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User Messaging System
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Communication is quite obviously an essential part of any system. It's obvious for the reason that communication companies are often bought out for nice, large sums of money. Take the recent Ebay acquisition of Skype for$2.6 billion dollars!

Well, you may not be creating the next version of Skype, but you may be adding a valuable feature to your database system. The addition I'm talking about is a user messaging system. In this straight-forward technique you'll learn how to take advantage of FileMaker's native accounts in order to implement a very functional user messaging system.

Privilege Based Portal Navigation
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There are many ways to provide navigation within your database system. You can use a list view menu within a window, provide layout based tabs created with FileMaker layout objects, use dynamic container based tabs or allow the user to simply make selections from the Status Area layout pop-up list. The system you choose is likely based on how you're using your database system.

This article presents yet one more option for how you implement navigation into your database. This technique is both flexible and powerful because it associates places where users can go based on their privilege set - in essence a role based navigation system where the menu adjusts to match which type of user is using the database. It's a great technique to add to your arsenal!

Dissecting Layouts - Breaking down a great design
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There are tons of techniques to learn about creating a great looking layout. While it would take more than a few hours to learn them all, you can start out by watching this video.

In this presentation, I provide advice about choosing colors, variations in font sizes and how to properly construct an optimized layout. While it does require some skill to craft an attractive layout, there's nothing here that can't be learned.

Making Multiple Selections
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It's a standard feature in your operating system, and you can be sure that users will expect it to work in your FileMaker solution - if you offer it, that is. What we're talking about is making multiple selections in either a portal or a list view. While some users may not know about using the shift key or control or command key, if you still want to help users make multiple selections then supporting these features will give your database that extra zing.

Watch this video to learn more about scripting the feature of multiple selections!

Migrating FileMaker Solutions - Moving from 6 and earlier
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FileMaker 7 introduced a whole new model for working in FileMaker Pro. This means thinking and working as you did in FileMaker 6, and earlier, just won't do. In this video I walk through my suggestions for converting and migrating from versions prior to FileMaker 7. The steps I present will help anyone who has not yet ventured into the world of FileMaker 7.

There are a number of tips which will make the process of migration much easier and smoother. I give examples of how I've converted one of my own solutions and I walk through the process of moving into the world of FileMaker 7 and beyond.

Interface Summaries - Viewing Totals, Averages & More (Free Video)
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FileMaker's Layout Parts are great for generating summary and subsummary information, but what happens when you want to see summary information on a record by record basis? Are you stuck with creating a subsummary report and heading into Preview Mode?

Of course not! Would I ever offer a problem without providing some great technique for solving it? This video focuses on solving the problem of summary information in the interface. Pay close attention, because it's all about the connections between table occurrences. Understand the graph and you'll understand how to present the data you desire!

Dynamic Calculations - Merge Fields in Email and Custom Coloring techniques
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With the release of FileMaker Pro 7, a number of new functions were added to the growing roster. One of those functions was the Evaluate function. This one function allows us to dynamically generate any type of FileMaker function and then evaluate this on-the-fly.

Using the example of merge fields for either a merge letter or email, we can showcase how this technique works and why it's so powerful. In this video you'll also view an entertaining, if not useful, solution which will dynamically color the various parts of the English language.

Unique, Mod & Div - Three powerful techniques for record ranges (Free Video)
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It was just the other day when I was scripting loops for processing a range of records - you remember writing those loops, don't you? But then it occurred to me, (without talking to my mathematician friends) if I knew about the Mod function what would Div do for me and my range of records? As is usually the case, math was the solution and I finally realized what it meant to my files.

Math may not be my strongest subject, but having that "Ah ha" moment sure does feel triumphant. This video may help you with understanding the math around the records in your found set!

Auto Notes - The quickest way to adding a dynamic note field
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FileMaker's new auto-enter enhancement makes all kinds of things possible. One such task is that of making the note taking process that much easier. Building on the success of the previous method of auto building notes, this new approach will work within one field.

Database users can simply select into the notes field, start typing and never worry about lost notes. Each new note is added to the growing list and making changes to those notes can be controlled as desired. The added feature of supporting console-like commands makes this note taking solution that much sweeter!

Building a Scheduling Application (Part 13) - Learning all about Sessions
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This video tutorial will walk you through the concepts and process of using sessions to facilitate the user environment in your FileMaker solution. In this particular segment of the Scheduling Application series, I streamline the week view and alter the database to present colorful representations of calendar events.

When dealing with events in sequence, such as those filling specific time slots, the big question is whether the record you are on can see the other records around it. For example, if the record for 1:00 PM knows it has the event of "Take kids to school" - how does it know what's happening at 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM? Fortunately, you don't have to wonder - I show you exactly how to do this!

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