Tips and Techniques for Interface Design in FileMaker Pro
Duration: 2 Days
Objectives
Well-designed database projects match the systems and business procedures of the activities they’re built to administer. They’re secure, easily maintained and simple to use. There may not be one single best way to build a database, but this one day course will give experienced FileMaker Pro users advice about good practice before starting work on their next project. Techniques learned will significantly increase the chances of building problem-free databases that properly serve the purpose for which they were intended.
Pre-requisites
Good existing FileMaker Pro skills, to at least the level of the Transmedia “Intermediate FileMaker Pro” course, including a sound understanding of relationships and scripting.
Course includes
A comprehensive set of reference notes covering course topics, follow-up telephone support and, for training on Transmedia premises, lunch and refreshments.
Course outline
Getting the essentials right
- Managing the different needs of different users
- Input, organise, output
- Keeping data safe - who can do what, and when they can do it
Analysis of attractive screen design - good examples and why they work
- The FileMaker Themes pack
- The common features of an interface that’s appealing, easy to use and easy to maintain
- Sources of free graphics
- Cross-platform considerations
The Data Separation Model
- Understanding the concept
- Benefits of data separation
- Practical demonstration
Tips for easy maintenance
- “Modularise” your scripts - built a list of sub-scripts that can be called again and again within your solution
- Use global fields so that you have a single location to update images, text values and preferences
- Build a database template to reuse in future solutions
Selecting data from what’s available
- Picking your data from what’s appropriate - how to use Conditional Value Lists
- “Drilling down” - using portals on tab controls to make choices at each level within your data structures
Printing
- How to avoid re-writing scripts when new print layouts are added
- Building a generic Preview/Print/Save to PDF screen
- Using the Get Field function to create a “one size fits all” summarised report layout
Creating a progress bar for time-consuming operations
- Purpose of a progress bar
- Building a generic progress bar
Controlling which features users are allowed to operate
- Hiding and revealing whole areas of functionality quickly and easily
- Buttons that appear and disappear as appropriate
This course is available as a private or customised course.
Contact us for further information and to customise this course to your exact requirements:
Phone us: 0208 269 4260Book Now
Exams and Certification
The knowledge gained on this course is a valuable contribution towards passing the Developer Essentials for FileMaker 12 exam, allowing a successful candidate to become an FileMaker Certified Developer.
"I just wanted to let you know that I've managed to replicate the steps you showed me in FileMaker on my organisation's database and have managed to get my invoicing layouts to work perfectly. Thank you very much! I've also been able to use some of the other things you showed me to good effect too so the course has already helped enormously. Just thought you should know :-)"
Julian Support
"The course was excellent - exactly to my company's needs. All questions were answered and concepts explained very clearly."
Hannah Griffiths
"Excellent. The right pace, the right style- great overall!"
Goldsmiths University of London
