Philosophy of FileMaker 20 - Volume 2

Explore FileMaker security fundamentals using the interface: configure accounts, privilege sets, external privileges, and file access; set admin passwords, manage logon options, and control authentication and credentials.

Test and refine FileMaker 20 security by creating accounts and privilege sets, using relog in scripts to verify admin and user access, enforcing access with field access and conditional formatting.

Extend business logic with extended privileges to manage who can create, edit, or delete records, using admin and full access roles.

Explore external file protection by comparing single-file and multi-file setups, authorize files in manage security, borrow schema across data sources, and favor a single-file design for simplicity.

Learn how record level access in FileMaker 20 controls who can view invoices and customers, using custom privileges, pop-up menus, and auto-enter to assign user data.

Learn to generate random passwords in FileMaker using the random function and character sets. Build an interface with a password field and a looping script to produce and email passwords.

Explore how privilege sets and menu items shape user access, from full access in settings to admin editing and custom privileges, and test with relogin and scripts running full access.

Design custom menus in FileMaker to remove or add items and adjust shortcuts. Implement menu sets with scripts and install them on open for consistency, pairing with security.

Create dynamic, adaptive custom menus for all privilege sets and a records menu that adapts to the layout using get layout table name, with a single navigation script.

Learn to implement a manager override in FileMaker that automates discount approvals through a looping manager login flow, custom dialogs, and automatic relogin to apply the discount.

Organize the FileMaker workflow by creating folders for scripts (developer, records, navigation, output, miscellaneous), adding created-by information and dividers, and keeping relationships and layouts clean for fast access.

Design a preferences and options data model in FileMaker by building a per-user preferences table and a single-record options table, with fields for layout, screen size, and company contact details.

Learn to design two-table layouts in FileMaker 20 by simulating a single interface, using regular fields instead of global fields, and controlling window size across layout setup and preferences.

Mimic a tab control by switching between two layouts for preferences and options, using a custom navigation menu to go to layouts and visual cues to indicate the active tab.

Find and validate the correct current user's preferences record, creating one if missing, using a scripted find and conditional logic; integrate a preferences add script into the open script.

Demonstrates window positioning techniques, including offsetting the document window, centering on the document, and arranging side-by-side layouts while calculating top, left, width, and height.

learn how to fetch preferences from a table using execute SQL, switch to the startup layout by calculation, and centralize reusable logic with custom functions in FileMaker.

Learn to size a FileMaker 20 window using a remember preferences screen size and a custom function with execute SQL to resize to a chosen percentage of the screen.

Explore how to place a logo on invoices using a layout calculation and sql, including encoding the image with base64 and ascii.

Explore how to format phone numbers in FileMaker 20 volume 2 by using the while function to loop through formatting rules, declare variables, and apply a centralized phone format.

Examine how recursion works inside a FileMaker custom function, comparing it with the while loop, and apply a phone format validator that matches numbers to a format using pound signs.

Switch the tax rate to an options based auto enter to update new invoices only, then compare auto enter with live and stored calculations and use the right FileMaker tool.

learn basic parsing of names for imports, converting tab separated data into separate first and last name fields using left words, right words, and word count techniques.

Master advanced address parsing in FileMaker 20 by using the position function to extract city, state, and zip, and combine left, write words, and middle words for precise results.

Learn to simplify new requests by using a global checkbox field to select products, parse return-separated values with get value, and drive multi-record finds via a popover interface.

Learn how to select portal rows in FileMaker to send multiple emails, using a portal, a global field, and parsing logic to build a return-delimited recipient list and mail it.

Learn to implement back and forward navigation in FileMaker by storing layout history with a back store script, managing layout exits, and calculating history.

Learn to implement field-level change tracking in FileMaker by scripting batched logs to a logs table, using active field data, pipes, and on record commit triggers.

Create a dynamic, adaptive audit log across all tables by logging current field data on entry and storing previous data using two fields for table and data old.

This weightlifting exercise strengthens problem solving in FileMaker through parsing and value list handling, using value list items, left, and position to map selections to results.

Learn to parse emails from web forms in FileMaker with a dedicated parse script, extracting fields like first name, last name, address, city, state, zip, and phone.

Learn to implement conditional web form handling in FileMaker 20, using if statements and pattern counts to parse form fields, manage layouts, and debug with the script debugger.

Learn to use go to related record to view related data, edit in portals, and open a card window for payments, using scripts and variables to update records.

Apply a simple balance update script trigger to automatically set balance to paid or remaining, close the window, and refresh related invoices payments context.

Use recover for data recovery, not file repair, by opening the damaged file and importing data into a clean clone. Back up regularly and close databases properly to prevent corruption.

Master XML basics and how FileMaker exports XML and DDR reports. Explore four XML export options, save a copy as XML, and compare XML files with transformation tools like XSLT.

Access the developer utilities from the tools menu to customize files, rename them and internal references, enable encryption, or kiosk mode to secure and simplify FileMaker solutions.

Transform the single notes field into a notes portal with a notes table linked to customers and invoices, capturing creator and timestamp while highlighting and sorting critical notes first.

Learn how to use scalable vector graphics in FileMaker to create and colorize button icons, convert PNGs to SVG, and leverage SVG's lightweight, XML-based simplicity.

Explore list-detail portals that combine a form and a list view to display the current found set, with layout resizing and conditional formatting options.

Explore how to build a calculated log in FileMaker 20, using auto-enter calculation and the evaluate function to track changes in first name, last name, and company with trigger fields.

Learn to display both regular numbers and currency in a text block using calculated formats in FileMaker. Centralize currency formatting with custom functions and merge fields for invoices and balances.