FileMaker 8 Features

From Fmfaq

Contents 1 FileMaker Pro 8 2 General Notes 2.1 Moving from 7 to 8 3 Information Distribution 3.1 PDF Maker 3.2 Excel Maker 3.3 E-mail Merge 3.4 Fast Send 4 Data Entry 4.1 Auto-complete for fields 4.2 Real-time spell checking 4.3 Calendar drop-down 5 Finding Information 5.1 Fast Match 5.2 Date/Time Search Methods 6 Layout Mode 6.1 Tab Panel Controls (supports embedded panels) 6.2 Enhanced alignment tools (finally!) 6.3 New buttons in Status Area in Layout Mode 6.4 New Tab Order Options 7 Relationship Graph 7.1 Table Occurrence highlighting and relationship filtering 7.2 Alignment tools for graph enhanced 7.3 Notes for better documentation 8 Developer Related 8.1 Automatic table creation upon data import 8.2 Filtered field lists for relationships/context 8.3 Mouse wheel support (finally!) 8.4 Script Variables implemented as script step "Set Variable" 8.5 Go To Related Records for a Found Set (not just for one record) 8.6 Dynamic Repetition targeting (changes to Set Field) 8.7 Value lists now hide ID values 8.8 Adjusted field options dialog box (now named Field/Control) 8.9 New Go to Layout submenu in Layouts menu 9 FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced 9.1 Custom Menus 9.2 Tool Tips for layout objects (not just fields) 9.3 Multiple table import 9.4 Specify file paths using variables 9.5 Copy paste support for Fields, Table, Scripts and Script Steps (finally!) 9.6 Better Database Design Reports 9.7 Script Disabling 9.8 Data Viewer

FileMaker Pro 8

FileMaker Pro 8 is was released by FileMaker Inc. on Monday, August 29th 2005 at the annual FileMaker Developers Conference. The following is a list of features added to the FileMaker 8 software.

General Notes

Moving from 7 to 8

FileMaker Pro 8 does not require any conversions or file changes to files created in FileMaker Pro 7. This means that any file(s) created with Version 7 will work just fine with Version 8. The only difference is that the newer features are not used in a V7 file until integrated. If you do integrate FileMaker 8 features then you'll want to be sure and use the Get (ApplicationVersion) function upon startup to determine if the user is using V8 or V7. The big jump was from 6 to 7 and like the history of versions 3 to 6, there may only be minor conversions required (which FileMaker will handle just fine) rather than major conversions. If you are converting a database from versions prior to 6 and you've started the process with 7 then you are perfectly safe. You simply now have more features to work with.

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Please note: Anyone with an account on this site (which is free) can make changes and enhancements to this page!

Information Distribution

PDF Maker

This feature is a user feature which makes it easy to send PDF files. The PDF generator is from Adobe according to FileMaker Inc. Essentially, you can generate and attach the PDF to an email for easy sending. You can also use script steps to automate this process. This feature is not available in the Runtime version.

Excel Maker

The same as the PDF Maker but supporting Excel spreadsheets.

E-mail Merge

A feature allowing for users to send email from using File > Send Mail.. It supports the dynamic addressing and can be driven from the current record or the found set. Some email clients may send the mail right away. Some may queue it for later sending. It does not send mail directly using an SMTP account. The local email client must be configured properly. File attachments are supported, but cannot come directly from a field. You would have to script the export of the contents of a field then specify their location as the attachment(s).

Fast Send

This is an enhancement to the version 7 feature of exporting field contents. When exporting contents of a field, this feature allows you to attach the contents to an email.

Data Entry

Auto-complete for fields

A feature that will start to auto-complete what the user starts to type in. This is controlled in the new "Field/Control Setup" dialog box. It's activated on a per field basis using a check box that reads "Auto-complete using previously entered values" Note: double-clicking a field now brings up the new "Field/Control Setup". This is a consolidation of Specify Field and Field Format options.

Real-time spell checking

The feature is similar to the underlining found in Office products and now in many Mac OS X apps. It is found in the File > File Options.. dialog under the Spelling tab. FileMaker has it check on by default.

Calendar drop-down

A new feature found in the "Field/Control Setup" dialog box (formerly Field Options). This new "Drop-down Calendar" joins the former options of Edit Box, renamed Drop-down LIst (formerly Pop-up List), Pop-up Menu, Checkbox Set and Radio Button Set.

Finding Information

Fast Match

A very simple feature that uses right-clicking to perform a search for similar records with the same data present in the field. It can be very useful for users when taught in conjunction with the constrain and extend searches - which can also be executed with a contextual menu. Essentially, you can find a targeted subset of data all with using the mouse.

Date/Time Search Methods

New options for searching on Date and Time fields:

All dates in September, 2005: 9/2005
October 2004 through September 2005: 10/2004...9/2005
All times occurring in the 9 o'clock hour: 9 am
All dates that occur on a Monday: =Monday
All timestamps in the 10 o'clock hour, in the month of September, 2005: 9/2005 10 am
All timestamps occurring in the 2 o'clock hour today: // 2 pm
All dates in the year 2005, but only if their day is the 20th thru the 25th: */{20...25}/2005

Layout Mode

Tab Panel Controls (supports embedded panels)

These are new layout objects which can be added to a layout. You can specify the number of tabs and their names. The names cannot be dynamic using Specify Calculation as in many other areas of FileMaker. You have the options of justifying the tabs on the left, right, center or as full. Two visual styles of rounded or square are offered. The extent of graphic embellishment is limited to color - however, you can have a unique color on each tab used. Using Embossed or Engraved styles works on the whole panel, not individual tabs. You can place tab panels within tab panels and they will work. When used in list view, switching tabs will be effective on all records.

Enhanced alignment tools (finally!)

We now have "real" alignment tools. Similar to those you find in most all other applications that allow some form of layout manipulation. Specify Alignment dialog box is gone. Now offered as a toolbar. There is a very nice enhancement to this feature. Under the Arrange menu in Layout mode you will find "Resize To" menu with submenu options of Smallest Width, Smallest Height, Smallest Width & Height and equivalents for the Largest as well. These will work on mutliple selected objects.

New buttons in Status Area in Layout Mode

You'll find buttons for creating tab panels and for opening the "Field/Control Setup" dialog box - which, coincidentally allows you to specify a field. The Specify Field is redundant to the "Field/Control Setup" dialog but is still needed for areas like ScriptMaker. Tip: With the Size Palette open you can use the Field/Control button to set the size of your field, whereas the Field drag does not allow this precision.

New Tab Order Options

The Set Tab Order dialog box now allows you to add layout objects specified as buttons to the tab order, with options for Fields Only, Buttons only or Objects (meaning both). What is a button doing in the tab order? You can tab to a button and actuate the button with the space bar or return key! For some reason the Enter key does not trigger the button. Unfortunately, this only works fully in form view. Tabbing through objects in a list view does not move into layout parts other than the body. You can add a Tab Control to the Tab order, individual tabs cannot be added. Then whichever Tab is showing will become selected on tabbing, left and right arrow keys will move from Tab to Tab and enter will open the selected Tab sheet.

Relationship Graph

Table Occurrence highlighting and relationship filtering

When you select a table occurrence(s) in the graph they will become highlighted. You can also use a new button which will allow you to select adjoining tables or all occurrences based on the same base table.

Alignment tools for graph enhanced

You can now align table occurrences based on the same options presented in Layout mode. (e.g. left, right, center, distribution options and resizing options)

Notes for better documentation

Notes can be added and can be any color. Notes can be used to surround a group of table occurences and can have any style and color of text. The notes are not "tied" or associated to any specific table occurrence, they are "free floating" meaning you must manage them along with your graph. You also cannot directly edit their text. You must double-click the note to edit the text. Notes can be collapsed to show only the first line of text - useful for longer notes.

Developer Related

Automatic table creation upon data import

This is more of developer feature, but very useful when creating a new FileMaker system. When importing raw data, this feature allows for the automatic creation of a new table. By default the fields will be named according to FileMaker in the format of f1, f2, f3... and so on. Choosing the option of "Don't import first record (contains field names)" will name the fields properly according to the file.

Filtered field lists for relationships/context

When using the Sort, Replace field content or Export dialogs the field list will be relevant to the current Layout by default. In the dialog you have the option of switching from "Current Layout" to "Current Table" - which we know is actually "Current Table Occurrence".

Mouse wheel support (finally!)

This one is pretty obvious for those who know the pain.

Script Variables implemented as script step "Set Variable"

The text of the new dialog "Set Variable" (a script step) found in ScriptMaker reads "Names prefixed by "$" are local variables available only within the current script. Prefix the name with "$$" to make the variable available throughout the current file (global)." Variables act just like regular fields in that they support repetitions. So you can have something like $windowSettings, where $windowSettings[1] is the width $windowSettings[2] is the height and so on.

Go To Related Records for a Found Set (not just for one record)

An enhancement to the Go To Related Record (GTRR) script step. Implemented in the form of a radio button (when "Show only related records checkbox is checked" ) which provides the options of "Match current record only" or "Match all records in current found set".

Dynamic Repetition targeting (changes to Set Field)

A simple adjustment to the Set Field script step which now allows the Specify Calculation to be used to dynamically specify the repetition number.

Value lists now hide ID values

A VERY nice change in the behavior of FileMaker value lists. You still only have two options for display fields but you can make the first field hidden - which is typically an ID value. Implemented in the form of a checkbox in the "Specify Fields for Value List" dialog box. The checkbox option reads "Show values only from second field" - meaning the first field is the value returned, but is hidden when the list is displayed.

Adjusted field options dialog box (now named Field/Control)

This is essentially a consolidation of both the Field Format options and the Specify Field dialog boxes. In most cases you will use a button in the Status Area instead of using the Field drag-out tool. The Specify Field dialog box is still used within ScriptMaker.

New Go to Layout submenu in Layouts menu

The menu now shows the keys for moving from layout to layout (Control-UpArrow and Control-DownArrow) and also shows the list of layouts.

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FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced

Custom Menus

A long-awaited feature that allows who set of menus to be created. The feature is in FMP 8 Advanced and can by dynamically controlled using ScriptMaker - meaning different users can have different menus.

Tool Tips for layout objects (not just fields)

Accessed using Format > Set Tooltip... you can now set tooltips on any layout object. You can set tooltips on grouped objects, however, unlike buttons the tooltips will persist on each individual object which is part of a group. Duplicating objects with tooltips will retain their original tooltip so you've been warned. Text can be dynamically controlled with Specify Calculation but the delay for display, color and any other attribute cannot be controlled. You can view all objects with tool tips by using View > Show > Tooltips.

Tooltips also work in Instant Web Publishing.

Multiple table import

This is found in the Define Database dialog under Tables as a button named "Import...". This is used with other FileMaker files which contain multiple tables and is similar in nature to the Import option of ScriptMaker. You can import other tables from other files. This does not import data, only table/field information.

Specify file paths using variables

You can use variables in file paths. Variables let you specify file or folder paths dynamically for many scripts, for example, the Export Records script step. Use the Set Variable script step to create local and global variables.

You can also use the Let function to specify variables in calculations. The scope of local and global variables is limited to the current file.

Examples of using variables in file paths

Assume the following variables:

$fileName = "test.xls"
$username = "JohnSmith"
$targetDir = "Documents/Clients"
$chosenType = "fmnet"
$$source = "file:Documents/2005/demo files"
$driveLetter = "G:"
$searchList = "file:old results.txt
                    file:../archived/old results.txt"

(taken from the Help files from Filemaker)

Copy paste support for Fields, Table, Scripts and Script Steps (finally!)

You'll now find Copy and Paste buttons in Define Database - Tables, Define Database - Fields, ScriptMaker Script List and ScriptMaker Scripts. Copy and Paste is not present in Accounts & Privileges, Define Value Lists or Define Custom Menus. As would be expected, any field/table/layout references must be valid when moving from one file to another.

Better Database Design Reports

The Database Design Report has been updated to support all the enhancements to FileMaker. The easiest thing to do when troubleshooting a system you are developing/fixing/enhancing is to create report as HTML and then use the browser search feature to look for the keyword "<Missing" where the remainder of that string would be the given FileMaker object.

Script Disabling

This is just like commenting for calculation code. You can temporarily disable either a single step or multiple steps. This applies to Perform Script(s) that call other scripts. Implemented as a button named "Disable" in the Edit Script dialog box.

Data Viewer

This is essentially similar to a variable watcher. You can see what is going on with your data - including fields, related fields and dynamic calculations. You can use any expression available using the Define Calculation dialog box. The data you watch is not file specific and will persist until you remove the watch value. In other words, if you are working on three large systems and each uses a different method for naming common variables then your list of watched expressions could be quite large. It would be nice to have had the Data Viewer be specific to a file an not globally applicable.