When I meet people and tell them I build custom apps in FileMaker, the number of people who recall the platform from years and years ago with a nostalgic smile is impressive. Perhaps the loyalty FileMaker users have toward the platform is an important reason Claris FileMaker has thrived for so long. Along with PowerPoint and Microsoft Word, FileMaker stands with some of the few software applications nearing 40 years old. It has become a software platform that has stood the test of time. But in today's age, your FileMaker Pro database management system is no longer a stand-alone solution. It needs to become the hub to connect your existing business applications and integrate them with custom solutions in the cloud.
Last week, Claris announced two exciting new initiatives, the first a new Software as a Service (SaaS) platform called Claris Studio, and the second a new program for helping Claris users get the most out of their solutions. The Problem Solvers Circle is, “a development platform that lets you take control, instead of reinventing the wheel, allowing you to continuously innovate to make substantial operational improvements.” Enrollment in the PSC program is limited to the first 500 companies to sign up before June 24th, so contact us soon if you’d like to enjoy its benefits!
With Carafe Kitchen, implementing JavaScript into your Claris FileMaker 16+ solutions has become as easy as copying a script. With all the new features in FileMaker that are supporting JavaScript, the one thing that I found lacking and still difficult to overcome was a solid process for managing and implementing JavaScript libraries. After struggling to roll my own implementations that could be maintained easily, I was relieved and excited to find this valuable tool. Carafe Kitchen has been one of the most exciting FileMaker tools for me this year.
In this edition of the spotlight, we’re taking a deep look at the Calendar. Prior to FileMaker 19.1, building a robust, native calendar interface in FileMaker typically required some form of repeating fields, portals, and/or list view, combined with multiple layered objects or layouts. With the Calendar Add-on, a calendar interface can be quickly added to any solution with very little hassle.
One of the newest script steps in FileMaker (added in FileMaker 19.0) is the Execute FileMaker Data API script step. The script step is quite powerful as it allows us to easily interact with the FileMaker Data API by making requests and returning data without having to go through the hoops of creating and authenticating a session.
Due to COVID-19, we recently had to invent a way to sign forms on-site without sharing devices. Part of the conversation went like this:
He thought for a minute and replied, “Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll make a way for a user to sign a form without ever touching the iPad. How about we create a record just for signatures? We can send a link out to the client that will open a WebDirect interface. It would present them their signature record on their own device, and boom! Touch-free signatures.”
“Brilliant!” I said happily. “Let’s go! I’ll grab some pizza.”
