Learning Claris FileMaker

Scripts make up the key technique for FileMaker automation.

 

Creating scripts can quickly get unmanageable if you do not document them well, have consistency in naming, pass parameters easily, etc.

Utilizing some tips can make your FileMaker solution easier to maintain.

 

At a (recent) FMPUG-MN meeting Matt Larson shared a demonstration of some scripting best…

 

Read more about FileMaker Script Template for Better Coding

Portals are a critical element for displaying information on all FileMaker layouts.

Portals, however, have a limitation in that they have a fixed height. This means they are not great for displaying blocks of text that may vary in length.

At our recent FMPUG-MN meeting Tim Cimbura shared a demonstration of how to use a webviewer and some calculated html code to display records of varying height similar to a portal.

 

A link to a script in each record opens a card window to allow editing of the information.

This sample file is fully editable and free.

In this collection of videos, we help to familiarize you with the features and capabilities of Carafe for deploying JavaScript packages to your FileMaker solution.

When sending emails to customers, it can often help get their attention by adding a bit of design and creativity to what could otherwise be a boring block of text.

 

With FileMaker you can now send HTML emails without the need for 3rd-party plugins, making upgrading FileMaker easier.

 

Let’s take a look at how to send native HTML emails using FileMaker.

Included in the release of FileMaker 18 are some new exciting file manipulation scripts steps giving developers the ability to create and edit data files without plugins, saving time and making upgrading FileMaker in the future easier.

 

The following are the new script steps for data files:

Close Data Fie
Create Data File
Delete File
Get Data File Position
Get File Exists
Get File Size
Open Data File
Read from Data File
Rename File
Set Data File Position
Write to Data File

Let’s take a look at how to use these script steps.

FileMaker 18 Security Enhancements

Among the ensemble of new things to play with, FileMaker 18 brings with it a collection of security enhancements.

 

Some of these changes include a redesigned Manage Security dialog aimed towards improved ease of use, an ability to manage FileMaker users without the need to have Full Access privileges, and a security warning for potentially malicious plug-ins.

 

#FileMaker Pro 18 Essential Training now live on LinkedIn Learning - featuring an entire "What's New in FileMaker 18" chapter:

 

Learn how to design and build smart, secure business solutions with FileMaker 18. 

 

FileMaker helps you create custom databases and apps that fit your company’s needs, so you can focus on innovation, not software. 

 

In this course, Cris Ippolite, drawing on years of experience with clients at his own development firm, iSolutions, walks through the essential FileMaker Pro skills, from creating tables and fields to designing layouts that display your data in a smart way. 

 

He also shows you how to find and sort data, create reports, import and export data, write scripts, diagram relationships, and more. 

 

Watch now to start learning how to build your first FileMaker project from scratch.

 

Find out how to create custom databases, apps, and more.

Geist Interactive recently released an exciting new product for FileMaker developers called “WidgetStudio”.

WidgetStudio makes it easier to use common JavaScript/HTML/CSS interface objects within FileMaker.

It utilizes the FileMaker web viewer.

Similar to LuminFire’s fmFlare, WidgetStudio is a modular product.

It consolidates common code in one place and makes it easier to edit, use, and distribute.…

 

Read more about WidgetStudio for FileMaker – Integrating Javascript Elements Easier

Using DataTables in FileMaker is an innovative way to provide a full set of functionality with very little set up time. Here we explore how to set it up.

You built your business. Why not build your database?

You don’t need a computer science degree to build an outstanding inventory management solution.

I’ll show you how.

FM Inventory Starter

The best inventory starter system for the FileMaker platform

 

Designing within FileMaker can either be pretty easy or somewhat hard.

 

There's no exact way to design the look and feel of your solution, but the process of implementing the design can be easier when using FileMaker's grid.

 

In this video, I talk about the process I use to first determine the size of a layout and then go on to refining its size so it fits within the golden ratio.

 

Finally, I talk about implementing my use of the grid to make the styling of objects easier and give myself some guidelines which makes the layout process much smoother as the solution grows.

 

Integrating PandaDoc with your FileMaker solution makes sending virtual documents an easy task.

 

Sometimes you need to send a document to be signed virtually. Integrating PandaDoc with your FileMaker solution makes this an easy task.

PandaDoc has a robust API that allows you to create, send, and receive documents digitally using the functionality of your FileMaker system to manage the process.

Our guide will show you how you can begin sending documents quickly and easily, streamlining your e-signature process.

 

Includes a video and sample file.

This solution was originally purposed to be used as a work order form for aircraft mechanics.

If you have never spun a wrench in a hangar, don't let that scare you away.

 

The beauty of FileMaker is that this app can be repurposed for any type of inspection work.

Drawing on images in FileMaker has never been easier.

 

Implement our FM Draw add-on with a few simple clicks.

Includes a video and a sample file.

 

The ability to markup images has become a standard feature across different programs and operating systems.

 

With our new FileMaker add-on, FM Draw, you'll be able to write on images in just a few simple steps.

Whether you're looking to make notations to a design or highlight sections of an image, we have you covered.

 

Video Library Publication Kit

The Video Library Publication Kit enables organizations to put video libraries on their websites.

VLPK allows organizations to easily update and maintain a collection of videos without the need to hire a Programmer or Developer.

If you are comfortable editing records in FileMaker your organization can add, remove and edit the content.

VLPK is designed for organizations to have full control over the messaging and branding surrounding the content.

This software allows your organization to focus the users on your messaging without all of the pop up ads.

Users access your collection of videos by clicking a link, which takes them to a list of videos on your organizations webpage.

This is all driven dynamically by FileMaker.

At the recent FMPUG-MN (FileMaker Pro User Group Minnesota) Meetup, Tim Cimbura discussed FileMaker templates and starter solutions.

 

Some History…

First FileMaker had Sample files.

Then they created Starter files.

Now they are called Templates. Sample files and starter files can be found in FileMaker’s menu.

Templates are on the FileMaker website and are available for download along with their associated video tutorials.

 

read more on the post ...

One of the more important tools in development is being able to save or compare different versions of your application.

 

This allows for quick and easy identification of any changes, lets developers make rapid updates in small and clear steps, plus can provide the ability to share or reuse code, layouts, and other elements with minimal effort.

 

Using the new Save a Copy as XML feature in FileMaker, this critical functionality can be implemented via a single click or through scripting as a replacement of the previous Database Design Report (DDR).

Taking this XML and using a diff tool, organizations will be able to track changes between versions of their FileMaker application.

 

Zabbix FileMaker Server Monitoring

Zabbix, one of the largest free and open source server monitor applications with 300,000 installations worldwide, can be used to collect and display metrics from multiple FileMaker servers at once on one interface; therefore, giving you the ability to save time monitoring servers individually.

Viewable from a web browser on a central dashboard, these metrics are displayed as charts, graphs, alerts, and reports with information fed in by the machines monitored by Zabbix.

 

Furthermore, when issues are triggered by the monitored machines, notifications can be sent out. Let’s take a look at how to set up Zabbix to monitor your FileMaker servers.

FileMaker 18 Database Engine Improvements

FileMaker Server 18 brings some exciting database improvements in the form of faster processing of parallel queries and automatically recovering corrupt databases when the server starts up using a transactional log.

This auto-correction feature, called Startup Restoration, will save significant time and headaches during disaster recovery of a FileMaker application.

 

Both updates are intertwined within Startup Restoration, which means that added speed and stability are packaged together.

Learn what's new with #FileMaker 18

At Productive Computing, we explore the new or enhanced functions, script steps and tools.

 

We have been hard at work reviewing what’s new and creating a series of videos.

the perfect clipboard manager for FileMaker developers

Automated File Migrations and Developer Operations.

 

Otto does what you want your FileMaker Server to do...

 

Ottomatically

 

What you need is a Dev Ops for FileMaker

A Developer Operations ( DevOps ) tool is a tool that helps developers automate the tedious and error-prone processes of deploying, migrating, and monitoring their solutions.

 

In the case of data migrations, a DevOps tool needs to provide the ability to:

 

1. Completely automate the process of moving files from one server to another.
2. Setup automatic Data Migrations using the FileMaker DataMigrator utility.
3. Add your own custom logic to it so you can perform the types of migrations that you need to perform.

 

With a Developer Operations tool, you will be able to create full automatic multi-server deployments and data migrations that run at the push of the button or on a regular schedule.

 

Otto does all that and a whole lot more!