Category: FileMaker 17

How to enable WebKit and JavaScript debugging in FileMaker Web Viewers

by Simon Brown
Posted in All, Claris Development, FileMaker, FileMaker 17, FileMaker 18, FileMaker 19, FileMaker Server, Integration, JavaScript, Techniques, Testing, Web Development

FileMaker supports bidirectional communication between a web viewer and data or scripts. So, you may find yourself doing more development using plenty of web code and JavaScript integrations.

If you’re having difficulty getting your HTML, CSS, or JavaScript to render in a FileMaker web viewer, there’s a great way to help inspect and fix it. You just need to know the hidden option to enable WebKit debugging in FileMaker web viewers.

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I Once Was Lost, But Now Am Found: InspectorPro 7 Global Search

by Christopher Edwards
Posted in Claris Development, FileMaker, FileMaker 17, FileMaker 18, FileMaker 19, FileMaker Cloud, InspectorPro, Tools & Add-ons

When I am working in the Bay Area, I often carpool to Beezwax’s Cupertino and Oakland offices with Vince Menanno, the creator and lead architect of InspectorPro. Over two years of commuting, I have been bugging him to add global search to InspectorPro, so FileMaker developers can search elements across the entire DDR for any solution. Vince must have gotten tired of my nagging, because at long last we can all enjoy this functionality, in InspectorPro 7.

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Show me external vs. embedded containers in FileMaker

by Beezwax Team
Posted in FileMaker 17, FileMaker 18, InspectorPro

Dear InspectorPro: Can you show me a report on the container fields used in my FileMaker solution, with a list of all externally-referenced vs. internally-stored (“embedded”) fields? Sincerely, Thanks in Advance-d.

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Restoring Backup Files on FileMaker Cloud for AWS

by Darren Burgess
Posted in All, FileMaker, FileMaker 17, FileMaker 18, FileMaker Cloud, Server Administration, System Administration

Recently, we had a client who required restoration of FileMaker backup files for their FileMaker Cloud for AWS 1.17–hosted solution. This seemed a simple enough request—we would download their backup files using the FileMaker Cloud for AWS Admin Console and then re-upload them to the server. However, things did not go smoothly as there was seven gigabytes of data to download and the process was too slow for their fast-paced production environment…like half-a-day too slow.
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Using Siri with FileMaker, via iOS Shortcuts

by Fabio Bosisio
Posted in All, FileMaker, FileMaker 17, FileMaker Cloud, FileMaker Data API, FileMaker Server, Integration, Mobile Development, Techniques

“Hey Siri…Ask FileMaker…”

This story started when we explored iOS Shortcuts to the FileMaker Data API. As we continue to automate tasks by mixing together iOS apps, content on mobile devices and web APIs plus FileMaker, let’s add to our workflow using one of the most powerful functions available to iPhone and iPad users: Siri.

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iOS Shortcuts to the FileMaker Data API

by Fabio Bosisio
Posted in FileMaker, FileMaker 17, FileMaker Data API, Integration, Mobile Development, Techniques

Shortcuts, on iOS, are a new way to automate tasks by mixing together apps, content on your iOS device and web APIs into custom workflows. Now, via the FileMaker Data API, you can use shortcuts as a way to interact with your FileMaker solutions.

Here’s an example of automatically uploading a photo from your iPhone into a FileMaker container field, via iOS shortcuts to the FileMaker Data API.

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Multi-Column Portals

by Will Miro
Posted in FileMaker, FileMaker 17, Techniques

A colleague recently posed this challenge: is it possible to show two columns in a portal, such that the first row displays records 1 and 2, the second row displays records 3 and 4, etc.? With FileMaker, the answer is usually “Yes!”

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Introducing Admin FM – the FileMaker Admin API for Zapier

by Brendan Pierce
Posted in All, FileMaker, FileMaker 17, FileMaker Cloud, FileMaker Server, Integration, Server Administration, Tools & Add-ons

Introducing Admin FM – the Zapier integration for accessing the FileMaker ® Admin API in an easy, customizable way. Built using Node.js, this version of Admin FM is currently a beta version, but it allows you to access most of the functionality that the FileMaker Admin API allows.

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Tableau to FileMaker | Scheduled Extracts

by Vincenzo Menanno
Posted in Data Analytics, FileMaker, FileMaker 17, Tableau FM

Once you have crafted a Tableau dashboard, pulling data from your FileMaker solution, then your next goal might be to make sure the dashboard data gets refreshed at regular intervals, and in an efficient manner. And that is what we’ll do in this blog post.

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FileMaker to Tableau | The Learning Journey

by Vincenzo Menanno
Posted in Data Analytics, FileMaker, FileMaker 17, FileMaker Server, Integration, Tableau FM, Tools & Add-ons

Now that the FileMaker Data API has been officially released (with FileMaker 17), it is time to share an update on Tableau-to-FileMaker integration. I originally wrote about integrating Tableau and FileMaker to create a match made in data heaven. I’ll also be speaking on “FileMaker + Tableau” at FileMaker DevCon 2018.

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Our First FileMaker 17 Certified Developers

by Jay Gonzales
Posted in All, Beezwax News, Community, FileMaker, FileMaker 17

We’re pleased to announce two Beez who have earned the title of FileMaker 17 Certified Developer.

  • Christopher Edwards, Senior Developer
  • Vincenzo Menanno, Senior Developer

Christopher and Vince are among the first developers to receive this designation since FileMaker 17 Certification was announced last week.

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How Transactional is the FileMaker Data API?

by Vincenzo Menanno
Posted in FileMaker, FileMaker 16, FileMaker 17, FileMaker Data API, FileMaker Server, Integration, Performance, Techniques

I’m always excited each time the FileMaker Platform gets new capabilities. It isn’t just the new features on their own that make things interesting, but what happens to the platform as a whole which provides for some interesting and inspiring innovations. In this case, it is a new way to do transactional record editing in FileMaker. This is the first in a multi-part series on this topic.
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Lost in Layout Space: Getting to Know FileMaker 17’s Layout Mode

by Andrew Witschonke
Posted in All, Design, FileMaker, FileMaker 17, Techniques

Way back when FileMaker 14 was released, as developers we were treated to the new-and-improved script workspace, adding all kinds of features from line breaks to auto-complete/type-ahead coding. To any of us who spend most of our day working in FileMaker, the response was sheer joy.

For all of its speed, flexibility, and ease-of-use, sometimes our favorite platform is missing some of those “standard”, quality-of-life features you would expect. For a long time, Layout mode has been lacking a few key features you would normally expect to see in a modern design application. With FileMaker 17, we get much closer to bridging that gap, receiving a whole bunch of handy, time-saving features along the way. Let’s dive in and take a look.
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FileMaker Data Migration Tool – New Ways To Code In Complex Environments

by Vincenzo Menanno
Posted in FileMaker, FileMaker 17, Techniques, Tools & Add-ons

One of the most exciting new features of FileMaker 17 isn’t part of the product, technically: it’s a command line function called the Data Migration Tool. You invoke it from the terminal, but don’t let that fool you. This is a uniquely powerful tool, one that honors the pitfalls of developing in a hosted, high-trafficked app — finally.

The Data Migration Tool allows you to merge two files, so you can develop in an offline copy and then migrate the live system into your improved app. Migration includes user accounts, value lists, serial numbers and of course data, all at once.
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Using REST and cURL with FileMaker 17’s Data API

by Darren Burgess
Posted in FileMaker, FileMaker 17, FileMaker Cloud, FileMaker Data API, FileMaker Server, Integration

As y’all probably know by now, FileMaker 17 has been released, including the first production edition of FileMaker Server’s Data API. This API was originally released with FileMaker 16, but only as a “beta”, expiring September 2018. As you might expect, the FileMaker 17 Data API introduces significant changes. This means that any applications written against the FM 16 Data API need to be refactored for compatibility with FileMaker 17. And that’s the work we’re here to do!
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Mark Scott presenting at DIGFM: Modular FileMaker Design

by Mark Scott
Posted in FileMaker, FileMaker 16, FileMaker 17, Front-end Design, Front-end Development, Techniques, Tools & Add-ons

We have better tools than ever in FileMaker to create reusable modules. In this video of Mark Scott’s presentation at a Bay Area FileMaker developer meetup, he explores why the combination of card windows and JSON reigns supreme for modular FileMaker architecture. Included is an in-depth look at how modules can open, close, and communicate.

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Test Driving The FileMaker Server 17 Admin Console

by Christopher Edwards
Posted in FileMaker, FileMaker 17, FileMaker Server, Server Administration

Changes in FMS 17 Admin Console and How We’re Adapting

FileMaker Server 17 introduces a new generation of Admin Console, refreshed, fast, and reliable. If you are familiar with the FileMaker Cloud console, you’ll feel right at home in the new FileMaker Server 17 Admin Console. However, the update also brings some of the biggest changes in administrative functionality in years, perhaps ever.

While FileMaker provides an excellent overview of the differences, here I will highlight changes that affect us most here at Beezwax and some adjustments we’re making to compensate.

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Master-Detail Layouts in FileMaker

by Will Miro
Posted in FileMaker, FileMaker 17

FileMaker 17’s new master-detail layouts display the list of records in the user’s found set. As the user performs finds, constrains, omits, sorts, or creates or deletes records, the master-detail portal will update to stay in sync. Imagine a portal that a user can sort any way they like, filter any way they like, and click a row to see details for that row, all right out of the box. That’s the power of the master-detail portal.

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FileMaker & Tableau | A Match Made in Data Heaven!

by Vincenzo Menanno
Posted in All, Beezwax News, Data Analytics, FileMaker, FileMaker 16, FileMaker 17, Integration, Tableau FM

Last year when I wrote this blog post we were talking about FileMaker 16 and the Data API being in beta. Now that FileMaker 17 has officially been released and along with it the Data API is out of beta and is a version 1.0.

Continue reading “FileMaker & Tableau | A Match Made in Data Heaven!” →