Tweaky layout question

[bdarch]

Abstract:

How to get evenly-spaced alternating bands of white/color for the rows of a columnar layout using a calc field calling a global container?

Details:

I have a browser list view, columnar.

I have a container global field with a color in it.

I have a calc that works.

The body part is 25px tall.

My container field is 25px tall, also.

Issue:

When viewed in browse mode, the color field is slightly less tall than the "white" background.

I have a sneaking suspicion this is related to field border settings I can't quite parse... any advice for me?

Thanks!

[LaRetta]

You won't need a container. Use either a button (with no effects) or use the fields themselves, stretched together (or one field across the whole line). Then, attach conditional formatting based upon Foruma is:

Mod ( Get ( RecordNumber ) ; 2 )

Select the color for the alternate row as the fill. It is cool and doesn't require using a field (global container) at all.

UPDATE: As for spacing it, use Object Size (changed to px) to move your color in small increments. Keep going to browse to see if how it works - it helps to zoom in. If you go one px too high, it'll disappear.

Edited February 4, 2008 by Guest

[comment]

Why not define the body part to use 'Alternate background fill'?

[bdarch]

OK! Thanks very much.

My fmp skills I learned starting with version 3 - much of the fancy new 9 stuff is unknown to me. Slowly learning!

Thanks again - the alternating background feature sounds like it will do the trick.

[LaRetta]

"list view, columnar."

I thought only table view offered the alternate row colorizing but I see Layout setup offers it for list view.

Uh, yeah, it's in part setup. I knew that (I think). :B

Edited February 4, 2008 by Guest

[LaRetta]

Does anyone besides me occasionally feel they are going backwards in their FM skills? Sometimes I feel like I'm going two small steps forward for man and one giant leap backwards for mankind. :idot:

[bdarch]

All I see is the FM9 boat disappearing over the horizon, as I sit on the FM5.5 dock, without the frikkin' TIME to sit down and re-learn.

All the lil' DB's are still workin' though!

[Fenton]

I'm pretty sure there is no "alternating color" in 5.5. There is a trick (old), and you were very close.

Set the borders to top, bottom, left, and right. Then set the line width to none. That's what let's it fill the container (except in FileMaker 8, which was wonky).

Use LaRetta's calculation, to get your global only on alternate rows:

Case ( Mod ( Get ( RecordNumber ); 2) = 0; gColor )

(or ≠)

[bdarch]

Fenton, thanks. You're reminding me of what I used to know.

There was *definitely* no alternating color function in 5.5.

I have another DB that requires multiple colors to ID type of records in a long list - that's where a calc that grabs from several color-tags comes in handy. I guess grabbing from a global repeating field is still the way to go?

PS - love San Diego - used to live there!

[comment]

I have another DB that requires multiple colors to ID type of records in a long list - that's where a calc that grabs from several color-tags comes in handy. I guess grabbing from a global repeating field is still the way to go?

In which version? Version 9 has conditional formatting that makes all previous methods obsolete. In versions 7, 8 and 8.5 you can use a calculation field that returns the "g" character in Webdings font, with the color determined by the TextColor() function. This is faster than a calculated container, doesn't require any extra fields, and saves the fiddling with 1-pixel swatches.

[Fenton]

Hmm? I didn't see down at the botto, that FileMaker 9 was specified in the 1st post. bdarch, please update your profile.

[bdarch]

OK Fenton - I get tonights lame-o award.

Didn't realize my FM version was in the profile - kept trying to set it at the post level and it insisted on reverting to FMP 5.

Thanks. Profile updated.

[LaRetta]

And I don't feel so lame - alternating is new in vs. 9? So I wasn't (necessarily) going backwards in my FM skills, just in versions (and a bit of memory). We've streaked through versions so quickly (it seems) that sometimes I forget where those lines are.

Well, this version reference from NightWing helps alot. Now I just need the same thing features. If anyone else has it in a concise format such as this, I'd appreciate it. Otherwise I've saved several of the feature docs and updater fixes and I think I'm going to pull it together into one database. I just need the help.

UPDATE: In fact, this is now my mission and I don't want to miss ANYTHING - version changes, bug fixes, enhanceMents ... please send them to me via PM. I'll pull them all together if someone doesn't already have such a datbase that they will share. And I'll share mine and keep it updated as well (sending updaters to anyone who wants it).

Edited February 4, 2008 by Guest

[comment]

alternating is new in vs. 9?

I believe it was introduced in version 7.

[LaRetta]

Version 9 has conditional formatting that makes all previous methods obsolete. In versions 7, 8 and 8.5 you can use a calculation field...

Then why did you mention this part if alternating rows would do it for list view? Maybe this is just my Week of Confusion. :smile2:

[comment]

Maybe it's a week of confusion all around, since I don't understand yours. There were two questions here: one about alternating rows, another about coloring records by type. The latter requires conditional formatting.

[LaRetta]

I didn't see your big 'ole quoted portion with the second question. I just read your response to it. And I didn't read the question the first time it was asked either. I was in big, sloppy, frisky, unattentive, excited hurry ... sorry. :tongue2: