Layout eye-candy :)

[LelandLong]

I've always wanted to add a little animation to layouts to spice things up a bit. As we all know, things as simple as animated gif's and swf's have never been an option on a layout!

Until now!

The last 2 versons of FMP, thanks to the web viewer, have now made things possible that have, up till now, been impossible.

I've also discovered a way to embed the graphics in the database. No plug-in's! No external files! No internet sourcing! Completely self-contained!

Work's great with .gif, .jpg, & .swf. Maybe more too . . . I've only begun to explore the possibilities!

To download the demonstration file goto:

FMP Animation Demo

[Lee Smith]

You have double posted this.

I deleted other post, as it really belongs in it's own topic.

Lee

BTW, I loved your Cell Phone

Edited September 30, 2007 by Guest

[LelandLong]

Thanx. I didn't see my previous post show up the recent post's and also thought it needed to be in a topic by itself, so thanx for the fix!

Glad ya liked the cellphone cartoon. My personal favorite is the Caffeine addition :(

[Lee Smith]

yeah, I chuckled on that one too.

[Raybaudi]

To download the demonstration file...

Hi

your file is poorly protected...

Go to delete the full access account.

Edited September 30, 2007 by Guest

[LelandLong]

Hmmm....

Guess I didn't really try to make it protected, since those wonderful customers that make the small financial donation get a code that opens up the file completely as Full Access and reveals layouts that explain how to create their own animations.

If you want to cheat and gain full access through your own sneaky means, then 'grats . . . but then you're not supporting my efforts, and we developers need to support one another.

I myself support developers every time I purchase plug-in's . . .

[comment]

I don't see why the file is locked in the first place. There's nothing new about embedding Base64-coded media in the URL - it has been discussed extensively on this forum and on other sites. As it is, it is neither a tip, nor a trick or a technique - in short, there's nothing you can learn from it.

P.S. I didn't crack the file - I don't know how to do it, and I didn't see any need. The technique used is plainly visible as you flip among the records.

[LelandLong]

As I stated in the Help section of the demo, I spent a lot of time and effort collecting these ready-to-copy-and-paste animations. The customer that wishes any of these in their own solutions pays the small fee to unlock the file, thereby allowing them full access, and even explains how to create their own.

I'm not trying to charge for the concept which you already stated is obvious. It's not obvious to some of the clients who've seen it and appreciated the efforts.

[comment]

I am not interested in coming between you and your customers. I am speaking as a forum member.

[Raybaudi]

Hmmm....

If you want to cheat and gain full access through your own sneaky means, then 'grats

No, I didn't want...but, if you want that someone pay something to you, the file must be better locked.

[Vaughan]

Leyland wrote: " I spent a lot of time and effort collecting these ready-to-copy-and-paste animations. The customer that wishes any of these in their own solutions pays the small fee to unlock the file, thereby allowing them full access..."

So you're charging money for a solution that includes the copyrighted work of others?

I don't think that posting locked files and expecting payment for unlocking is in the spirit of this Forum.

[LelandLong]

Isn't that the world of plug-in's?

Do we really create new things, or do we take idea's from many sources and put them together in a finished product to sell? Without the tools provided for us developer's to use we couldn't be making the living as we do now could we!

By the way, I specifically found images that were not copy-protected; free for anyone's use... Careful with the accusations eh!

[Genx]

.. Yes but this is a community of developers that come together in the spirit of helping each other learn - none of us get paid to help others out on this forum, even Stephen (lol i know) just wants to break even.

And plugin's are different - they let FileMaker do something that it can't otherwise do, not something that we haven't figured out how to do in FM. And there are open source efforts even with these: Mooplug, Zippscript, DoScript, EventScript...

I don't think i've ever seen someone lock down an FM sample file on these forums before, what normally happens is a developer will produce open source samples, and point users to their site if they want to sell them something. Maybe you should move this to the "new product announcements" section?

In any case, you're free to do as you wish, but i'll echo the voices and say its not in the spirit of these forums.

[Vaughan]

Leyland wrote: "I specifically found images that were not copy-protected; free for anyone's use... Careful with the accusations eh!"

What, you don't think the Netscape and Internet Explorer logos aren't copyright? I'm sure Microsoft would be interested to hear you're charging to distribute their IP.

Copy protection has nothing to do with copyright. Stuff found on the internet is not automatically public domain or copyright free.

[David Jondreau]

Do we really create new things, or do we take idea's from many sources and put them together in a finished product to sell? Without the tools provided for us developer's to use we couldn't be making the living as we do now could we!

By the way, I specifically found images that were not copy-protected; free for anyone's use... Careful with the accusations eh!

I create new things. I use tools, some offered freely by their creators, some that I pay for, to create databases. Surely, I don't need to carve my own brush in order to make an original painting.

Ideas and discoveries by themselves are not subject to copyright, however their expression may be. For instance, I'd be surprised if Warner Bros didn't think the use of Michigan J. Frog in your solution isn't copyright infringement.

Anyway, I think this is the wrong forum for this thread. Perhaps a moderator can move it to Product Announcements.

[LelandLong]

Well, if nothing else, this project has become an amazing learning process.

Before I distributed this I asked several people their opinion, and settled on a free demo file, with the "how-to-do-it" locked up, with a purchasable unlock code. Not necessarily for the knowledge but for time spent collecting and converting so that they could be copy/pasted.

Since I am not new to FileMaker but very new to full-time development, and very green to forums, I was unsure how a locked file would be received. This thread has certainly encouraged a voice to be heard . . . many of you do not like it!

I have received some off-forum emails to the contrary. The paying customer's seem to be united in expressing their thanks for my efforts. At least one has expressed your forum postings as "they're out to lunch"

However, I value the opinions of all and, though hard to swallow at times, I try to accept constructive criticism when it's given. Especially when those giving it have been around much longer than I! (GenX - 4547 posts old, Vaughan - 6467 posts old, comment - 6534 posts old, raybaudi - 1697 posts old, and crazy eye David J - 352)

GenX said [color:blue]".. Yes but this is a community of developers that come together in the spirit of helping each other learn - none of us get paid to help others out on this forum"

I've appreciated this fact myself and have tried to contribute as such.

Vaughan said [color:blue]"What, you don't think the Netscape and Internet Explorer logos aren't copyright?"

I keep thinking about the serious business animations I put in there: arrows, titles, banners, etc. but the fact that I added humorous ones to the mix, I guess my mistake was assuming since the sites I collected them from "said" they were free doesn't mean they should have included them themselves!

David J said [color:blue]" I'd be surprised if Warner Bros didn't think the use of Michigan J. Frog in your solution isn't copyright infringement."

The fact that the frog is recognizable is news to me. Is that dating myself, or did I just miss a cartoon or two...

[color:blue]"Anyway, I think this is the wrong forum for this thread. Perhaps a moderator can move it to Product Announcements. "

I didn't post the thread here, it was moved, so I'll try to claim ignorance on this point. I see it's been moved already...

All in all, I think I've learned a thing or two. I can offer an apology to those who have taken offense with my distribution method here on this forum. I do appreciate the thoughts and feelings expressed here, even though none were positive to my endeavor. 'suppose that's what makes it a great forum!

[AudioFreak]

Leland,

I'm going to have to agree with others in this thread. It really isn't in the spirit of this forum to charge people to show them how to do something. If Ray(CobaltSky) charged people to DL his sample files that "Teach" you how to do something he could prob make some cash from it. If he did charge I would not know what I do now. If he did charge I would not pay for the sample files I would come here and ask how to do it

Out of the spirit of this forum and the Cafe he does not charge people to DL and pick a part his files to learn what filemaker is capable of.

Most of the members of this forum are here because they enjoy Filemaker and helping others, and of course to learn.

Just my 2 cents

Michael

[comment]

I think you may have some strange ideas about what constitutes an original creation, but as I said that's between you and your customers (and potentially some third-party lawyers). I've been satisfied once this has been moved into Classifieds. Except one point:

If someone had made derogatory remarks to you about other forum members, I think you'd do best to keep them to yourself.