ISO FileMaker Magazine

When it comes to programming, there's always more to learn and share. If you've worked with REST APIs in the past, then you may have already devised your perfect system. If not, then this video will showcase a freely available script which you might want to consider first before trying to solve the problem yourself.

In our ever expanding world of coding to standards and systems, many of which have existed for decades, it's always prudent to see if you can beg, borrow and... Ok, don't steal... code which already does the trick. When it comes to HTTP's REST implementation we've already got all the code necessary.

Thanks to a great community contribution by Todd Geist, you really don't need to fumble through all the variations and possibilities of HTTP's REST methods used by FileMaker's cURL features found within the Insert from URL step. Todd and company did the heavy lifting and made an open source file available to everyone.

In this video I showcase my own personal enhancements to the script and provide some insight into some of the ways I code and why I do the things the way I do.

While learning to develop within any environment, it's common to develop habits which keep you within a consistent framework. However, occasionally looking outside of your current framework and observing how others accomplish similar tasks can be both affirming and instructive. You may discover valuable tips and tricks from other developers from which you can adapt to enhance your own practices.

This video focuses on script writing and explores various techniques employed by different developers, specifically regarding the documentation and structure of scripts. By examining multiple files and exploring different scripting methods, we can gather helpful insights. Additionally, I will present what I consider to be one of the best approaches to managing a complex script that utilizes multiple inputs and outputs.

The beauty of Claris/FileMaker is that you have the flexibility of keeping things simple or making them as complex as desired. Drawing from my decades of experience, this video offers numerous tips to improve your script writing skills. You're likely to find valuable insights that can elevate your approach to scripting.

FileMaker Pro provides a variety of methods for extracting your data from its database. From memory, we have standard relationships and calculated concatenations, the Copy All Records script step, scripted data loops and using the ExecuteSQL function. In FileMaker 19, we're provided with yet one more method for pulling data out of the system. The Execute FileMaker Data API script step allows us to use what was formerly available only from outside of FileMaker Pro via a url.

Now, within our scripts, we can use this fast retrieval method for extracting data in the popular and common JSON format. Able to use that data in both web viewers and many other places within your solution. Knowing how to use this new script step will help you extract the data you need - when you need it.

By carefully crafting a specific layout, and using the Execute FileMaker Data API script step, you'll be able employ techniques such as Virtual List and using the data for presentation within Web Viewers. You can also simply pull the data for use within UI elements as simple as a button.

Let's take a tour of this relatively new feature and understand how we can use all of its numerous features.

Without a fundamental understanding of some programming topics, it's often difficult to solve certain problems in the easiest possible fashion. In fact, one of the things I've enjoyed learning about programming is that more code isn't always better. Searching for the simple answer sometimes takes a bit more time. And, learning to solve the problem with less code is more enjoyable.

In this video, I walk through a simple process of massaging some data into a desired format. While the objective often seems simple, the solution isn't always obvious. Especially, if you haven't been programming for good amount of time. There's also those hidden tips or tricks which you don't really know about until you've invested the time into improving your craft.

I remember learning about writing loops in FileMaker and feeling the sense of power that comes with any type of data processing. To this day, most of programming comes down to looking for a pattern and then processing that pattern in some fashion. Usually, with a loop. As the seasons cycle and the fields wither and then return, such is the way of software. You find the pattern and process it with a loop.