Slimmer FileMaker Development
The FileMaker paradigm of designing a database system has missed the wonderful tool of parameters for such a long time, that I still find myself having to rethink a lot of solutions where I was previously hardwired to have multiple but similar scripts, instead of one script that could handle practically any paramter I throw at it. While several developers have thought of the example of filtering names from a contact database by having the letters of the last name at the bottom, I have found that other navigation scripts can benefit from the use of parameters as well, such as a tab-based layout. Obviously, FileMaker 8 already has tabs but the ability to manipulate the database or any data when the user switches between tabs, is not really an option without some hacking that basically constructs the newer tabs to behave like the older method of tab creation which involved separate layouts. In other words, now I can have one script to switch between tabs and all I have to do is make sure that each tab/button passes along the proper parameter to the said script.
In the most recent issue of FileMaker Advisor, which I HAVE TO RECOMMEND to you as it has been MORE than worth its weight to me, has a very interesting article on “Powerful User Navigation Using an Abstracted API: Build a modular, self-contained navigation system in FileMaker Pro that delivers Web browser features and contextual history.” You need a subscription to the magazine, but you can view the article here, it’s certainly worth the read. Thus, the point of this post… Developers are still tinkering and experimenting and developing new and enticing ways of managing and delivering data from within FileMaker, consider that an enormous amount of code can be consolidated into single scripts and save in the overhead and speed necessary to operate a FileMaker solution.
