking for field entries and then commit the record. I do NOT want a user to be able to commit a record by clicking outside a field, thereby avoiding using the button. Is it possible to disable this default Filemaker7 feature?

[RalphL]

Use a new record layout with global fields. When your script susessfully completes the check move the data to the fields and commit the record.

[PKF]

Thanks for the solution! This approach should work, but given the number of entry layout screens and the number of fields/layout, this method seems very labor intensive. Why doesn't FM7 allow developers to force processing through scripts instead of allowing users the option of bypassing scripts by committing records by clicking outside fields. This seems to be a major weakness of FM7.

[PKF]

Hi Ralph,

Thank you for your advice regarding how to "hide" a specific field

by using duplicate layouts containing global fields - one layout with a

specific field and one without. I've partially implemented your solution by writing a script to direct a user to the appropriate layout.

A remaining problem has to do with an ID field set up as a serial number

in each of the two 'global type' layouts. You can't automatically

display the next ID value if this ID field is identified as a global. If

it is not set as a global, the value can be shown (upon record creation). However, users may still click outside fields to commit a record instead of clicking on a button. I have two buttons on each layout. One button saves global values by using the Set Field command to move all global information to the final appropriate destination fields. The other button should allow complete escape from the record by resetting global fields to Null values ("") and reverting the record. Unfortunately, a user can still click outside a

global field before clicking this button. This causes gaps in the ID values.

Perhaps this is a small price to pay, but it frustrates me that FM is set up so that you can't force users to choose buttons instead of committing records by clicking outside a field.

Any thoughts?

[RalphL]

You could make the background a button or buttons that do nothing.

[Ken521]

I know this is a dead thread but making "the background a button that does nothing" is genius and is working well for me.

Thanks

[comment]

11 minutes ago, Ken521 said:

making "the background a button that does nothing" is genius and is working well for me

Is it?