Use image as background for layout?

[remraf]

I'm new to filemaker and am curious if it is a good idea to use an image for the layout of the application. Instead of using filemakers built in tools to draw the boundaries of the app I laid out an image that I can change and insert into a duplicated layout when I need a new layout. Think tabs.

There is a certain look I'm going for that I can't get with the built in layout tools.

Any gotchas, tips or unforseen consequences?

thanks in advance

Edited March 8, 2006 by Guest

[Genx]

No real consequences no, though if you want to change your image you'd have to do it on every layout... So try not to make yourself do that. I can't say i use filemaker tools for most of my navigation and button design either, just graphics programs and then overlay buttons...

Oh right, one consequence could be if you were trying to host this file over a network and the image database wasn't split into a front end back end type thing. Another solution could be to store it in a global calc field (result container) pointing to a static location on your user's computer... though I experienced highly annoying flickering in filemaker 7, i don't know if the issue has been resolved in 8, i've yet to try it again

~Genx

[T-Square]

I've used the image in a container field option with great success. With this, you store the image you are using as a background in a global container field. Then, you place this field behind everything else on the layout. To change the image (as genx thought about), you'd paste in a new image to the global field. I use three such fields for header, footer and body. I have not had trouble with flicker; I think these fields won't flicker if you keep them out of the tab sequence and read-only.

David