Hi. I'm just getting started with Filemaker and scripting, but am already finding the menu-based scriptmaker a bit tedious. Is there anyway to write scripts in a different editor? Thanks for any pointers.

-Chuck

No. You can import entire scripts from one file to another (then fix the almost inevitable errors). You can also duplicate several script steps at once. But that's about it.

One tool I use, to save me from tedious functions like: Get (LastMessageChoice), Get (LastError), Get ( ScriptParameter ), is to use an "auto-typing" program, which can auto-expand abbreviations into full phrases, stored in glossary files.

It is also very useful if you do much writing about FileMaker (fm :-).

I use Spell Catcher (which has a dictionary and thesaurus as well), but there is also TypeIt4Me (cheaper), and a new dark horse Typinator (untried, more automatic but less flexible, possibly less compatible).

Of course for calculation functions, you can use any text editor to create the formula and just paste into the appropriate FM dialog. I do this in BBEdit since it's easier to format text with the proper indentation for readability.

I wonder how hard it would be to create a glossary and syntax checker(with syntax coloring) for filemaker calculations in BBEdit or TextWrangler?

Dana

I wonder how hard it would be to create a glossary and syntax checker(with syntax coloring) for filemaker calculations in BBEdit or TextWrangler?

You forgot auto-completion ...

It's an idea I had on my to-do list for a while now. So just pray I have enough down-time in the next year.

Ooh! And then find time to make one for vi! That would rule!

...And maybe automator actions that would make the process seamless between FM and BBEdit. (and vi... and maybe emacs too)

Thanks for all the responses. The message I'm getting is that the only flexibility is how one uses scriptmaker. It's too bad the scripts don't exist as independent files that could be exported/imported.

This is making me think that I might want to use Applescript to control Filemaker. Would Applescript work for internal Filemaker commands, or is it really just for linking to processes outside Filemaker?

AppleScript is not cross-platform.

The big advantage of doing things in ScriptMaker is that almost everything works on Mac and Win straight out of the box.