FileMaker Goes to 11 with Data-Driven UI and Script
Presented By:
While this session will not be recorded, I’ve created a new YouTube channel and will be posting screencast videos to share ideas and techniques using FileMaker:
www.youtube.com/@FileMaker.X - FileMakerX — FileMaker Pro eXtensibility (FMX) by Ken Levy
Session demos will include components of a custom framework called FMX that I use for creating custom FileMaker applications:
Using generic scripts and custom function wrappers with text boxes, trigger events, and property attributes—combined with tables that define UI and business rules—enables dynamic, interactive layouts and ad hoc reporting for any fields and tables.
Using a single table with nearly 1,000 records (mapped to global repeated fields) defines the majority of the UI and behavior of a custom FileMaker application.
Using generic text boxes and popovers to replace and avoid the use of value lists, text labels, drop-down lists, pop-up menus, checkbox sets, radio button sets, popover buttons, or button bars.
Using a database separation model with individual .fmp12 files for the app, app metadata, business data, and media container storage.
Using a text-string search-and-replace architecture for dynamically evaluating expressions that contain other expressions—a powerful macro expansion model for simpler and more powerful custom functions and script/function parameters.
Leveraging a data-driven UI model for defining user ACLs (access control lists)—determining what each user can see and access in an application.
Using a Word document as a template to create a FileMaker quote report, with the ability to edit the Word document without modifying the FileMaker app. This includes real-time HTML quote previews of the Word document displayed in a Web Control within a FileMaker layout. The technique uses a Word document saved as .mht (XML + HTML), then edits the source code, creates a new Word document and an .htm (HTML) text string, and opens it in Word with the data inserted in place of template text.
Using columns of dynamic text box fields to emulate Excel-like functionality within a FileMaker layout.
Using raw text as a pseudo step-by-step scripting language to call any FileMaker script, execute any native or custom function, set global variables, and set field values. Then, using a table called ScriptX, a powerful set of “text data” can be used instead of custom scripts to prompt a user for parameter values, generate results from an SQL query, and open a layout for generating a report—all defined in data without writing any custom FileMaker script code.
Using a wrapper script to automatically execute Perform Script on Server when running in hosted (FileMaker Server) mode, or execute Perform Script when running locally without FMS.
Using the combination of dynamic fields and defined attributes in a table to create a user prompt dialog with data entry and business rules enforced—all with one line of script and a block of text that defines the entire UI/UX experience.
Using a powerful Filter Mode for defining, generating, and saving dynamic reports across multiple tables that automatically generate SQL used by ExecuteSQL()—allowing users to create custom reports visually.
www.youtube.com/@FileMaker.X - FileMakerX — FileMaker Pro eXtensibility (FMX) by Ken Levy
Session demos will include components of a custom framework called FMX that I use for creating custom FileMaker applications:
Using generic scripts and custom function wrappers with text boxes, trigger events, and property attributes—combined with tables that define UI and business rules—enables dynamic, interactive layouts and ad hoc reporting for any fields and tables.
Using a single table with nearly 1,000 records (mapped to global repeated fields) defines the majority of the UI and behavior of a custom FileMaker application.
Using generic text boxes and popovers to replace and avoid the use of value lists, text labels, drop-down lists, pop-up menus, checkbox sets, radio button sets, popover buttons, or button bars.
Using a database separation model with individual .fmp12 files for the app, app metadata, business data, and media container storage.
Using a text-string search-and-replace architecture for dynamically evaluating expressions that contain other expressions—a powerful macro expansion model for simpler and more powerful custom functions and script/function parameters.
Leveraging a data-driven UI model for defining user ACLs (access control lists)—determining what each user can see and access in an application.
Using a Word document as a template to create a FileMaker quote report, with the ability to edit the Word document without modifying the FileMaker app. This includes real-time HTML quote previews of the Word document displayed in a Web Control within a FileMaker layout. The technique uses a Word document saved as .mht (XML + HTML), then edits the source code, creates a new Word document and an .htm (HTML) text string, and opens it in Word with the data inserted in place of template text.
Using columns of dynamic text box fields to emulate Excel-like functionality within a FileMaker layout.
Using raw text as a pseudo step-by-step scripting language to call any FileMaker script, execute any native or custom function, set global variables, and set field values. Then, using a table called ScriptX, a powerful set of “text data” can be used instead of custom scripts to prompt a user for parameter values, generate results from an SQL query, and open a layout for generating a report—all defined in data without writing any custom FileMaker script code.
Using a wrapper script to automatically execute Perform Script on Server when running in hosted (FileMaker Server) mode, or execute Perform Script when running locally without FMS.
Using the combination of dynamic fields and defined attributes in a table to create a user prompt dialog with data entry and business rules enforced—all with one line of script and a block of text that defines the entire UI/UX experience.
Using a powerful Filter Mode for defining, generating, and saving dynamic reports across multiple tables that automatically generate SQL used by ExecuteSQL()—allowing users to create custom reports visually.
Comments
certainly thinking out of the box
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