My wants list...

November 1, 200619 yr

Becomming an intermediate FM Developer this is what I would like to see...

Layout Grouping

Group Layouts into folders and sub folders for easier navigation and general tidiness.

Not dissimilar to Photoshop's Layers and Layer Grouping.

Intelligent Layout & Script Searching

I start typing and it filters the layout list down to layers containing what I am typing.

The Same for script searching, IMO this is a very key feature thats around in many apps for years, like spotlight's search functions.

Global Script control

The ability to globally switch a script off or on without having to comment out the script.

//this isn't a major thing just more of a time saving task.

Error/Useage Logging

Better error logging so that one can easily create a log table/layout so that they can debug or see errors.

Currently I believe you have to know what the expected error is and create a record for it with a description e.g create a log table up from scratch.

Templates

Now this is a WIP but heres the gist..

-Create a layout template that contains default contents like parts with their custom settings and positions etc etc.

-Create a new table will auto populate my predefined default/templated fields into it.

-Buttons and objects or the like can adopt a template style that when changed they will also change either globally for the database or for that one layout, This would enable easy custom colour changes etc etc (not sure how clever an idea this actually ids -lol)

Variable Controls

The ability to see in one window what variables are created or used in the database and what they are currently doing/holding.

The ability to modify the variable by either flushing/clearing its contents, rename it, make it a global or non global.

The ability to drill down and see variable occurances to see where/when/how each variable is used.

More to come...

Edited November 1, 200619 yr by Guest

November 2, 200619 yr

The ability to see in one window what variables are created or used in the database and what they are currently doing/holding.

Tools/Data Viewer may be what your looking for if your using 8.5 Advanced as your profile says...

November 2, 200619 yr

The ability to globally switch a script off or on without having to comment out the script.

//this isn't a major thing just more of a time saving task.

You can do this with access privilages ... but you probably mean the Debug Script window which you can not do this in.

November 2, 200619 yr

Author

Tools/Data Viewer may be what your looking for if your using 8.5 Advanced as your profile says...

Ahh yes the data viewer its only recently I have been utilizing this tool, what I really meant was a list of variables without having to know them or input them.

You can do this with access privilages ... but you probably mean the Debug Script window which you can not do this in.

Yes from the debug script window would be good also from the script maker window without having to enter the script and //disable it.

November 2, 200619 yr

what I really meant was a list of variables without having to know them or input them.

I don't think it would be possible to get a list of all the variables used in a file. Variables can be declared from a number of unusual locations where FileMaker only knows about them after they've been declared. Then script variables only persist while the script is running. I suppose it may be possible to get a list of any declared global variables, but that's about it.

Global Script control
The ability to globally switch a script off or on without having to comment out the script.

//this isn't a major thing just more of a time saving task.

Short of this functionality, you might try inserting an Exit Script step, which accomplishes the same thing.

Layout Grouping
Group Layouts into folders and sub folders for easier navigation and general tidiness.

Not dissimilar to Photoshop's Layers and Layer Grouping.

I kinda like this idea.

Edited November 2, 200619 yr by Guest

November 8, 200619 yr

I would also like the idea of being able to put layouts in to "groups"

For example, i have 10 modules so roughly... 200 layouts, but here's the thing... even though i alphabetically order everything and name my layouts appropriately etc... Well, if the layout is anywhere past the second module, i have to scroll down... a long way, and if its anywhere at 5+... well, i just keep scrolling and scrolling, god help me if i select the wrong one, i might go break something.

Anyway, i was angry a few months ago, so i put together a simple nav technique.

As an interim solution see: http://fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?fid/25/tid/181969/pid/228531/post/228531/#228531