Reducing "screen flash" when switching between windows in a script

[jim0203]

A few of the scripts in my current FM project move between multiple windows. When this happens, the screen "flashes".

Is there a standard way to get round this problem? I have tried setting the size of windows to 0 by 0, by it seems that changing the size of one window stops my main window from being maximized, which is problematic.

[Lee Smith]

Take a look at the Freeze Window Script Step.

Most of the time the move movement between windows doesn't need to be seen by the user, put the Freeze Window step in there before scripting the Go To Layout.

HTH

Lee

[jim0203]

Hi Lee,

Thanks for that, it's a really useful tip for most of what I'm doing. However, I often open new windows and I still seem to get the "flash" when I do that, even if I freeze the window straight away. Is there a way round this that you know of?

Alternatively, should I just work in one window instead? What's the "official" Filemaker line on this? Are separate windows ever necessary? When?

--Jim

[Fenton]

I guess the question is, "Why are you opening new windows?" Because there may be an alternate technique. One of the common uses of new windows is to preserve the found set, when you need to narrow down the found set to only one record, or similar.

There is an alternative method to do this, which exploits the tie between a layout, its table occurrence and the found set; it can later restore that found set, all within the same window. That is what I usually use, mostly because it is very fast and invisible. The original method can be found here:

http://www.sumware.net/robfm/savingfoundsets.php

[jim0203]

Thanks, that looks like it will solve the problem!

[Fenton]

Yes, it is an amazing technique. It seems to be very fast even with large found sets. I use it whenever temporarily changing the found set is needed.* There is one limitation with the method. Which is that when you "restore" the found set you must specify a layout. In many cases there is only one layout you'd want anyway. But, if not, you can pass the layout name via a variable, or, if a subscript, a script parameter, and use a test for it, using Go To Layout [ by calculation ]

*If you need to save more than one found set at a time, there is no reason why you could not create a 2nd table occurrence for "found set 2", etc.. I haven't had to do this yet, but see no reason why it wouldn't work.