A reader’s suggestion prompted me to try a powerful technique I have been wanting to experiment with: two-way communication through the Web Viewer. By that, I mean sending a calculated link into some HTML in a FileMaker Web Viewer via a script or calculation. Then with the Web Viewer displayed, the user clicks on the link […]
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How to Setup FileMaker Server for Remote Access
March 13, 2013 
7 Comments
Setting up remote access to FileMaker Pro databases is a fairly common task for FileMaker Developers. It is also one of the more common support questions asked by my clients after I have left the building, so I have created a walk through on how to set this up that is hopefully simple enough for […]
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Screen Capture from FileMaker Pro on the Macintosh
January 23, 2013 5 Comments
Macintosh OS X has a built-in command line utility for taking screen captures. This utility can be called via AppleScript. FileMaker Pro can send out this command from a script. Why would you want to take screen captures using FileMaker Pro? I can think of two good reasons: building documentation within FileMaker Pro and for […]
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2012 in review
December 30, 2012 Comments Off on 2012 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for hbase.net’s blog. Here’s an excerpt: This blog had 50,000 views in 2012. Click here to see the complete report.
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Building a Barcode System in FileMaker Pro
December 18, 2012 11 Comments
I had a discussion recently from someone wanting to know how to setup FileMaker Pro with a barcode scanning system. I have setup a FileMaker Pro system called PassTracker that employs barcodes to keep track of membership activity at gyms. I was able to provide him with an overview of how to do this and […]
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Getting Foreign Exchange Rates into FileMaker
November 19, 2012 10 Comments
2016-10-16 Update: Apparently this parsing code for XE.com broke. XE.com changed the html formatting of their currency table. I have created an updated version (in .fmp12 format) and it has replaced the demo file link below. Here are the steps I changed: In the script “Get Exchange Rate Batch of Currencies” Change these variables (Set […]
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Creating Timelines for the web in FileMaker using TimelineJS
October 1, 2012 5 Comments
2018-03-28 Update: LuminFire has taken over development of this timeline project. Check their web site for updates to the database file. 2016-07-19 Update: Check out this simple and elegant timeline integration by Av Rolf at Mallverkstan. 2014-08-09 Update: I have added a Virtual List export to complement the existing XML Stylesheet export. Both versions are in the […]
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Guided Access—Kiosk Mode for FileMaker Go on the iPhone or iPad
September 24, 2012 11 Comments
A software-only solution to turning your FileMaker Go databases into true Kiosks. Photo: iPad POS Flip Mountby NClosures Why am I always the last to hear about these things? Apparently this feature, called Guided Access, has been on iPads for a while, and is now available on iPhones with iOS 6. I stumbled on this […]
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How to Automate Webcam Photo Capture Within Filemaker Pro (Mac)
September 10, 2012 7 Comments
2018-08-16 Update Reader Tim Fox from Miami pointed out that this demo file wasn’t working any more. I have updated it to FM12 format and edited the Automator routine a bit to make it a little faster and smoother running. If you have already attempted to use this and are re-downloading the file, please delete […]
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UTF, WTF! Writing HTML and JSON from FileMaker
September 5, 2012 9 Comments
Recently, I was working on a Timeline creation database. A FileMaker Pro database is used to store the events that will be displayed on the timeline. When the data has been entered, the database is designed to export two files, one an HTML file for the main page display and the second a JSON file […]
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How to use Field Comments as Tooltips.
August 31, 2012 Comments Off on How to use Field Comments as Tooltips.
Good tips for tooltips. I had seen this before but couldn’t remember how to do it. Thank you Google. Thank you Philly FileMaker. FieldComment ( Get ( FileName ) ; GetFieldName ( Self ) )
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How to Automate ‘Paste and Match Style’ in FileMaker
August 28, 2012 6 Comments
Copying text from another application, such as a Web browser or Word document, and then pasting that text into a field in a FileMaker database field, can be annoying when the text pasted arrives with an undesirable style, color, font, or font size. In many programs, such as Numbers, Pages etc, there is the capability to […]
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Scanner Pro solves the problem of how to fax from your iPhone
August 21, 2012 Comments Off on Scanner Pro solves the problem of how to fax from your iPhone
Need a way to fax from your iPhone or iPad? I love this app called Scanner Pro from Readdle. If you have an iPhone or iPad, you should seriously look at getting this app. The app allows you to take a series of photos and turn them into a single PDF to save to DropBox, […]
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Made changes to a FileMaker Layout and want to back out of it?
August 14, 2012 1 Comment
Ever modified a layout and then wished you hadn’t? This is a common occurance for FileMaker developers, or at least me. If you are like most developers (or me), you long ago turned on the option for Saving Layout changes automatically. Up until FileMaker 12, there was only one Undo move available. With FileMaker 12 […]
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How to find lost image files in your Mac Mail folder
August 8, 2012 Comments Off on How to find lost image files in your Mac Mail folder
I recently saw mention of an app for the Mac that helps you find your photos lost in your email attachments. It is called Lost Photos and sells for $2.99 in the App Store. Although the price is a bargain and not to take the thunder of out of this app, which does some other […]
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