Question about FileMaker & Developer

[Rocky]

Hi,

I have FileMaker Pro 5.5 and FileMaker Developer 5. When I create my database and then use Developer to make it a stand-alone Runtime program, it always opens up in "Browse" mode. Is there any way that I can have my database open up in "Find" mode?

 

I change the settings to "Find", and then close the file, but it always opens back up in "Browse" mode. Obviously, I do this before converting it with Developer.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[Doug]

One method is to:

 

1)Create a "Find" script that takes you to the correct layout and puts you in find mode.

 

2) Under Edit - Preferences - Document, on the general tab under "When opening ...", select Perform Script and choose this script.

 

This will force the script to run when the file is opened.

[Rocky]

Thanks Doug, sounds good except I have no idea how to create a script or specifically a "Find" script like I need. Any suggestions?

[Doug]

Here is an simple script which will put you into find mode;

 

1) On the toolbar select Scripts - ScriptMaker

 

2) Enter a name for the script (i.e Find on Open) in the Script Name area (at the bottom of the window)

 

3) Click the create Button

 

4) A new window opens with some default script steps, you can click the clear all button and start from scratch or highlight and clear individual or groups of lines. [Let's select (press) the clear all button for this example.]

 

5) From the list of steps on the left, select (highlight) Go to Layout from the section titled Navigation and click the move button to put it in the script window (on the right) [Note: double clicking does both the highlight and move steps] Now verify the layout listed is the one you want the user to use while in Find Mode (change if necessary)

 

6) From the list of steps on the left, select and move Enter Find Mode ( also in the Navigation section) to the script window on the right. You may de-select the Restore Find Requests and Pause check boxes. [De-Select them both for this example]

 

6) Click the OK button to close the Script Definition window.

 

7) Click the Done button to close the Define Scripts Window

 

8) Set the script to run on open as outlined in the earlier post.

 

9) Close the File and re-open it --- you should come up in Find Mode automatically. (It works the same way whether it is standalone or not)

 

If you have problems, email me and I will send a sample file with a script you can review / import into your database.

 

Good Luck!

[Rocky]

Thanks Doug!

 

Worked like a charm. I am just wondering if this should be the way I have my database on CD available to people to use. They might not be very computer savy and not know how to click on that button on the bottom of the window and change from "Browse" mode to "Find" mode.

 

Here is what I am trying to do:

 

I am creating a database of over 11,000 restaurants in all 50 states.

 

I want the database to be very simple and easy to use.

 

I will only have the "Name", "Address", "City", "State", "Zip Code", and "Phone Number" fileds listed in table layout.

 

People will be able to search for restaurants using name, or City (town), or City (town) and State. I guess they could also search by phone number or zip code, but I doubt they would do that very often.

 

I already have the listings typed out in .doc format in 50 files...by state.

 

Each state has the listings categorized by town or city alphabetically, and then by name alphabetically under the City (town) headings.

 

Do you think I should just enter all the data as I have it in my files? State by state, and town by town alphabetically until I have everything enetered into the dtabase?

 

Man, I wish there was an easier way to enter 11,000 listings. It's going to take me ages to do this.

 

Any suggestions, input, ideas, templates etc, would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks again Doug!!

[Doug]

Rocky,

 

Simplicity is best - add buttons (scripts) to assist the user with navigation and searches.

 

Importing into Filemaker is easy - given I am a poor typist, I would spend the time to work out an import scheme for your data - either ODBC or from a .txt file.

 

If you want to zip up your DB and one or two of the state .doc files and send them to me, I will look at an import method for you.

[Rocky]

Thanks Doug,

I just sent you an email.