More than once I've been looking for a way to make a single navigation header for use on all layouts.

Working daily with PHP and HTML, I'm used to making a 'header.php' for example, having all the navigation buttons in a single file (either static or dynamic data), including a link to the file on each page. No matter where you are, or when buttons change, you are dealing with or loading a single file.

In Filemaker you would wait until the database is almost finished, then make a navigation header in one layout and copy-paste it to all other layouts. But if changes occur, or if you use different images to highlight tabs when a layout is active you're in for quite some extra home work.

So... What I now do is make a table with layout names, number in what order to appear and tab images and use portals to display the layouts/tabs dynamically. I still have to manually copy-paste it in each layout, but if changes occur I just change the data in the table and all changes accordingly.

All and all, what still is crap and what I would like to have answered is.

- Can portals display horizontal? I now use multiple portals displaying with 'start at row' 1, 2, 3 etc. respectively.

- Is there a way I could design a 'navigation header' html file, access it from the web viewer on each layout and when clicked upon goes to a specific Filemaker layout?

- Is there any other way I can make a dynamic navigation header, without the need of copy-pasting it on each and every layout (and when changes occur repeat the #$@% process all over again).

Anyone? Ideas more than welcome...

With each new version of Filemaker, I hope that they come up with a way to do what you're asking. It would sure make life easier. I'm needing to go through a database with several dozen layouts and do the copy-paste thing. I came here specifically to see if there was some better way that I had just missed.

Has anyone found a solution to this? I have about 60 different layouts and really don't want to change each one every time I want to add something to the header.

There is no "solution for this." FM does not have a "master" layout. Every version, it's one of the first things I look for.

Thanks bcooney for being the bearer of bad news. :hmm:

As a graphic designer there is so much missing in the FM layout system. But the two most annoying things are the lack of guidelines and a include/header function....

Replying to my own post :-P

I made a pretty nice looking tab header thing. It's still copy paste on each layout, but content is dynamic and controlled from a single table/layout. Very nice and saves a lot of time! Can link unlimited layouts within each selected tab. The tab 'checks' the layout name and this keeps it selected or not... Nice, give it a try...

http://www.arubaserver.com/files/tab_sample.zip

...the lack of guidelines

Layout mode, View menu, Ruler Lines... also T-Squares

Layout mode, View menu, Ruler Lines... also T-Squares

hmm, well thats called a grid, not guidelines. and missing a proper snap to grid, makes it a bit pointless, might as well just work with the position numbers instead. Anyhow i dont wanna be to negative, its still a wicked program and thanks for the tip.

The T-squares "snap to."

Global repeating fields.

Oddly enough I actually uploaded a sample file just today that addresses this very thing. It's a sample that uses global repeating container fields to create universal navigation buttons for any layout. Granted it does require to copy/paste those fields into the layout, but it allows for a single spot of modification that automatically updates any layout that contains the fields. Maybe you will find it useful.

http://fmforums.com/forum/topic/80102-samples-navsystem/