OK folks, here is a hack for you. The Challenge: Capturing images from a web cam into FileMaker on Windows. I was able to achieve this previously on a Mac using AppleScript, but there is no similar easy inter-application scripting language on Windows. FileMaker Go on mobile has the ability to grab photos right from […]
Continue reading
Tag Archives: FileMaker Pro 12
Automating Webcam Photo Capture within FileMaker (Windows)
May 25, 2015 
Comments Off on Automating Webcam Photo Capture within FileMaker (Windows)
Window Management in FileMaker Pro – Preventing Extra Windows from Opening
May 19, 2015 Comments Off on Window Management in FileMaker Pro – Preventing Extra Windows from Opening
My first version of the system was rejected by the customers because it kept opening extra windows, confusing the users. So I set about writing a fairly modular script that I could reuse to test if a window was already open and if so, simply select it, rather than opening another new window. This seemed to make the users much happier. I share it with you and my future self here.
Continue reading The End is Near – a Minor Datacalypse is Coming
April 23, 2015 Comments Off on The End is Near – a Minor Datacalypse is Coming
I have written before about the need to stay current with FileMaker Pro, operating systems and hardware. I recently received an email from a reader who asked: Between me and a colleague we built a large database with all the bells and whistles back in the days of FM 5.5 and yes, we fell behind or […]
Continue reading Applescript Notification from FileMaker
October 31, 2014 Comments Off on Applescript Notification from FileMaker
FileMaker developers (and other app developers) are always looking for better ways to communicate information to their users. System level notifications have proven to be an effective way of sending short ‘dissolving’ messages to users. These Notification messages show up in the top right corner of the users screen, make a little chime, hang around for […]
Continue reading How to Maintain a Connection to FileMaker Server on a Dynamic IP Address with DynDNS Updater
July 7, 2014 Comments Off on How to Maintain a Connection to FileMaker Server on a Dynamic IP Address with DynDNS Updater
Overview Once you have your FileMaker Server setup and accessible remotely, I recommend setting up Dyn.com Remote Access service. Their tagline is “Access your device or files using a unique hostname, instead of a confusing (and ever-changing) IP address.” The reason you may need a service like this is because in many cases your Internet provider doesn’t […]
Continue reading Mapping from FileMaker Pro with OpenStreetMap and Leaflet Markercluster.js
June 24, 2014 7 Comments
2018-12-17 Update: It has been pointed out by reader Andreas that the geo coding function no longer works in this demo file. As I recall, this demo was still using the Google API to get the geo coordinates. I haven’t yet found a URL method for looking up Map Coordinates for Longitude and Latitude. This capability […]
Continue reading Cluster Maps Update – fixed popup formatting bug
June 17, 2014 11 Comments
Fixed formatting issue on the popup box. This version also uses V3 of the markercluster.js file. Download the Demo File ClusterMaps.zip Popup box formatting issue Previous versions of the Cluster Maps demo have suffered from a formatting issue. I have known about this for a while, but haven’t had the time to fix it. I […]
Continue reading Auto Close a FileMaker Pro Database After a Set Interval Using an OnTimer Script Step
March 12, 2014 4 Comments
Databases can contain sensitive data. Sometimes you have a database you only open occasionally, but you don’t want to forget and leave the data file open on your computer. There are other solutions to this, including locking your computer screen after a set interval, but if you find that procedure overkill and just want to […]
Continue reading Record and Field Locking Strategies
February 14, 2014 4 Comments
I was recently asked by a client about how to set up a record locking system. The idea of record locking is that when some event happens a record becomes no longer editable, preserving the contents from change. I have used two different strategies for record locking before and they are both useful, depending upon […]
Continue reading Mapping Directions from FileMaker Pro with Google Maps
February 3, 2014 3 Comments
Ever wish you could generate a Google Map pin map from your FileMaker database of things like: a sales route a customer list a distribution list? Not a complex Cluster Map of large numbers of addresses, as I have detailed in another blog post, but a simple reusable script to display small groups of locations as […]
Continue reading FileMaker Pro 13 Icon Replacement
January 3, 2014 5 Comments
Some FileMaker developers, myself included, were disappointed that FileMaker Inc., did not alter the colour scheme of the new icon for FileMaker Pro 13. As a developer, I keep usually keep the last few versions of FileMaker Pro active on my drive. Lined up in my dock, I can’t tell which is FileMaker 12 and […]
Continue reading QR Codes in FileMaker 12 & 13 — No Plug-ins, No Custom Functions
December 18, 2013 7 Comments
A while back I did a blog posting on generating 2D Bar Codes, or QR Codes from Google’s Chart API. The demo was created back in the dark days of FileMaker 11, before the advent of the Insert from URL function (FM12). In the old demo I used a Custom Function and a free plugin […]
Continue reading Hiding in Plain Sight: Using Invisible Tab Panels for Pick Lists
September 30, 2013 5 Comments
Recently I attended a FileMaker UI/UX Masterclass (UI = User Interface, UX = User Experience) session put on by FileMaker Canada in Vancouver. The session’s main presenter was Yann Liqueur-Salzédo from Infografix in Nice, France. Yann’s innovative design work wowed the crowd at the 2012 FileMaker DevCon in Florida. He has recently launched a web […]
Continue reading Running FileMaker Scripts from Your Desktop with Launchy or Alfred
September 12, 2013 2 Comments
Here is a cool trick, a method of running FileMaker Pro scripts directly from the Desktop on Mac or Windows computers. My friend Joshua Paul of Neo Code Software sent me an email with the headline “Launchy/Alfred + FileMaker FMP URI = AWESOME“. Josh is often coming up with innovative approaches to technical challenges, so I […]
Continue reading Dialing Phone Numbers using SkypeOut from FileMaker Pro
September 3, 2013 11 Comments
A while back, I found a technique to launch Skype and using the SkypeOut URI scheme, dial a number in Skype. I tested the ability recently and was surprised to see that the technique seems to be broken. Back in 2006 Skype announced on their blog that a FileMaker plug-in had been created by Premium […]
Continue reading
HomeBase Software 