Freez Window, Flash & Pop

[pctechtv]

I able to get results in most of my Scripts using the Freeze Window step. The only ones that don’t seem to work is the one that go to Enter Find Mode or Perform Find. I have read some information warning that certain other Steps in a script will cancel it out. Does Enter Find Mode or Perform Find cancel out the Freeze Window Script Step? A question I would like to know if it can be answered that simply, is can you have the process that uses Enter Find Mode or Perform Find in a script not make the screen flash or redraw with the Freeze Window Step or some other procedure?

[Lee Smith]

Post a copy of your script.

[pctechtv]

http://pctechtv.com/show/markhw.png

 

Thanks

[LaRetta]

Hi pctechtv!

 

Honestly, this appears to be better handled with a relationship and GTRR but I can't figure what it is doing so that is only a guess at this point.  Can you provide the purpose of this script (other than appearing to move everything in one table to another)?

 

One bit of input which can be used any time … it is always best to enter find mode BEFORE switching to a layout.  Otherwise you are switching to a layout and loading records you don't want and only THEN entering find mode to find OTHER records.  If you are in find mode when you enter a layout, NO RECORDS are loaded.

 

12 should not have a flash problem at all even on windows but I have not used it with windows 8 yet.  If I had a bit more time and more of an idea of the purpose here, I would be happy to look again in a few hours when I get back.  Otherwise there are other folks here who will assist you as well. :-)

[pctechtv]

That is extremely helpful information that you told me about entering Find Mode before switching to a layout. Thanks

[LaRetta]

I believe that was a tip from Mark Richman at one of our DevCons; credit where credit is due.  I had actually been trying to find ways of prohibiting the download of records on layout switch for several months before hearing this.

 

ADDED:  If you land on a layout with no fields or references then no records load either (if not already loaded for that table occurrence) but I really like this technique because it is safe to use on all find scripts without worrying about context.

Edited November 13, 2013 by LaRetta

[LaRetta]

I have reviewed your script.  Passing information should not be a matter of copying it to another table, setting a field with a value using RFC, and then setting another field to blank.  It should instead be simply a matter of adding a record into a table to 'pass the wand' instead of changing values in two fields.  

 

This process also lacks error trapping (which is one reason it is best to add a record rather than change fields via batch process) … it will break in multi-user mode because when a User edits a record, the fields will not inherit your scripted values if they are currently locked.

 

I would encourage you to step back and consider your structure and process now before you get deeper into this solution.  The deeper the layers of a solution, the more difficult to reverse-engineer.  If you wait and fix it later, it will take far more time and effort.  If you wish to do so, you might wish to start a thread in relationships for it since that is where I suspect it belongs.

 

Of course I can always be wrong too so fill us in! :-)

[LaRetta]

LOL, I was just reading another thread where Jeremy Bante mentions this same thing.  It is a great concept!

[pctechtv]

SOLVED! I have discovered that my solution is not Flashing and Redrawing the screen, it is FileMaker. Not having enough experience with FileMaker I did not know that the Formatting Toolbar when turned on will make entering find mode jump. This was not easy to detect because I had it hidden via the Status Toolbar being off, but it still makes the screen jump hidden or not. Now I am on Windows 8 and I tested this on Windows 7 and XP as well. It did exactly the same. I will not be able to test on my Mac until I get in my office. After looking at many thing to try to get to the bottom of this and reading the help from members (such great members and a great community!) and none of it changing the situation I decided to do some thorough trouble shooting to determine what is causing this. I had made plenty of incremental backups so I was comparing them at a granular level. When I discovered the two versions where this stared happening I compared them and determined that there was not anything that would cause this flash on one or the other based on the design whether schema or graphics. That is when I started paying attention to the interface.
While trying to get to the bottom of this I discovered some interesting topics and learned a great deal in the process. I love this because I know this knowledge will be well used in my pursuit of becoming as proficient with FileMaker as possible. I will post some of the useful content here so it may help other users whose problem is not as simple as mine.
These links were useful reading and I will add them to way to do things in FileMaker I love the concept of doing things on a window off screen! How intuitive. The great advice was given to me by a member above to Enter Find Mode before switching to a layout. In these links there is some similar good advice about (especially if you are using the off screen method) understanding the importance of Commit Record Request. When I tried the off screen method without paying attention to this it would not work. I keep getting error messages that I believe relate to Record Locking
http://www.filemakertoday.com/com/archive/index.php?t-21287.html
http://www.dwaynewright.com/filemaker-thoughts/2011/4/7/the-basics-of-filemaker-record-locking.html
But here is all I had to do. I guess it is the way it works (please tell me If it is not supposed to be that way), but it seems like when not displayed the on or off should be not matter? So providing that it is off you can do it like the pic. Once again I know for experienced users this may be remedial or obvious, however I post here to help anybody dealing with what I was dealing with.
http://pctechtv.com/show/onofffmtb.png
This is a great forum! Thanks!