I was thinking while trying to extract understanding from the Missing Manual, how effective it would be if some FMP Genius out there created 4 video tutorials for beginner orientation. Something

[enki]

I was thinking while trying to extract understanding from the Missing Manual, how effective it would be if some FMP Genius out there created 4 video tutorials for beginner orientation.

Something that would demonstrate design philosophy via example:

Tutorial 1- Covering: Creating tables, fields, and a simple layout.

Tutorial 2- Covering: Basic calculations, Basic Scripts, Basic Templates etc.

Tutorial 3- Covering: Relating tables, Advanced Layouts-tunneling and simple scripts for relational tables, etc.

Tutorial 4- Covering: Advanced relational integrations etc.

(1 minute per topic, 3 min per tutorial)

Not everything mind you, just the basics of how to put different concepts together*. Because that is what I feel is really lacking. (Making things pretty I feel is secondary to making them work, so i wouldn't worry about appearances.- Maybe as a second Tutorial track. )

Just something that would give beginners an overview so they wouldn't have to keep asking "obvious" design questions that can be seen in 20 minutes.

I'm going to go out on limb and bet that the community would value this. Of course I could be wrong, maybe I'm the only visual learner.

I harass you with this email because you have already done it and because i have honestly been banging my head for 20 days trying to understand relational FMP layout design, after coming from MSaccess. And i'm sure that i'm not the only one cutting down one concept tree at a time while looking through the straw of a book. [i miss the tree. A lot.] I just can't see how it all fits together. *Globals, portals, scripts, contexts and NO queries!??

A video for us novices would be the difference between an inflated raft on a sunny day and a box of toothpicks and twine in a gale.

Honestly you could link to the FMP tutorial page and go on to relational table layout..which they seem to think is obvious despite the density of views in the forums for portal and layouts.