a vexing UI/ Layout issue…

[msadesign]

[i am not actually sure where to put this post!]

I am a landscape architect and have been using FM for many many years to generate plant lists, budgets, etc. Now, I am trying to make things run smoother because there are more people in the office, so I need a more bullet-proof solution.

What I want is this: when a person opens the file 'Plant Lists', she gets a welcoming screen that lets her choose the project that she wants to see, and then she clicks on a small graphic representing the desired layout. She does this by clicking on a check box first.

So far, so good.

The background is: FM 6, and these FM files:

PDB [Plant Data Base]

Plant Lists

Proposals [whence project numbers]

Mac 10.4.7

The records in Plant Lists are identified by a key field calculation that is built by concantating the project number and the plant list name [i know this isn't the best way but as I said it's historical].

Here is the best that I have been able to construct [this is just a rough proof-of-concept and I know it is ugly]

http://69.137.5.95/plant_list_query.pdf

[i can't upload this file because the browser quits]

In order to use this form the user must:

1. perform a find based on the check-box key field;

2. hit enter;

3. click on one of the forms on the right side.

Does it work? yes. But it is very ugly and it just feels bad.

What I wanted is EITHER: a list of available plant lists [there are not that many], through which a user would scroll, perhaps a portal, though I could not construct a suitable one, and then click on the one that is desired, and then click on the desired layout. Two clicks; OR user clicks on desired plant list using the basic layout I show, and somehow, when she clicks on the desired layout, FM is using the selected field to generate the list

[i just thought of this as I was describing the problem!]

Maybe someone can either figure out a better layout or a way to make this one work better, but I sure am beating my head on the keyboard!

Michael Spencer

[Fitch]

Why not just use a list layout? Put buttons on it to sort by id or name, another button to search, and a "show all" button, and a button for each of your other layouts. On each record in the list put a button that runs your search and passes the name field as the script parameter. One click.

[msadesign]

Well, I thought of that, but one of the things I want is to have the user first chose the project and then the desired layout: Click the project, then click the layout.

A list would work in the sense that it would take the user to another layout in which he could chose the desired layout. I couldn't have both functions on the same layout because buttons only work in the body.

Am I right about this?

I attached a little movie showing a mockup. The list of projects is generated by a value list.

plant_lists.mov

Edited July 19, 2006 by Guest
corrected spelling errors

[Fitch]

Buttons will work in the header of a list; it's fields in FileMaker 6 that are only editable in the body -- FileMaker 8 lets you use them in the header too. Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to your version, so forget the bit about script parameters (or else upgrade).

I think you should try putting the projects into a file rather than a value list. You'd then have the option to work with them in a list or a portal, your choice, and it might spark some other ideas for you as well.

[msadesign]

OK, I upgraded to 8. Wow! lots of new features, and I think I am on my way with a simple interface which I'll post in a week or so as I develop it.

But one more vexing thing has been plaguing my layout design for years: sliding. I am starting a new thread in this form.

Thanks again.

Michael