The Requirement

The client that manages their business processes via a set of FileMaker files, has different access levels for different users based on their specific assigned roles. The client has a demand to restrict access for specific users, to lock a record immediately after they create it. Once the record is committed and accepted, it cannot be modified. Here is an approach that explains how this was achieved for designated users.

The Process

FileMaker has built-in security feature to manage uncompromised access. To assign access to users with only create access and no modification access, a new privilege set is created under ‘Create Record Privileges’, with ‘View’ and ‘Create’ set to ‘yes’, and ‘Edit’ and ‘Delete’ set to blank as shown in the image. Field Access privileges is set as per requirement, in this instance, ‘Field Access’ is set to ‘all’.

In ‘Edit Privilege Set’, ‘Layouts’ level privilege is set to ‘All modifiable’, while ‘Value Lists’ are set to ‘All view only’ and Scripts set to ‘All executable only’. The ‘Available menu commands:’ is set to ‘All’.

By following this approach, users with Limited access can create records and edit records that are created during the current active user session. Any other records created in earlier sessions, users do not have access to edit.

However, the catch is that this approach makes new records created during the active user sessions editable, which was not the specified requirement.

To be in par with client expectations, security settings were tweaked, restricting access to edit new records immediately after creation. The limited value under the Edit option was selected, with a condition so that only users with a specific privilege set can edit the records, in line with the client requirement.

However, we discovered that this setting can vary as per the client requirements, and this approach may not always work. Consider a scenario where a user mistakenly commits a record. In this case, they won’t be able to edit the record again. Here is a probable solution.

The Global Fields

Global fields can be used to collect data temporarily through a separate Form. Data is saved using a script that is executed through a button. A confirmation can be obtained to save data along with a warning, indicating a record that cannot be edited once it is created. This way, users can decide when to save data.

FileMaker security settings, along with the Global fields give the expected results. For more information, feel free to contact our FileMaker experts.

Well, we all know how bothersome that could be! Here we are with an easy solution, read along…

Undoubtedly, navigation is an integral part of every application. It plays a pivotal role when a user requires navigating to different modules and sections.

Static navigation is rigid, which demands rework of all modules even when a single module is to be updated/added. Planning an end-to-end navigation prior to application development is the perfect solution. However, practically it is impossible to predict all modules and create a navigation way ahead of time. The second-best solution is to setup a smart extensive set of menu items for the future.

Let’s take a look at two elaborate approaches to implement a sidebar navigation!

Approach 1: Using Fixed Left Navigation

 In this approach, a button bar is added on the left-hand side of the layout in advance. Each button has calculations referring to dynamic variables as button labels, with a common script to define every button action. By default, this navigation bar is visible on all layouts.

The downside to this approach, it can work for Form views, but not for List views. Additionally, the demand for more real estate in the layout of the application is another drawback that leads us to Approach 2.

Approach 2: Hamburger Menu Using Popover

In this approach, a Hamburger menu icon is placed in the header of the layout. Clicking this will expand/collapse the popover. The popover has a button bar and it’s implementation is similar to Approach 1, with the only difference of buttons placed on the Popover. This approach works well for Form view, List view, and Table view.

Let us take a look at the Application Implementation Steps in detail.

 Step 1 – Opening Script

Create an Opening script or a Startup script to set global variable values that are used as calculation to define labels for each button segment in a Button bar.

For any new module navigation, set the global variable to the same.

Step 2 – Specify Active button

The Sidebar_Values variable defined in the Opening script will store the list of table names, i.e. main navigation module table names. It is then used to define the active button bar segment of selected module as below.

Step 3 – Main Navigation Script:

Create another script which is the main script used for navigation between modules. This script is attached to every segment of button bar, with a script parameter defined for the module to navigate.

If the user is currently on the Details view, then the application redirects to Details view of the destination module. Similarly, If the user is in List view, the application redirects to the List view of destination module.

Each layout has set icons to help navigate to Details view or List view specifically. For instance, if the user is in Details view, clicking relevant icon will help navigate to List view and vice versa.

This script checks if the user is on Details or List view and sets it to a variable. Append this variable to script parameter to get the layout where the user wants to navigate .

Step 4 – Naming convention:

Each layout requires a specific naming convention . In this case, it is <<tablename>> _<<Viewtype>>.

Here the ViewType can be DetailsView, ListView or TableView. Let’s take a look at some of these examples.

1. Contact details layout will be ‘Contacts_DetailsView’
2. Contact list layout will be ‘Contacts_ListView’
3. Contact table view layout will be ‘Contacts_TableView’

By following the Approach 2, adding a new module is matter of few simple steps and the application is as good as new.

Hope you find this article insightful. Feel free to leave a comment or post any challenges that you may have.

Our FileMaker development experience includes handling complex project management systems, e-commerce shopping sites, cruise booking systems and more.

Card Windows are modal to its parent window and allows the display of context-independent information from the parent window. Using the card window, users can perform actions without navigating from the parent window.

We can implement a card window using New Window or Go To Related Record script steps and selecting card as the window type. Only Close Window and Dim Parent Window options are available with card window type.

Please refer to the below screenshot

We can use the following script steps and Functions with cards in FileMaker WebDirect:

Script Steps

• New Window
• Adjust Window
• Move/Resize Window

Functions

• Get (WindowStyle)
• Get (WindowLeft)
• Get (WindowTop)

Things to bear in mind when using Card Window in WebDirect:

• The status toolbar and menu bar in the parent window are not active when a card window is open.
• Changes made in the card window will not be reflected in the parent window until the card window is closed.
• When the card window is closed, the parent window doesn’t always refresh. We can solve this problem by adding a Refresh Portalor Refresh Window script step to the close window button.
• When you are using the card window, make sure that close window button is visible in WebDirect solution. Because sometimes the close button may not be visible even if the close window option is selected. This can be handled by providing a custom close button on the layout.

Overall, the card window support in WebDirect offers an enriched user experience to Web users. We hope that this blog gives you valuable insights on card window support in WebDirect.

MetaSys has a team of experienced FileMaker developers. Please feel free to reach out should you need to support or you wish to develop FileMaker Apps. Please feel free to reach out to us at  https://www.metasyssoftware.com/contact

FileMaker and JavaScript Integration:

JavaScript provides a variety of libraries which can be used to create interactive dashboards, charts, maps, calendars and many more other features. This can be achieved in FileMaker also by embedding JavaScript via Web Viewer with the help of the newly introduced ‘Scripting with JavaScript in Web Viewer’ feature. This feature will allow FileMaker and JavaScript to interact with each other.

The FileMaker JavScript integration can be mainly divided into two parts:

• From a FileMaker script to JavaScript in a web viewer

The newly introduced ‘Perform JavaScript in Web Viewer‘ script step, will allow calling a JavaScript function in a Web Viewer from FileMaker script. You can also pass parameter data to this JavaScript function from FileMaker if needed.

Below example will give an idea of what can be achieved using this feature:

Now in FileMaker 19, data can be passed to the JavaScript function, which is further used to draw the given chart. In the above example, the data points, i.e. the Sales data of various brands are stored in FileMaker and then passed to the JavaScript function to generate the doughnut chart.

• From JavaScript in a web viewer to a FileMaker script

You can call a FileMaker script from a JavaScript function in the Web Viewer, using the newly introduced ‘FileMaker.PerformScript’ function. You can pass parameters to this script which is optional.

In the above example of the chart, which shows Watches Sold (brand wise), we can further leverage by calling a FileMaker script from a JavaScript function. For, e.g. clicking on a specific brand to show the sales data of that brand on a layout in FileMaker. The JavaScript function does not wait for any response from the FileMaker script. Since the script runs in the current context, it is better to set a proper context in which it should run.

Add-ons:

• Add-ons are ready to use Components or Modules, provided by Claris, which will make the developer’s life easy.
• These are commonly used Components which are generally needed by many applications. For eg.Notes, Action Items, Phone numbers.
• Add them under the Add-ons tab of Object Pane, drag them on your layout whenever needed and you are done.

• This will save your time in creating a new table, relationship, scripts, value lists which otherwise would have taken more time if you would have been adding explicitly.
• Add-ons can be uninstalled easily by right-clicking the Add-on and uninstalling it. Uninstalling an Add-on will delete it from all the layouts where it was added. Deleting related tables/fields/records is optional though.

 Card Windows via WebDirect:

• Introduction of Card Windows to FileMaker was one of the best feature released with FileMaker 16. Looking at its usability and UI capability, there was a high demand for it to be available via WebDirect.
• Card windows are now available via WebDirect.
• This will not only help FileMaker developers in quickly building Modal popup windows but will also give rich user experience to Web users.

Create new FileMaker apps in FileMaker Cloud:

This is a small but essential feature which allows developers to directly create apps on the FileMaker Cloud Server. It will save developers time .No more do you have to code locally and then upload to the cloud. Developers need to login with their Claris ID under ‘My Apps’ section of Launch centre. They can create the new app from the templates available and save it to FileMaker Cloud Server for access by other team members.

FileMaker Go and Siri shortcuts:

This new feature of Integration of FileMaker scripts with Siri shortcuts is a blessing for FileMaker Go 19 users. Many of the critical tasks can now be accomplished with a simple tap or a voice command. This feature allows donating the FileMaker scripts to Siri shortcuts.

• Your FileMaker app should have fmurlscript extended privilege enabled for FM Go user.
• The script that is needed to be assigned to a FileMaker shortcut should be enabled for shortcut donation as shown below by right-clicking on it.

• In Shortcuts app of the iOS device, create a new shortcut for running a FileMaker Script.
• Select the script to run; give a meaningful name to the Shortcut.
• You can also add this shortcut on the Home screen in case you don’t want to use voice command
• You are now ready to use the Shortcut with the voice command “Hey Siri <<Shortcut name>>”
• This will directly open the FileMaker app in FileMaker Go and execute the script.

Note: You need to have Auto Login enabled or credentials saved in the keychain.

• A FileMaker file can be disabled under ‘Manage Shortcuts Donations’ settings in FileMaker Go.

Support for NFC tags:

NFC tags are commonly used nowadays and supported by most of smartphones. NFC tags contain a small amount of information. The data stored can be a text or URL’s which uses protocols like HTTP, tel, fmp and mailto. The data can be  contact details of a person, website URL or payment related

FileMaker 19, has introduced the script step ‘Configure NFC Reading’ which allows reading NFC data and helps in storing it in FileMaker via ‘FileMaker Go’. It also supports continuous reading of the tags. In this script step, you have to pass a script which gets called when an NFC tag is scanned/read. Use Get(ScriptParameter) function in the called script to get the required data.

 FEW MORE…:

There are many other exciting features which are listed below:

• Load a Core ML model

The ‘Configure Machine Learning Model’  script step will load a given machine model. This function is used along with ‘ComputeModel’ function which provides data to a given model

• A new Icon

FileMaker 19 now has  a new classy icon along with the Application name is now changed to ‘FileMaker Pro’. If you are using Get(ApplicationVersion) function in your solution which is referring to “FileMaker Pro Advanced” based on  the old name, then don’t forget to update itto the  new name.

• Layout navigation in Layout Mode

Now when working in layout mode, you can switch to other layouts easily. Using the keyboard shortcut, opens a popup ‘Open Quickly’ box wherein you can enter the name of the layout to which you want to navigate.

• Setup a file to Open when FileMaker starts

In Edit >> Preferences, you can set a file that should open every time FileMaker start.

• Fields can now be formatted to display in Scientific notation ex. 1.2345678E+7
• Using {{PageCount}} symbol will print the number of pages on the layout.
• FileMaker 19 has three features explicitly introduced for macOS users
• Dark mode support which can be detected with the use of ‘Get ( SystemAppearance )’ function. This function was earlier ‘Get(HighContrastColor) ‘.
• Install the FileMaker Pro by dragging the installation file to the Applications folder, thus making the installation easier.
• Support for High-Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) when using containers on macOS, iOS, iPadOS.

If you have any project to be built by using this latest FileMaker version, or to upgrade from a previous version , please feel free to contact us.

FileMaker integration is made easy due to two powerful features. Firstly, the enhanced cURL options which make it easy to interact with many systems by facilitating many common file transfer options. Secondly, the native functions to create and extract data from JSON, which makes interactions with web services easy. These features allow FileMaker to be integrated with almost any third party products that provide the APIs for communication, including Shopify.

Step One: Create a private app in the Shopify account.

• We can connect to a Shopify account by creating a private app. Shopify requires an API Key, the API password of the private app, and the store name for authentication.
• The screenshot below shows how to create a Private app and how to get the API key and API password.

• Give the appropriate API permissions required by your private app.
• As described in the Shopify documentation, Shopify authenticates private applications using the following URL format: https://{apikey}:{password}@{hostname}/admin/api/{version}/{resource}.json

Note that the ‘hostname’ refers to the store name, and ‘version’ refers to the API version in use.

Step Two: Store the required Shopify details in FileMaker

• In the FileMaker database, create the fields to store the API Key, API Password, Store Name and API Version, as shown in the screenshot below.

Step Three: Write the script

• Write a script in FileMaker which will create the product in the Shopify account using the Shopify details mentioned in Step 2. For this step, we will use the cURL and JSON features of FileMaker.
• In the script, first create the JSON array with Product details such as Product Title, Product Description, Vendor etc.
• Next, format the URL (using the URL format mentioned in Step 1) with your Shopify account details. Then use this URL in the FileMaker ‘Insert from URL’ script step and pass the JSON array using the cURL option in it.
• Please see the below screenshot for reference.

After these three steps, we are ready to publish our product from a FileMaker database to a Shopify account. If you are experiencing issues with FileMaker, or FileMaker integration, feel free to contact our FileMaker certified developers. For more details, please visit – https://www.metasyssoftware.com/filemaker