Replacing Text in a Field

Replacing Text in a Field:

Need to find out the difference between “Set Field [ ]” or, since you want all records, “Replace Field Contents [ ]” (Source: [ii]):

“Replace Field” updates the specified field for ALL records in the current found set, not just the current record. 

“Set Field” only Replaces the Field Contents in the Current Record (Source: [iii]).

There are two good options I can think of:

1. One is the Find and Replace Command. 
2. The other is the Replace Field Contents Command. 

Both of these can operate on all records in a found set. 
One problem you may run into with either of these in a multi-user setup is record locking problems. 
If another user is editing a record that is in your found set, you won't be able to do the replace.

One way around this is to use “Set Field [ ]” in a looping script. 
Then you can check for record locking and receive notification about which records weren't modified.

Would there be any point? 
The “Replace” Command is designed to operate on the whole found set. 
The “Set Field” Command will do a similar thing for only the current record.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

[i] http://filemaker.463488.n4.nabble.com/quot-replace-field-contents-quot-td500161.html

[ii] http://fmforums.com/forum/topic/61648-how-to-remove-title-case-in-text-field/ Post #6

[iii] http://forums.filemaker.com/posts/5b8b7e42d1?commentId=286112#286112

Data Formatting

21/03/2014 Ask FileMaker (Mar 21, 2014 04:46 AM PDT Case: 140321-000058): 

Find cannot find any telephone number in a Number Field where Data Formatting is set to Number and "As Entered" is the Format: 020 8800 6833 cannot be found, whilst it can be found in a Text Field?  

A.  This has something to do with the Data Formatting (Inspector->Data->Data Formatting).

Paste Special

06/03/2013 MS: Question: (FileMaker Feedback for Answer ID 547 [Case:130306-000241]) 

To add the following option to the Data Tab in the Inspector, under the Data Formatting compartment: “Text Formatting” should be enabled for Text Fields.  

This should eliminate the problem of having to press Ctrl+Shift+P (for Paste Special) when the user wants the pasted text to adopt the target Field’s Text Format 

Solved, See: http://forums.filemaker.com/posts/59bd4e7910?lang=en_US

Printing is very slow

27/02/2013 Customer: Menasche Scharf, This feedback is about Case Answer ID: 130227-000270: http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11239.  Printing is very slow, even after updating to 12.v03 - the FileMaker UK recommended solution for this problem.  http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6175 [Case:130306-000365], updated:

From: Menasche Scharf, 

Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 11:12 AM, To: 'FileMaker UK Customer Support', 

Subject: RE: FileMaker Pro 12; Print performance [Case: 130306-000365], 

Dear Micahel Jagroep / FileMaker UK Customer Support, Subject: FileMaker Pro 12; Print performance [Case: 130306-000365], 

Without prejudice, 

Thank you very much for sharing the solution to our printing problem with us, we can now start deleting all the images from our certificates, so that our administration department will be able to function again.  This will also save us from having to revert to FileMaker Pro v12, which would have cost us untold hours and another license fee (which – in our opinion – is daylight robbery, considering that FileMaker has admitted to being the cause of the printing problem in the first place).  Thank you, Menasche Scharf, 

From: FileMaker UK Customer Support [mailto:uk_support@filemaker.com], Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 10:00 AM, Subject: FileMaker Pro 12; Print performance [Case: 130306-000365], Recently you requested assistance from FileMaker Customer Support. Please find our response below.  Subject or Question, FileMaker Pro 12; Print performance, Discussion Thread,  

Response Via Email (Michael Jagroep), Mar 13, 2013 03:00 AM PDT, Hello Menasche, I'm writing with regard to the feedback you've sent us on Knowledge Base article 6175 (Specifying Printer and Paper Options).  You've noted you were experiencing print performance problems in FileMaker Pro 12 v 3.  While recent updates for FileMaker Pro have significantly improved the print performance compared to the initially release, it's true that software is still struggling with certain forms of output. Our Product Development team is aware of these issues and is working on resolving this in a future release.  In the meantime, I would like to recommend to use the built-in Save as PDF feature instead; this might offer you better performance. (File > Save / Send Records As > PDF...).  It's also advised to avoid printing large images on your layout; along with heavy calculations and summaries, images seem to be the main cause of the performance problems.  If you have any questions, please contact Customer Support and reference case number: 130306-000365. Kind regards, Michael Jagroep, Customer Support.  

3/21/2013 MS: Following our Team Meeting on 20/03/2013, I adapted the Inspector Expenses Layout so that it now prints much faster, which solved the problem reported by GR&SB.

Conditional Formatting for a group of objects

04/04/2014 MS: Ask FileMaker is it possible to apply Conditional Formatting for a group of objects? Answer: Yes: See number 2. at http://forums.filemaker.com/posts/8b34e38067?commentId=254748#254748

Access Rights data

31/01/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker: Is it possible to import a file with all Access Rights data about many users? A: Use FileMaker Pro Advanced 

Value Lists

10/04/2013 Menasche Scharf: Value Lists don't lose Existing Values

Ask FileMaker: If I rearrange the Values in a Value List, will all data become obsolete – will the Records change along (bad) Or all existing entries will stay as they were entered originally (good)?
Answer: No.

21/10/2013 Menasche Scharf

Ask FileMaker - How to populate a Value List driven Checkbox Field with multiple values, when the data is imported from an external source (i.e. a CSV file). 

Answer: To select many items CheckBox List: Shift-Click the additional CheckBox/es.

Drop Down Value List: Either Shift-Click contiguous Values or, if the Values you need are not following one another and you want to skip some Values, Ctrl+Click any Value in the list.
The selected Values will be placed in the Field, separated by a Line Feed or Paragraph Return.

08/06/2023 Menasche Scharf Ask FileMaker

When in the Manage Value Lists Dialogue Box, there should be a Search Field to quickly find a Value - especially when handling dozens of Value Lists.

Data Import III: Import whole Tables

31/01/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker: It seems that you can only import whole Tables – including Layouts, Fields, Field Labels, ‎Lookups, Calculations, Value Lists, Summary, Scripts and Field Types - (what in FMP 6 ‎was called Files) into a File, using FMP Developer Advanced – not with the Single User ‎or Server versions.  
A. Apparently, for this extended capability you will need to buy FileMaker Pro Advanced Developer version.

Date: 25/09/2009
RFC #: 171
There are contacts that I remember having entered contact details in the old FileMaker, but I cannot find them now in the new File.  
Any idea how this happened? 
Example: ProTx (it is even possible that I didn’t enter their details after all, but please check it out).

Incremental Numbers

18/02/2013 MS: 

Question: How to create a Field Definition, where the content is a unique ID, made up of the Text: “RFC” and a Serial Number that increases with every Record in increments of “1”?  

Answer: In Define Fields, choose Auto-Enter and in the Data Box, enter the first Value (Numeric, Alphabetic or Alphanumeric), then set the increment rule in the “Increment By” Field in the same Combox.

Delete File Script Step

06/03/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker to add the following option: “Delete File”, to the following Script Steps: “Send Event”.

Size Matters - Part III

25/02/2013
MS:
Different Page Setup Settings for Every Layout
Ask FileMaker how to set a separate page layout for different Layouts in the same File; one should be landscape and the other Portrait, or one A4 and the other A3 etc.
We have different Layouts, some of which are Landscape and others are Portrait.
Can we not have Layout-specific Page Setup Settings?
This feedback is about: http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6175 [Case:130305-000304].
A. Create a specific Script for every Layout, with its unique printing requirements (Landscape/Portrait, margins etc.).

16/05/2014

Menasche Scharf

Ask FileMaker why only when Creating a new Layout with Layout Type: “List View”, you can Tick the box: ‘Constrain columns to page width’ this feature is only available at the point when you create a Layout from Scratch; and why it cannot be changed afterwards?

Distance between Objects

22/02/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker that there should also be the following additional Features in the next version: “?” on the Inspector Combox, Horizontal and Vertical Distance Fields, to indicate how far an Object is from its immediate neighbour from the Top and from the Left – in Western countries and from the Right in RTL countries (i.e. Hebrew and other RTL cultures), or on all sides.

Sort Buttons

19/02/2013 Ask FileMaker if it is possible to Sort Buttons in Alphabetical Order on a Layout in Layout Mode.

Data Import I: Import Templates

12/09/2012

Customer: Menasche Scharf

[Case:130128-000445] 

This feedback is about:Converting older FileMaker Pro files to the .fmp12 file format

See: http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/10571: 

Wednesday, 28 November 2012
MS: Ask FileMaker if it is possible to have Data Import Templates, which may be used when importing a variety of Data Sets from a variety of sources and File Formats.
This will help when having to run Data Import Sessions, which requires the change of Field arrangement in the Import Field Mapping Combo Box (See: ^[i]) and also sometimes the Data that is set to be entered automatically is already in the Data File (i.e. Entered By, Enter Date, Unique ID), so we need a Script that will allow the User who does the Data Import to switch off certain Field Settings on/Off as needed, without having to open the Manage Database Dialog Box.
See also [ii] for Separating (aka Parsing, See: [iii]) Names from Addresses and enter them into the correct Fields.

29/09/2009
RFC #176
Q. How can we add a utility to FileMaker that will help users make a batch import of Contact Details, Property Addresses etc.? 
See the sample Import_Template.xls, available here: F:\Power Safety\Stationery\import_template.xls (where 'F' stands for our local Server)

---

[i] S:\SHAREDK\CERTIFICATION\New_System\IN_HOUSE_ADMIN\Screenshots_and_Charts\Sample_Screens\Import_Field_Mapping.png

[ii] http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5063/related/1

[iii] http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic1445196-391-1.aspx, http://filemaker-plugins.com/youseful-sql-plugin/ and http://www.filemakermagazine.com/articles/filemaker-fundamentals

Exporting Data from FileMaker

02/07/2013
MS: 
Ask FileMaker: Help on Specify Field Order for Export 
The help page on Specify Field Order for Export Dialogue Box doesn't cover the Output file character set Option.

16/07/2015

Menasche Scharf

Ask FileMaker to improve the Export mechanism:

If I want to export the content of one Field for cleaning (delete dummy data, correct spelling mistakes etc.) for reimporting (or even if not for reimporting) it should only export the populated Records. 

Although the other Fields are populated, they should be ignored.

Export Field "Fax Number" and Field "Unique ID", where the former needs a cleanup and the latter is only there so that the cleaned data can be reimported correctly (to match the Record where it originally came from), then there should be a tick "Main Data" that one can tick next to the Fax Number Field - like there is when importing: "Match Records Based on this Field".

05/05/2017
MS
I exported a data file containing two fields:
Record ID
Status
The Status file is 'connected' to a Value List with 22 values and is set to allow six repetitions.
Before the export is completed, a message appears:

However, the resulting Excel file opens up with all the values included, not just the first one
???

Hebrew text comes out backwards

15/02/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker why Hebrew text comes out backwards when printing to a PDF? (See: ^[i])

---

[i] https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&safe=active&tbo=d&sclient=psy-ab&q=%22filemaker%22+%22arabic%22+%22print%22+%22Pdf%22+-indesign+-Web+-html+-Applesoft+-Access++-Excel+-Compatabilty+-winsoft+-free+-Download+-calendar+-sites+-edge+-going+-Compatibility+-AppleScript+-customer+-QuarkXpress&oq=%22filemaker%22+%22arabic%22+%22print%22+%22Pdf%22+-indesign+-Web+-html+-Applesoft+-Access++-Excel+-Compatabilty+-winsoft+-free+-Download+-calendar+-sites+-edge+-going+-Compatibility+-AppleScript+-customer+-QuarkXpress&gs_l=hp.3...43091.49778.24.50464.6.6.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0.les%3B..0.6...1c.1.3.psy-ab.tCPz3KlHIsc&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.42553238,d.ZGU&fp=5691d50dedd6d3b0&ion=1&biw=1280&bih=862

====== When asked to fax a CORGI ======

====== Find the landlord's fax and phone number in FileMaker. if it's the pink copy, a clone copy must first be made to enable the fax to appear properly, phone to check if received.

AutoFit Buttons and Field Labels to Fit Text

08/02/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker how to AutoFit Buttons and Field Labels to fit Text: Stretch, expand/reduce object size. (This is NOT the solution: http://forums.filemaker.com/posts/5f44326083).

FileMaker Unexpectedly Quits

06/02/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker: Whys does it bomb out when pressing Ctrl+Tab, in the Inspector, trying to switch between two Files.

No Inspector Help

04/02/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker: Why does the Inspector Combox not have a “FileMaker Help” Question Mark?

Clipboard retains the Text until Paste was invoked

16/10/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker: How to ensure when Cut Text, that the Clipboard retains the Text until Paste was invoked.  This problem is kept under wraps as FileMaker is afraid users will abandon FileMaker if it comes out in the open . . . 

Rotate Tabbed Panels

18/10/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker: How to "rotate tabbed panels" in FileMaker sideways, to achieve the look of the Lotus Vertical Tabbing System (mimicking the real life Folder Divider Tabs)

Hide Vertical Scroll Bar

13/05/2013 MS: Ask FileMaker: Is it possible to set to “Hide when printing” the “Vertical Scroll Bar”?

Dynamically Change Labels

17/05/2013 MS Ask FileMaker how to Dynamically change Labels on buttons in a Custom Dialog Box (See: [i] for a Google Search of "Dynamic" "button" "Labels" "filemaker" "Custom Dialog" -logo -radio -"input field" -accounting -bento -INSTALLATION -scheduler –training).

---

[i] https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22Dynamic%22+%22button%22+%22Labels%22+%22filemaker%22+%22Custom+Dialog%22+-logo+-radio+-%22input+field%22+-accounting+-bento+-INSTALLATION+-scheduler+-training&aq=f&oq=%22Dynamic%22+%22button%22+%22Labels%22+%22filemaker%22+%22Custom+Dialog%22+-logo+-radio+-%22input+field%22+-accounting+-bento+-INSTALLATION+-scheduler+-training&aqs=chrome.0.57.417j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Suggestion 33

Suggestion 32

Suggestion 31

Suggestion 30

Suggestion 29