Own template ?

[R2D2]

Hi Gurus !

Is it possible to create a "Master Layout" in FM like in PowerPoint? I mean a layout that has pre defined basic elements (like background picture, headings etc.) in place when creating a new layout.

[aldipalo]

You can create your Master Layout with common elements then whenever you want to create a layout click Duplicate layout and then go to the layout setup and change the table name as well as the layout name then insert the fields you want.

Another way is to create the layout using the layout wizard and then copy and paste the Master Layout graphics on top of the fields and send the graphics to the background.

I'm sure there are other ways as well.

hth

[bcooney]

You've hit upon a must-wished for feature. Yes, you could have a template layout, and duplicate that. But, unlike a true master layout, there is no "hot-link" from a template to any layout based on the template.

So, plan accordingly. Get your elements all set before you "go wide." Sometimes the majority of your time is spent getting buttons that are used across layouts (such as nav buttons across the top of a layout) to be in the exact same location from layout to layout.

A technique that can be used to help accomplish a "global change," is to use global container fields. Placing a company logo, for example, in a global container field and put the gcontainer on the layouts, rather than the graphic directly. This will let you change the graphic and have all layouts update to reflect the change.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Guest

[R2D2]

Yes,

That method I've used. But I just started to wonder if there is another way too.

[Cazito]

I make all my layouts in Photoshop and then I just insert it as a picture to my FM layout. I arrange it to stay at the background and then i lock it in position. My photoshop layouts include headings, logos, field labels, buttons, etc...I use the FM layout only to add the data of the fields itself and do all the graphic part on Photoshop.

The best part of it is that I don't even need to create a layout on photoshop. I just download the psd files from an existing web template that i find appropiate and modify it to adapt it to my solution. This way I get some really professional layouts that look quite amazing.

[R2D2]

That sounds like a good idea ! I just wish I had even some graphical talents... :-/

[Cazito]

You don't need to. Me, myself, I have no graphic talent at all. What I have is patience. Patience to spend a couple of hours manipulating web templates in photoshop to my needs. I literally don't do any design at all. What I do is copy, paste, move, stretch, delete and change text. You should try. It is not as hard as you think.

I just created a db to keep track of the matches of my favorite football (soccer) team. I found a web layout that i liked in the template monster site (first photo), downloaded it, and used it as a base to my layout (second photo). Dou you think I drew anything myself? NO! As I said I just copied, pasted, moved, deleted, etc...

[R2D2]

LOL Look's quite neat. I have to try...

[aldipalo]

Have you looked at Matt Petrowsky's Scriptology?

http://www.filemakermagazine.com/index.php

It gives you everything you need for a reasonable price and you can download a free copy to see what is there.

[Søren Dyhr]

I make all my layouts in Photoshop and then I just insert it as a picture to my FM layout. I arrange it to stay at the background and then i lock it in position. My photoshop layouts include headings, logos, field labels, buttons, etc...I use the FM layout only to add the data of the fields itself and do all the graphic part on Photoshop.

I weren't aware of Photoshops ability to convert it's produce to vectored graphics looking in the vicinity of this:

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New Value List 2

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Since it's the way filemaker stores layouts as such, I jump into this thread because the advice ...would work, but objects needs to be done like Petrowski's with the elements availible in the filemaker tools palet ... but in order to make a layout portable or re-useable, is it more obvious to exploit this:

http://myfmbutler.com/index.lasso?p=422

One of the biggest problems here when attempting to IWP a photoshop solution is that the filemaker objects are scattered like jumping beans, with the clipboard in the myfmbutler approach paired with textwrangler might you have a way to predict these scatterings ... but unfortunately are we still forced to make a layout per likely browsertype...

--sd

[comment]

I weren't aware of Photoshops ability to convert it's produce to vectored graphics

What exactly do you mean by that? I know PS has a few vector drawing tools, but I don't know a way to convert other objects to vectors, and certainly not to a format that Filemaker can then read.

[Søren Dyhr]

My thoughts exactly ... artworks of this kind might be tempting but - nowhere near the native layout format.

--sd

[Cazito]

I don't agree with that. Photoshop is obviously much more powerful as a graphical tool than Filemaker and my option of choice when drawing my layouts. Although my backgrounds are not stored on Filemaker (I always choose "store as a reference to a file" when inserting them) they are always a click away, saved on a folder, to be edited at will.

Here´s another db I made based on an existing web site.

The first photograph is the original template, and the second one, a screen shot of my solution.

Edited March 18, 2009 by Guest

[Søren Dyhr]

Photoshop is obviously much more powerful as a graphical tool than Filemaker and my option of choice when drawing my layouts. Although my backgrounds are not stored on Filemaker (I always choose "store as a reference to a file" when inserting them) they are always a click away, saved on a folder, to be edited at will.

Obviously are there as usual "Horses for courses" ... but Neither is IWP particular fast unless you really trim everything touchable down to a minimum, such as fieldnames into abbreviations to shorten the html.

Opposed to Filemaker in a client server setup which is pretty chatty over the network, are IWP'ed solution handed out as pretty large chunks, and if these are clogged up with not particular flattened .jpegs which too needs to get ushered thru, will the bandwidth required be pretty huge...

It all boils down to compression ratio actually, and swiftly transfered .jpegs are not pretty to look at when dealing with field lables ... here are PNGs the futures format, but there is a problem with IE 6 here - but luckily neither does fm10's IWP support it.

Finally might one be wondering why filemaker not are using your technique, but instead are relying heavily on CSS'ing ... perhaps it has to do with the shooting of a line at time before the site gets it bearings?

--sd

[Cazito]

I absolutely don't see no cons at all on using photoshop psd files as the layout basis of my filemaker solutions. Even considering that I don't embed these files to my db (I use it only as a stored reference), they still work fast, smooth and look great. The transition from one layout to another on the click of a button is faster than an eye blink.

I'm new to Filemaker (I'm 15 days into the program after years of using Paradox) and I'm in the middle of doing John Mark Osborne's VTC Course. And he also incorporates photoshop elements to his layouts to make it look more professional. Namely glowing tabs, and drop shadow borders.

Maybe Filemaker is not using this technique because we are not talking here of an original layout design but of a copied one.

Not sure how fast my db's would work on a server or on a web environment though.

By the way, if I was to create a db solution for a client, I would probably prefer to use Petrowsky's Scriptology over this method. Probably because even though his designs are more down to earth and very "Windows 95ish" in my opinion, they still look great and are probably more acceptable to a client than a web-based layout, as web-site designs tend to have a "love or hate" appreciation.

Edited March 18, 2009 by Guest

[Søren Dyhr]

Not sure how fast my db's would work on a server or on a web environment though.

It's here and nowhere else I have my reservations - but you might be in for a surprise if your solutions should be shared one day in the future...

Namely glowing tabs, and drop shadow borders.

http://www.filemakermagazine.com/videos/using-gradients-colors-in-layouts.html

--sd