FileMaker
Tips
E-mail:
clientservices@lupien.net
|
570-676-0938 |
Lupien Limited
Consulting
RR 2 Box 2809
Cresco, PA 18326
Copyright
© 2008 Lupien Limited Consulting. All Rights Reserved. |
LAYOUTS
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SCRIPTS
When debugging
a script, insert a pause at the troublesome spot. Oftentimes slowing
the process down allows you the opportunity to see the problem.
Use the Case function
rather than If for conditional statements. Case is much simpler to
write and is not limited to 49 occurrences as the If function is.
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IMPORTING
IMAGES
If you import
an EPS file which contains fonts not resident in your printer, the
font may default to Courier. If this happens, there are several fixes
&emdash; one of which should work.
- Make sure the
graphic is in the frontmost layer.
- Make sure it
is unlocked.
- If the font
does not appear on the layout, type a few letters in that font on
the layout, but make it white so it won't show up.
- If you haven't
already, put the font directly into the System folder.
- As a last resort,
use a font downloader to send that font to the printer before printing
the document.
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NOVICE
When a FileMaker
solution consists of two or more files:
- Never change
the names of files if they contain lookups or external scripts.
- Always keep
all of the files in the same folder.
Use scripts to
automate database functions. Don't be afraid to experiment. Scripts
offer significant time savings.
Set the Preferences
(File Menu) to accommodate your work style
- Always open
to a specific layout
- Invoke a script
when the file is opened
- Add new fields
to layout automatically (I like to turn this off)
- Lock tools
in layout mode.
- Set auto-save
intervals.
Put a creation
and modification date in all records. This makes it much easier to
find, print etc. the newly created/modified records.
When adding names
and addresses be sure to split up first and last name, city, state,
zip, etc.
If you experience
a crash with files open, the next time you open those files FMP will
alert you that the file was not closed properly and minor repairs
are being made. This message should not cause undue concern. In most
instances no permanent damage is done. However, if the file does not
open, try the Recover command in the File menu. Caution: Never
force quit after a crash, instead restart. Force quitting usually
toasts the file(s).
Remember: FileMaker
saves automatically. So if you're changing layouts or field definitions,
make a copy before you start working. This way if you change your
mind, you can always go back to the previous version.
If you don't care
to become a database maven, then by all means consider purchasing
one of the custom templates available from FM developers. You can
still customize them to meet your particular needs.
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INTERMEDIATE
Create scripts
to switch between layouts and restore page setup, etc. Otherwise you
may have the unpleasant surprise of printing landscape when what you
really wanted was regular.
Make the first
step in the script Enter Browse Mode. Otherwise users may interrupt
a script, leaving them in find or preview mode, where they do not
know what to do next.
Create two scripts
for printing: Print Current and Print Browsers. Each script will contain
Page Setup [Restore] and Print. These scripts can be added to other
scripts as subscripts eliminating the need to worry about the correct
page setup in each script that prints.
When designing
a database for Windows, stick to the TrueType version of Times and
Helvetica. This will give your layouts a better chance at retaining
the look and feel you intended.
Periodically save
a compressed copy of the database. Then trash the original and rename
the copy with the exact name of the original. After structural changes
is a good time or every few months. If the compressed copy is significantly
smaller, it was time to compress. If there's little difference, then
wait a bit longer before the next compression.
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E-mail:
clientservices@lupien.net
|
570-676-0938 |
Lupien Limited
Consulting
RR 2 Box 2809
Cresco, PA 18326 |
Copyright
© 2008 Lupien Limited Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
|