List Separators For Scripts

List Separators For Scripts

CATEGORY: Scripting
CLASS: Technique

In FileMaker 9, we were finally given the ability to organize our scripts into folders. Before this, the main way to organize scripts was by creating a new script given the name of a single hyphen. This would create a dash separator where the script would normally be and you could move this uniquely named script into a position to organize your scripts by their function, entity associated with or any other category that fits your solution framework.

Also in FileMaker 9, we were given a pop down menu that automatically creates the script separator item for use but the previously technique works as well.

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Isolating Relationships

Isolating Relationship

CATEGORY: Relationships
CLASS: Relationship Graph

By default, the FileMaker relationship graph naturally leans towards a structure where every table occurrence is linked to another. Since FileMaker relationships can ...

- flow through one table occurrence to another
- flow in a bidirectional manner
- include tables from external files

the amount of flexibility in FileMaker relational design is almost endless! That almost endless amount of flexibility in a complex database structure can practically kill said database solutions more likely than empower them.


In practical FileMaker database design, you may want to lean more towards a relationship graph that would be inspired by the television show detective Adrian Monk. (http://www.usanetwork.com/series/monk/) Just like Monk wouldn’t want the peas and carrots on his dinner plate to touch, you would likely not want to have your table occurrence groups to touch.

Isolating your FileMaker relationships into logical units (called TOGs for Table Occurrence Groups) is a method adopted by most professional and in house developers. The most common technique is employing a method called Anchor / Buoy.

Here are some links to other posts that might be of interest in regards to this topic...
You May Have To Unlearn What You Have Learned
Contextual Relationships And Layouts
Spaghetti Relationship Design Approach
The Difference Between Squid And Anchor/Buoy
Anchor/Buoy, A Closer Look At Its Advantages
Anchor/Buoy, Getting Started
The Anchor/Buoy Naming Convention I Use
So, What Are The Benefits Of Anchor / Buoy
Anchor/Buoy, What Is It?
Table Occurrences And Pick Lists
More About Layout Context And Table Occurrences
More About Calculation Context And Table Occurrences
Benefits Anchor / Buoy (the quick list)
Anchor / Buoy Segmentation Makes Better Printing
GTRR Work Great In Anchor / Buoy
Anchor / Buoy Does Create Redundant TOs

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Internal ID

Internal ID

CATEGORY: Advanced Design
CLASS: Working With FileMaker

Under the hood, FileMaker assigns a collection of internal IDs. Unfortunately, they are not that easy to get to and are a bit of a pain to extract for the developer.

Internal Record IDs
FileMaker creates an internal record ID for the records it contains in its files. The Get(RecordID) function will return the FileMaker created and internally stored record ID for the current record in the foreground window. Since these numbers are internal to FileMaker, they are always sequential, unique and never reused if the record is deleted.

Internal Layout IDs
FileMaker assigns an unique, internal identification value to each new layout added in a file. Unlike the layout name or layout position, the FileMaker developer does not have access to edit this largely hidden value. The design function of LayoutIDs provides a return separated list of all the internal layout ids for a particular file. There is just one parameter for this function and that is the name of the file you want to target for the returned list of layout IDs.

Internal Script IDs
When scripts are created in a file, they are given a unique and sequential script id tag. When a script is deleted, that scripts id tag will not be repeated. The ScriptIDs function will return those id tags in the order the scripts are currently organized within the file. The script ids will be return delimited, that is to say there will be a carriage return between each id. So if you have 12 scripts, create one and move it to the top ... that script will have a 13 and it will be on the top row of the returned array.

List Of Related Posts
http://dwaynewright.blogspot.com/2008/03/filemaker-layoutids-function.html

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Interface Files

Interface Files

CATEGORY: Design
CLASS: Separation Model

The separation model is a unique way of building a FileMaker solution so that all the data is in one file and the user interface is in another file. Although building a separation model solution isn’t that hard, it is different.

The foundation to setup a solution with an interface file and a data file is the External Data Source. This allows one file to interact (almost seamlessly) with the tables, scripts, value lists and data. To setup an External Data Source, you select that option from under the File menu / Manage / External Data Source.

After you activate the External Data Source command, you will then be greeted with a dialog box asking with file you want to add. You then navigate to where that file is stored and you add it. You then can give the file reference a unique name.

What the developer then does with the interface file is add an external data source link to the data file. You then load all your table occurrences from that data file. Layouts and scripts can use those defined table occurrences without problem, with the exception of some security settings such as running scripts with full access. Here are some links that discuss some of those limitation in further detail.

Security Settings In The Separation Model
The Separation Model And Run Script With Full Access

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CamelCase or Intercapping

CamelCase or Intercapping

CATEGORY: Design
CLASS: Naming Conventions

CamelCase or Intercapping is the name given to a collection of words that have the spaces between them removed and the first letter of each word capitalized. Examples ...

FileMaker
LeSaux
iMac
CinemaScope
AstroTurf

In FileMaker use, the space characters between the words of a file name, layout, field, relationship or script can cause problems as it interfaces with other applications. So many developers will use a naming convention of CamelCase/Intercapping.

Here are some links to other posts that might be of interest in regards to this topic...
Don’t Give Me Space

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Integrity Of Backups

Integrity Of Backups

CATEGORY: Backups
CLASS: General

Once you have a good backup strategy in place, you will want to test the integrity of those backups occasionally. Yes, it is possible that when you need to use a backup, you find that it is corrupted or unusable.

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Images (formats supported)

Images (formats supported)

CATEGORY: Layouts
CLASS: Objects

You can insert graphics into FileMaker layouts from under the insert menu and FileMaker supports a large number of the most popular image formats. Here is a quick list of some of the ones you are most likely to use.

JPEG
GIF
PNG
EPSF
TIFF
PDF Image

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