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

by Matt Petrowsky

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One of the new features released in FileMaker 11 were Snapshot links. While perfectly fine for your average FileMaker solution, they aren't quite as useful when you've got a really custom setup running.

I'm talking about the kind of setup where your interface is driven based on global fields used to store keys in order to view related data. So, the assumption Snapshot links makes is based on your use of FileMaker the way FileMaker is designed - not necessarily the way you've designed your solution. They don't quite work for your custom layout based on one single record from a table full of globals used to view related data.

When you're using global fields to drive what is shown in a portal, or for showing related data then you've got to get creative to use this useful new feature. Fortunately, as is the case with many situations, you just have to "code it up" and make the solution work for you as well as it works for FileMaker's default behavior.

Thanks to Tim Anderson and a technique he sent in, I've added a few changes and made his Snapshot Launcher a solution you can use on an interface which uses global fields to drive the user interface output.

Whether you email, attach to a calendar, or simply save for later reference, you can use this Snapshot Launcher technique to bring back any set of data you can possibly imagine. It really is a powerful technique for today's cloud-based always-connected world!