FileMaker Fundamentals: Let’s Build a Database!

This month, we will be covering some of the fundamentals of building a simple relational database in FileMaker Pro, plus a couple of cool layout tricks to help make your interfaces better. We will be working on a simple file together (the file will be emailed ahead of time–watch your inbox), so bring your laptops! The presenter will be Ron Greene, a local developer who travels under the cryptic handle of “filemakercowboy”.

Although there will be an agenda for the evening, Ron will be happy to answer questions as they come up and explore topics more in-depth if desired. Heck, maybe we’ll just order drinks and debate the merits of the layout grid.

Ron’s just glad to be away from his desk.

Think of it as one of those fancy two thousand dollar training sessions, but free.

And shorter.

Hope to see you there!

Audrey ❦

Random

12/20/2011 The purpose of this file is to show you another way to generate a random number within FileMaker Pro but with a specific requirement. That requirement is I only want single digits as the result opportunity.

The Standard Way

Using standard built-in functions ( no custom functions ), you can learn the default way to generate a random number but even better you can learn the exact limits of the random function within FileMaker.

Single Digit Random Number

How to generate your own random number with the possible results of “0″, “1″, “2″, “3″, “4″, “5″, “6″, “7″, “8″, “9″ which is really ten numbers? Let’s go!

- Brian Ginn

About the author - Brian is a founding member of the Kentuckiana FileMaker Users Group. He is a regular contributor of content at the regular meetings. He is an accomplished FileMaker developer as he works in the private sector as an independent consultant to businesses. Contact Brian via email brian@brianginn.com or cell (502) 550-0092 direct.

Reference

“FileMaker Pro 10.0v3 addressed an issue where the “Random” calculation function could generate non-random values on certain machines. The “Random” calculation will now generate values greater than or equal to 0 and less than 1. The value will never be 1.

In versions prior to FileMaker Pro 10.0v3, the “Random” function returns “a random number between zero and one” including “zero and one”.”

FileMaker URL reference web link

I want a single digit random number. To get it I simply use the Random function but I add the Middle function to wrap it in. I ask the Middle function to start at the second value because the first is a period. I ask the Middle function to get one value as the second parameter. I command FileMaker via a script to give me a random number of one of the following: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ( that gives me ten single digit numbers which I can then use in other ways within FileMaker. How?

Take the Middle ( text ; start ; numberOfCharacters ) in the form:

SetField [ table1::data21 ; Middle ( Random ; 2 ; 1 ) ]

NOTE: You could use: Right ( Random ; 1 ) but you’d never get a opportunity for a zero and therefor only nine possible digits instead of ten.

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Holiday Get-Together!

Wouldn’t you all like to take a much-needed break from the relentless pursuit of rampant consumerism? Instead of going shopping for yet another gag fruitcake for that friend you don’t like all that much anyway, why not make something really yummy and bring it to share with your software sidekicks!

Yes, we’ll talk a bunch about FileMaker, but that’s not nearly as important as chowing down on Christmas cookies, or loading up on latkes, or putting away the pizelles, or (our personal favorite) eating a whole cheesecake by ourselves! Oh, did we say that out loud? Uh, we meant sharing one of Jonathan’s wife’s world-renown cheesecake masterpieces, with a fine selection of our software co-celebrators. Yeah, that’s it. Uh-huh, share. (Hey, maybe we can get her to make two!)

So, stay up all night on the 19th crafting your culinary creations–or merely stop by the convenience store on the way for a bag of cookies–and come gather with your Fellow Festive FileMaker-ers from 12:00 to 3:30-ish on December 20th (THIRD Tuesday this month!).

Yes, yes, we’ll have presentations on FileMaker and all, but we ask you, what is that compared to getting an early start on your holiday weight-gain? It’s better to pace yourselves anyway, rather than going for all those pounds at once! (We think we read that somewhere. Probably on the internet.)

–The Committee
Alan, Bill, Brian, Byron, & Jonathan

Date & Time:
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 (This month only: THIRD Tuesday)
12:00 PM - 3:30 PM - ish
BATTS (Bring A Treat To Share)
Vegetable soup and soft drinks provided

Location:
1234 South 3rd Street  (YES, that’s the correct address!)
Louisville, KY 40203
Holiday Treat Delivery Coordinates here:
http://g.co/maps/y3u77

Registration:
http://www.kyfmp.com/reg/

In the Meantime

As you may know, our FileMaker user group does not meet over the holiday/winter months. However, that does not mean we are inactive! Here are a few of things to keep us busy until we meet again on Tuesday, March 6 from 5-7pm at Flower Hospital in Sylvania, Ohio:

1. Pause on Error London has produced twelve FileMaker videos, hosted on YouTube by Campsoftware. These resources are free and cover some hot topics in FileMaker including Virtual Lists, Optimization, FileMaker Go and the Cloud, and internal SQL. Pause On Error is a grassroots conference developed by and for FileMaker developers. You can follow Pause on Facebook and Twitter.

2. Linkedin has several FileMaker groups, including FileMaker Professionals, FileMaker Business Alliance (FBA), FileMaker Optimizers, FileMaker Pro Developers, and FMP Experts.

3. Keep the local FileMaker conversation going at Northwest Ohio FileMaker Pro Users Group (NWOFMPUG) listserv. If you are not part of the listserv, then join now! This is a great place to ask questions and start discussions with local users and developers.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas, please contact me.

Enjoy the holiday/winter season!

Winter Break

We had a great meeting a few weeks ago. We discussed script triggers and gave examples; there was a lot of group interaction!

We break for the holiday/winter months (Dec, Jan, Feb.) and reconvene in March. We always meet the first Tuesday of the month, from 5-7pm; our schedule for 2012 is as follows:

March 6
April 3
May 1
June 5
[summer break for July and August]
September 4
October 2
November 6

Brad Bechstein has secured a meeting room at Flower hospital, so there is no longer a need for a free will offering (previously, we met in a hotel meeting room which was not free). If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Shanahan - daniel@newleafdata.com - 419.367.5236

November Meeting

Come join us for our next meeting, Tuesday, November 1 from 5-7pm at the Wingate hotel in Sylvania.

We will discuss script triggers, a relatively new feature in FileMaker Pro. Script triggers can greatly automate a database and workflow. Our discussion will include demo files you can take with you (bring a flash drive or laptop).

Please RSVP early as space is limited.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me.

Oct 24: Jason Thomas: Everything starts with a sale

Everything starts with a sale

Everyone sells, every day. So many consultants talk about sales as if they are a mystery, something just outside of your control. It’s not. As an in-house developer you may not even realize you’re selling. You owe it to yourself to build skills that allow you to choose which projects to pursue and sell your ideas. This session will focus on identifying specific tactics that bring sales closer your control and make selling more predictable. We will look closely at how to manage incoming requests for your services as both an in-house and developer for hire. You’ll walk away with new knowledge and specific actions to improve your sales process.

‘Sales’ is not a bad word so we might as well embrace the opportunity to put our best foot forward and shine.

After the presentation, there will be time for a more technical discussion, so also bring you FileMaker questions.

RSVP here.

Off to Paddy Coyne’s for drinks and a bite after the meeting.

Jason Thomas Skeleton Key

Have Something to Ask Jason?

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FileMaker Challenges and Successes - Part Deux

This month, we’ll be having a second “round table” discussion meeting with a focus on FileMaker development challenges and successes. This meeting will be what we make it, so please bring your FileMaker Challenge to share with the group and we will work to resolve it. Feel free to bring your FileMaker Successes as well to share how you addressed a challenging development issue.

We’ll be meeting on Tuesday, October 18th, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Frasher’s Steakhouse and Lounge in Scottsdale.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Audrey ❦

Example files from Martha Zink

Martha has kindly posted details and example files to go with the techniques she demoed last month. Thanks Martha!
http://www.mightydata.com/blog/back-from-the-west-coast-tour-with-sample-files/

November Meeting: Script Triggers

Brad, Dan, Gordon, Travis, and Virg will demonstrate the 12 script triggers in FileMaker.

Tuesday, November 1
5-7pm
Wyngate Hotel in Sylvania, Ohio
RSVP: http://www.fmpug.com/rsvp.php?eventID=1181