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

by Matt Petrowsky

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• Function Scripting Video

Learning to code a better FileMaker solution is something that happens over time. As you improve, there are all kinds of things you find that make the development process more streamlined.

Some of your application logic becomes repetitive in many locations. Think about using the Show Custom Dialog script step (I use this example in the video). How many places have you used it in your solution(s)?

Having to update this code can become quite the hassle down the road. This is where you come to the point of resolving to "code once", and by doing so, you only have one location to update the code.

While this approach can be taken to the extreme, it's a great thing to know. Using wrappers around native FileMaker script steps and functions can help you out in the long run - I promise!

by Sean Mills

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• Download Technique File

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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• zippScript Plug-in

You'll never guess what you can do with a little creative thinking and the Custom Formatting option. Oh, wait, I just told you in the title of this article - Super Quick Data Entry.

One of my MOST favorite features of FileMaker is the fact that records are created by default when entering data into a related field and no valid relationship exists. This provides a number of opportunities to do cool things, such as entering data - provided it's not a lot of related data.

When you add script triggering to a field's custom formatting option, and you rely on what FileMaker tries to be smart about, you get a powerful method for entering data in a super quick way. The best part about this whole technique is that it becomes universal to your whole solution. You can use any related field with auto-creation of related records and your one single script can handle it all.

Watch this free video to see how easily it can be done!

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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• FMDiff Website

Continuing with my Zero to Awesome series, in this video I provide you with some insight into a great way to track the changes of your ongoing development. There will be many times, while developing a solution, where questions arise about what you may have done in the past and why. Add to this, any questions that any other developer may have - eventually, you may move on from the project.

Having a quick, easy-to-follow method for tracking incremental changes is a great way to document what you've done as you develop a solution.

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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Duplicate, duplicate, duplicate. Yes, it's true, we live in a world of copy and paste (darn those iPhone developers). When you don't need to type it a second time there's no reason to do so. Especially, when each time you type it again you increase the chances of error.

In this video, I walk through some of the templating steps you can take as part of your predevelopment stage. Even as an experienced developer, I often find myself creating a layout or table from raw FileMaker elements. When I find myself doing it, I make myself stop and create (or add to) a previous template and copy from it. It's truly the quickest way to your desired result.

Make your own suggestions about possible template fields, layouts, tables, elements in the comment area!

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.