Development Time Savers
Everyone wants to save time. Doing things faster in FileMaker is going to make your work just a bit more enjoyable.
In this 20 minute video, I'll walk through the following topics. Double-clicking table names, using multiple windows for faster field access, a quick shortcut for coloring text, jumping around your solution for faster selections, making your scripts easier to read and placing layout objects with more precision.
If you have any timesaving tips then leave your comments on the article!
Comments
Using FMPro 9 Advanced for New Window
Matt,
If you are using 9 Advanced, you do not need to use Quick Keys to get a shortcut for New Window. If you create a new Menu Set (say, 'Developer') you can set the Developer layout to use that menu set and then add the 'New Window' command to that set. The 'Manage Custom Menus' dialog lets you set key shortcuts for menu items, so you could set cmnd-opt-W to go with 'New Window'. You could probably set up several common developer commands onto that menu.
Regards,
Derek
Hmmm, I tried that
I guess I didn't look hard enough. I was going to promote this approach but I didn't see that I could replicate the Window menu. I'll have to take a look again at the Menu Set options. Admittedly, I haven't spent much time with them.
-- Matt Petrowsky - ISO FileMaker Magazine Editor
Quick backup
Matt,
During development, I make copies as backups. Instead of -File menu > Save a Copy As, I have a back up script that saves the copy to the same folder as the original and renames it appending a timestamp. I also show this script in the Scripts menu and arrange it so it's always "cmd 1". The real timesaver is the schedule in iCal that calls this script every hour on the hour while I'm working.
Regards,
John
Another way to make shortcuts on Mac
I use the built in method in Mac OS X to create shortcuts to lots of menu items in Filemaker, including the New Window, Hide Window, and all the missing Manage menu items.
Just set it up in System Preferences, in the Keyboard/mouse panel and you're good.
Cheers,
Andreas
Get Window Info
Use the "Show Custom Dialog" script Set at Command 1 (Mac) Control 1 (PC) allows the developer to view common parameters for "New Window". This gives a smooth look when navigating from layout to layout.
DEVELOPER:
Using the "Show Custom Dialog" for Window Information
Title: Get Winfow Info
Message:
"Content Height " & Get ( WindowContentHeight ) & "¶" &
"Content Width " & Get ( WindowContentWidth ) & "¶" &
"Desktop Height " & Get ( WindowDesktopHeight ) & "¶" &
"Desktop Width " & Get ( WindowDesktopWidth ) & "¶" &
"Window Height " & Get ( WindowHeight ) & "¶" &
"Window Width " & Get ( WindowWidth )