On a busy layout that doesn't have room for a portal, can a portal be created to pop up in a certain part of your screen via a trigger of some sort? Would you create a portal on another seperate layout and then resize the layout to the size of the portal?

You can hide the portal in an invisible tab. :^)

You can hide the portal in an invisible tab. :^)

LaRetta, can you give me a tad more info on your suggestion please?

Oh I'm sorry, yes, I was in a hurry and I thought you could run with it. Here is an example file :laugh2:

BusyLayout.zip

If you're planning to upgrade to FileMaker 12, you'll have a useful new feature: modal windows. This makes it much simpler to script popup windows, when you don't want the user to close the window or switch windows except via buttons that you provide.

Oh I'm sorry, yes, I was in a hurry and I thought you could run with it. Here is an example file

Thanks LaRetta, I'll take this as a compliment! Unfortunately I'm still very much a novice, but hopefully I'm getting there. I need to study the whole $$Variable thing as it doesn't mean anything to me right now. I know you've used a tab, but somehow it has the appearance of a conventional layout. How did you manage that? Interesting concept, thanks for showing me the demo file.

It IS a regular layout. I have placed a tab panel in the center and placed the text field on the first tab and the portal on the second. Then in the tab panel setup, specify 0 px tab (change font to 1 pt) and then make the tab transparent. The script simply sets a global variable $$ with which tab is being displayed and then toggles that variable with 1 or 0 each time it is clicked. If you Edit > Select All ... you will see the handles on the tab control (well outside of the center text field).

I do not know how you plan on using it (what is the event which would cause the change) but you can use script trigger to fire it instead of button. :thumbsup:

It IS a regular layout. I have placed a tab panel in the center and placed the text field on the first tab and the portal on the second. Then in the tab panel setup, specify 0 px tab (change font to 1 pt) and then make the tab transparent. The script simply sets a global variable $$ with which tab is being displayed and then toggles that variable with 1 or 0 each time it is clicked. If you Edit > Select All ... you will see the handles on the tab control (well outside of the center text field).

I do not know how you plan on using it (what is the event which would cause the change) but you can use script trigger to fire it instead of button.

Thanks for the explanation. :thumbup: