Scripts to look up Foreign Exchange rates seem to be something of a recurring item on this blog. It is because the Internet keeps changing and what worked last year, doesn’t necessarily work this year. Also, this time, I had a need for looking up foreign exchange rates on a specific date. I found another […]
Continue readingCreating a Custom Keyboard to Speed Boilerplate Data Entry
This could be useful for designing a custom set of text boilerplates to quickly add to an email or in a data entry situation. These panels allow you to create a set of custom buttons that can perform a variety of tasks, from typing pre-defined text to executing scripts or even launching applications. I realize […]
Continue readingExport Calendar Files from FileMaker – the easy way!
I have written about this multiple times in the past and thought I was done with this, but apparently not. A reader from Germany reported that there was a problem with a certain type of export and could I just tweak the script to make it work.
Why fix something minor, when I can rewrite the entire script?
Continue readingPart 2: Sending SMS Messages from FileMaker using Apple Shortcuts
I couldn’t find any articles about going outbound from FileMaker to Apple Shortcuts. It turns out that Apple’s Shortcuts app support a url scheme, similar to what I used in my FileMaker to SMS demo.
Continue readingPart 1: Sending SMS Messages from FileMaker
What I was looking for though, was a free and non-server based option, something that could be done from a standalone database on a Mac computer or an iPhone in the field. This method could also work in a networked setup, it is send only, any responses are not going to show up in FileMaker magically.
Continue readingAutomating Webcam Photo Capture within FileMaker (Windows)
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 readingHow 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 readingHow to Setup FileMaker Server for Remote Access
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 […]
Continue readingMade changes to a FileMaker Layout and want to back out of it?
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 […]
Continue readingGetting Help about FileMaker – FAST!
I recently saw a useful tip from the folks at Skeleton Key on speeding up access to the FileMaker Help System. View the video version of their tip here. This tip is primarily for Mac Users. I tested this in FileMaker Pro for Windows using Parallels and it doesn’t look like this is really an […]
Continue readingHow do I update information in a whole bunch of records at once in FileMaker?
Recently a friend of mine who hadn’t used FileMaker for a while asked me how he could move through a bunch of records and update some text in all those records. He vaguely remembered there were some quick ways of doing this. This blog entry is for him and everyone out there in Google, Yahoo […]
Continue readingWindows Management Part II: How to stop the user from accidentally closing the last window in a FileMaker database
Here is a demo file containing the “On Close” script. The script is self contained and can be pasted into any FileMaker database. How to stop the user from accidentally closing the last window in a FileMaker database Add a script called “On Close” In the Script, prompt them when they try to close the […]
Continue readingWindows Management Part I: Cleaning up Windows in FileMaker
I was working on a database that linked a lot of data to other data, employing many join tables. It is a database about maintaining a library of video and audio recordings of art events. The idea is to allow researchers explore and move through Artists, Events, Media Assets, Groups and Programs easily. As a […]
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