ISO FileMaker Magazine: FileMaker Video Tutorials, Templates, Help & More

by Sean Mills

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If you're in an industry where standardized forms are the norm, then the holy grail is automatically pushing data from your database into the required PDF. Yes, it's true, we still live in a world where forms consume most of the process. And this probably won't change too much over the years.

If you've ever dreamed of taking those field values and shoving them right into the required form then the included technique file and videos in this mini series will provide you with everything you need.

Not only has the work been done but there's a ton to learn from this wonderfully crafted FileMaker solution. The file is ready-to-go, the solution is based on freely available technology and the videos are worth the price of admission.

Don't miss this series of videos if you have any desire to merge data from FileMaker into preexisting PDF forms!

by Matt Petrowsky

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• zippScript Plug-in
• DoScript Plug-in
• SmartPill Plug-in

For the longest time, I remember a great divide between the camp who used plugins and the camp that didn't. Actually, there aren't any camps, it was just individual developers who had an opinion about using plugins <grin>. (Note: I'll be using the word plugin instead of the proper spelling of plug-in - simply because I think it's cooler that way.)

One of my early opinions was that I didn't want to use them. One, because they added to the cost, two because they didn't "feel" like they were part and parcel with FileMaker and three, because I was unfamiliar. Yes, that last reason is a bad one, yet it may still be true for you.

Getting to that "ok" point about using plugins should happen REALLY fast these days. That's because you simply can't do everything you need to (or should be able to) do within FileMaker alone. Plugins are what make a solution more powerful and more robust.

This video is about how I use and check for plugins. It's a bit long and I tend to go on an on about the SmartPill PHP plugin, but hey, I want you to know what's out there and what your options are. There are quite a few plugins on the market and many of them duplicate what others do. While the options are diverse, it's all a matter of testing, using and then working with the plugins which provide the functionality you need. Not everyone is going to fall in love with embedded PHP like I have!

by Matt Petrowsky

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There are many ways to solve most data problems. The biggest problem, however, is getting stuck within a certain mind set of any given approach. FileMaker provides a powerful tool to solve complex data problems. However, it may be limiting you. It does this by providing a default way of approaching the solution.

This approach can be summed up into two words "Form View". When most users and developers start creating a FileMaker solution the approach is to simply add fields to the table that is the most specific to what's in mind. If you're a teacher, you're dealing with students. If you're in business, you're dealing with customers. If you're a consultant you're dealing with clients. You simply add fields to your respective table, add them to its respective layout and away you go.

Guess what, students, customers and clients are all the same! This is what you need to realize when creating a flexible data structure. This video will highlight the direction for an optimized data structure that focuses on generalization and not the specifics you should be avoiding.

by Matt Petrowsky

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If things aren't clear enough to understand what you did five months ago, you can't expect anyone else to have a clear picture of what you've created, let alone yourself. Do yourself a favor. Document as much as you can, as clearly as you can, AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

In this video I talk about using the tools available in FileMaker to make your documentation and descriptions of code as clear as possible. The trick to making good documentation is to not "do it later". Make notes while you create the feature or functionality. Use the calculation commenting tools, graph notes and script comments to their full advantage.

Doing it now will pay dividends down the road! I promise.

by Matt Petrowsky

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• Article: Using Better Value Lists
• Article: Infinite Hierarchies

Knowing how to structure hierarchy, within data, should be one of your core pieces of know-how regarding data structure. Once you understand it, you can always leverage the knowledge for a variety of tasks. This structure applies to checking for sequential numerical entries (knowing when sequence is broken), generating a visual tree of levels and sub levels or storing a list of hierarchical value lists - most efficiently.

Building on a file presented in 2004, it goes to show that this basic structure for how data is stored does not change, nor is it likely to ever change. It's simply how you store data for hierarchy based information.

If, in your database, you need to present value list selections that hinge on each other then this is the video and technique file that you need!

by Matt Petrowsky

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Using specific naming conventions is all about 'making sense'. Not only about what you're developing right now, but also what you're going to need to understand in the future - about your own solutions!

"Keeping things simple" has always been a popular phrase, however, when it comes to creating, and more importantly maintaining, a complex database system, you need to understand what you've done.

There are many cryptic ways to define and document your solution. In my opinion, and that of a few other well respected developers, the KISS model of naming and conventions used within a FileMaker solution go a long way towards making it easier to maintain and enhance.

This video contains the conventions I'll be using as I showcase my work on the My Invoicer solution.

by Matt Petrowsky

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Based on feedback and questions about using [what I'm calling] the Optimized Separation Model, where the Interface file is located on the client machine of a distributed solution, I've decided to provide an extended look at the implementation of the described system.

Using a method of stripped and default passwords, I explain how to deploy a local interface separation model of solution development. The advantages of this approach have been covered in a previous video, and I must admit that while using the solution over the WAN (wide area network), things have become much speedier for my own solution.

In the past, as I've pointed out, I was not fond of the separation model. While working on the specifics of this solution, I'm finding that the advantages seem to pile up. The few disadvantages of not being able to use a specific technique here and there are diminishing.

Enjoy the video!

by Matt Petrowsky

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In continuing with what should be a popular series, I talk about how I go about creating some of the graphics used in the FileMaker Invoicer template. Taking network transfer time into consideration and learning how to get the most optimized graphics is always a valuable skill.

Even if you're not a Photoshop pro, there are many applications which allow you to create flexible graphics for your FileMaker layouts.

If you're the type who's color challenged, then have no fear, there are both commercial and free tools that make this part of the process very easy. While I'll likely cover other aspects of graphics throughout the series, this is a great place to start if you've not worked with the graphics end of the process.

by Matt Petrowsky

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Whenever a new version of FileMaker is released, we always see a flood of great techniques. Going back to FileMaker 8 and combining a new feature from FileMaker 9, gives us the opportunity to create the best looking and fastest sorting portals possible.

The sorting portals portion of the video is free for anyone to watch in the Preview edition. If you're a paid subscriber then I have a very powerful addition to this technique that can be used in other areas of your FileMaker solution as well. It's my Universal Sort Arrow.

The implementation, while a bit complex underneath, is very flexible and allows you to use one single field for all of your directional sort indicators on any field being sorted.

The technique file showcases just use on sorted portals, but can be extended to accommodate list views as well. Just imagine, one single calculated field for all of your sort indicators. No more graphics (unless you want them) and no more extra time spent on implementation. Once you have this technique integrated it's a matter of seconds to support a new sort arrow for any of your sorted columns!

by Matt Petrowsky

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• myFMbutler.com's DoScript

While it may seem like a little overkill, it really is possible to save all of the active tabs in FileMaker for each record for each layout for each user. Wow, that's a lot of 'each'es'.

In this video you'll learn how to capitalize on the technique recently shown which reveals how to trigger a script based on record changes. By using the default option of an If() statement, you can save all of the current Layout Data - including all of the active tabs.

The only thing not covered in this video is how to take this technique one step further and storing the viewed state for each layout for each record for each user for each session. How's that for one more 'each'. Enjoy the video and making your tabs stick on a layout by layout and record by record basis!