The Support Group Blog

We rely on indicators to let us know that a process is running. We can hear our engines running or see the timer ticking down on the microwave – all positive indications that something is working. Have you ever been on hold with no hold music or regular automated updates? It can be frustrating because you don't know if you're still in the queue or wasting your time. So it's good, virtually expected, to include a progress bar or an alert within a process in order to maintain engagement.

Every year FileMaker developers converge on a specified city to learn how to make the most of the FileMaker Pro product. And although the format of the FileMaker Developer Conference doesn't change too much year after year in terms of training, presentations, breakout sessions, etc., the content does change because of the various new features available with the latest software release. And FileMaker 16 does have a lot of new features to boast about, including its impact on FileMaker Server. I attended a session that focused on some of the under-the-hood components of FileMaker Server.

I attended JSON and API sessions during the FileMaker Developer conference and they blew my mind! The two technologies actually go hand and hand; one is built on the other so it was a very informative and comprehensive day for me. FileMaker integration features are my favorite benefits of the platform because they allow us to connect and exchange data with other data sources, thereby expanding the capabilities of our applications. I was able to witness some amazing FileMaker integrations between these two sessions.

You know that it is on your FileMaker Platform features wish list. It’s THE feature you have been waiting for (along with the other 116 features you have been waiting for).

Over the years I have noticed that some beginner and intermediate level developers are not aware of the possible uses of extended privileges, other than as a means of controlling methods of sharing (such as through standard FileMaker Pro to Server networking, Instant Web Publishing, PHP, etc…).  Extended privileges are probably one of the most underused features in FileMaker and at the same time incredibly simple and powerful with regards to enforcing security and access control.  I have seen people write very complex scripts that attempt to manage or limit access to specific areas of a system, creating elaborate, complex security access levels or hard coding some of this security functionality within the data structure when they could have used custom extended privileges to do the same in a cleaner and most efficient manner.

Today I presented the webinar “Maximizing Mobility with FileMaker Go”, hosted by FileMaker, Inc.‘s Rick Colcock.  Thank you to all who attended; if you missed it or want to check it out again, you can download the video.

iPhones and iPads have changed the way people work with information. When developing solutions using FileMaker Go, you’ll want to design your workflows and user experience to fit the way people create and consume mobile data. This session will cover useful tips and techniques to optimize FileMaker for mobile use. We will explore FileMaker development with an eye to adapting workflow patterns and user interaction to the mobile paradigm, as well as the new opportunities mobile devices present, such as geolocation.

A few months ago, I delivered a webinar on advanced scripting and calculations. Along with the video demonstrations, I made available the FileMaker file for download. Dennis watched the webinar, downloaded the file, and asked a most reasonable question:

A reader wrote in with a problem:

We just started using FileMaker 11 with databases that were created in previous versions.  In Browse, mode the text formatting button in the layout bar is grayed out.  Is there a way to make this active?

The key clue here to solving the issue was the fact that these files were created in previous versions.  The culprit? Custom menus.

Thanks to all who attended!  If you missed the webinar, or want to watch it again, download the recording (which requires the WebEx WRF Player).  You can also download the sample FileMaker file used in the presentation.

When it comes to FileMaker Pro, calculations and scripts are your tools to “make stuff happen.” In this webinar, sponsored by FileMaker, Inc. and based on our Advanced Scripting and Calculations class, we explore some techniques for building robust, feature-rich databases with complex calculations, powerful scripted automation, and elegant user interfaces. 

DevCon is over; summer vacations are finally wrapped up.

Back in July, I presented a preview webinar of one of my DevCon presentations: FileMaker and the Cloud: Integrating with Google Apps.  We are now making that webinar recording available, as well as making the sample file available for download.