Transparent fields during data entry?

[cptraisin]

Hi,

This forum has been awesome at solving all my issues.

In my database I have a picture as the background with all the fields above. They are all set to have no fill. When I click into any field to enter data, all the fields fill in solid, obscuring the picture behind them.

Is there a way to keep fields transparent during data entry?

Thanks a bunch for all the help so far.

[LaRetta]

Hi, welcome to FM Forums!

I don't believe it is possible - if you make the field transparent then it will inherit the background color when you enter the field. You can color your entire background one color but, depending upon where you place the fields (and if your graph is multicolored), it wouldn't look transparent.

But you can place your fields in places which might make your field appear to be transparent, such as the attached. I colored the background of the field to match the exact color of the background where I placed it (using a color picker).

Transparent.zip

[cptraisin]

Thanks LaRetta, I tried the same thing but it's pretty limited if there is any texture to the bg.

That sucks that there is no way around it. Oh well.

Thanks again.

[LaRetta]

Thanks LaRetta, I tried the same thing but it's pretty limited if there is any texture to the bg.

Yes, as I pointed out, you would need to be creative on where you place the field and you are not the first to ask for this functionality. I wish I had a better option other than a fudge (actually, a cheat). But cheating is what we need to do sometimes; placing fields to fit the background, eliminating the background, side-tracking the User eye from the issue and so forth.

If you become a great cheater, you will do very well in FileMaker.

Personally, I would drop the graphic background (but that is personal choice). When serving a large solution, graphics should be minimal except for opening splash screen or B&W graphics on letterheads and so forth (and even they should be graphics stored as File Reference and referred to via container). I wish I had better answer.

[Dane]

If you enter layout mode and go to Layout Setup, UNcheck "Show field frames when record is active", and only the field that is currently active (has the cursor in it) will be opaque; all the others will remain transparent.