Filemaker File Maker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief Fmgo 121 Tb En

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TECH BRIEF

FileMaker Go 1.2.1

Technical Brief

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 2

Version Updates 4

Version 1.2.1 4

Version 1.1.2 4

Version 1.1.1 4

FileMaker on the Go 4

OS Minimum Requirements 5

Clients 5

Hosts 5

Network: 6

Noteworthy Supported Features 6

Entering Data & Committing Record Changes 6

Text 6

Numbers 7

Dates & Times 7

Field Objects 8

Layout Objects 8

Container Fields 8

Find Mode 9

Charting 9

Printing and Print to PDF 9

Sorting 10

Security 10

Scripts 11

Script Triggers 12

Calculations 12

Custom Menus 12

Importing Records 13

Export Field Contents 13

Save Records As PDF 14

Save A Copy As… 14

URL Schemes 14

Script Step, Recognition of Runtime Files

and Other Subtle Changes 14

FileMaker Server 14

What’s Out 15

Schema Modification 15

Layout Mode & Structure Modification 15

Exporting 15

Plug-ins 15

Cocoa 15

Hosting/Sharing 16

Save/Send Records As 16

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 3

Performance Considerations 16

Performance Recommendations 16

Tailoring an Interface for FileMaker Go 17

Iconography 17

Log Out Buttons 19

Refresh / Request-based Processing 19

Sizing Layout Elements 20

Object Autosizing & Portrait/Landscape Rotations 22

Screen Dimensions 22

Window Management 22

Zoom Management 23

Scripting for a Mobile World 23

Scripting Strategies 24

Testing for Platform 24

OnTimer Scripts 24

Using Location Information 25

Scripts That Run On Open and Close of a FileMaker Database 25

Related Record Locking Transactions 25

Server Side Queuing 25

Script Logging / Flagging 25

Appendix A: Unsupported Script Steps

(excerpted from the Developers Guide) 27

Returns Error code 4 27

Returns Error code 3 28

Knowledge Base Articles 29

Credits 29

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 4

Version Updates

Version 1.2.1

• SupportforprintingtoiOScompatibleprinters

• Chartsaredisplayedandupdatedautomaticallywhendataismodied

• ContainerFieldssupportcapturingsignatures

• Abilitytosendamessagetoanotheruserinahostedsolutionwhenarecordlockoccurs

• Abilitytoopensharedlesthataremarkedashidden

• ApplicationlanguagesupportforSimpliedChinese

• Improvedperformanceforwebviewerobjects,layoutbuttons,andreturningfromhibernation

Version 1.1.2

• ApplicationlanguagesupportforFrench,Italian,German,SpanishandJapanese

• Savelestoatemporarylocationandoverwriteusingscripts

• Compatibilityissueswithlargeimagesandcontainereldshavebeenaddressed

• Allowsuserstorestoresolutionsfromhibernationbyenteringthesameaccountnameandpasswordoncefor

multi-file solutions

• Generalcompatibilityissueshavebeenaddressed

Version 1.1.1

• CreateandemailaPDFthroughascriptedprocessorviamenucommand

• Saveacopyofthedatabasethroughascriptedprocessorviamenucommand

• Exporteldcontentsthroughascriptedprocessorviamenucommand

• Containereldscannowstorephotosfromthedevice’simagelibraryorimagestakenbythedevicecamera.

• PassdatafromexternalapplicationsintoFileMakerGousinganewURLscheme

• FileMakerGocannowrecognizeandopenleswiththe“.USR”extension

• Minorscriptandhibernationchanges.Pleaserefertothe“NoteworthySupportedFeatures”sectionbelow

FileMaker on the Go

FileMaker Go® is a full-featured FileMaker® client for iOS. It runs the FileMaker .fp7 file format as either a client to

a FileMaker host (Pro or Server) or as local files stored on the device and has much of the same functionality as

FileMaker Pro.

The FileMaker Go user experience with FileMaker solutions is analogous to the iOS Safari web browser with

full-sized web content. iOS gestures, like pinch-zooming and swipe-scrolling, allow users to comfortably interact

with a FileMaker Pro solution that was designed for larger screens. With some caveats, which will be covered in

this technical brief, existing FileMaker Pro solutions just work the same as they do in FileMaker Pro. Without any

additional development work, your users can log in and access their existing solutions via their iPad and iPhone.

FileMaker Go gives FileMaker Pro users the opportunity to create personalized custom mobile solutions without

having to hire a programmer to develop applications using iPhone-native Objective C or mobile web apps using

toolssuchasJavaorPHP.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 5

That said, while most things work, there are some limitations; please pay special attention to the section on Scripts.

Depending on the application and how frequently it is used, some developers will decide to tailor specific layouts

and database files for the mobile devices. These mobile layouts could be aimed at smaller screen sizes, or simply

provide larger targets for touch. In cases where FileMaker Go is connecting to existing hosted FileMaker solutions,

it could be useful to have mobile interfaces for employees like salespeople in the field, allowing them to quickly

and easily check the status of an order, enter expenses, and so on, without requiring them to sync or re-enter data later.

FileMaker Go allows users to work with local files stored on their devices. Local access is great for quick reference

information or anything that does not need to be shared with other users. For instance, if you wanted to take

your existing contact database with you on a trip where web access will be unreliable, you could copy it to your

device for use during your trip. Loading and opening files within FileMaker Go is well covered in the product

documentation:

For iPhone: http://www.filemaker.com/products/filemaker-go/for-iphone/help/1/index.html

For iPad: http://www.filemaker.com/products/filemaker-go/for-ipad/help/1/index.html

This technical brief details the FileMaker Pro features that are supported in FileMaker Go, those that are not, and

closes with a discussion of best practices. One of the biggest issues to keep in mind is that FileMaker developers

must consider client compatibility during testing and development efforts. Additional attention should be paid

to all your hosted solutions since you can now expect users to work both via FileMaker Pro on desktops and

FileMaker Go on mobile devices, whether or not you designed them with that in mind.

If you are new to FileMaker Go, the FileMaker Go Development Guide is recommended reading and can be found at:

http://www.filemaker.com/products/filemaker-go/docs/fmgo_development.pdf

As a companion to this Technical Brief, the screenshots and user interface elements (art, buttons, layout designs)

usedarealltakenfromthe“FileMakerGoToolkit”databasecreatedbySoliantConsulting.Itisavailableasafree

download at http://www.soliantconsulting.com/gotoolkit/ and contains a collection of assets and examples for

developing FileMaker Go user interfaces.

OS Minimum Requirements

FileMaker Go is a client that accesses either local files stored on your mobile device or databases hosted on

FileMaker Server or FileMaker Pro.

• iPhone&iPodTouch:iOS4.2.1orgreater

• iPad:iOS4.2.1orgreater

Hosts (supported):

• FileMakerServer/ServerAdvanced10and11

• FileMakerPro/ProAdvanced10and11

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 6

Network

WiFi and 3G networks will work; Edge networks are not supported.

FileMaker Go cannot discover FileMaker Server hosts available through LDAP or view and use SSL certificates from

LDAP hosts.

Noteworthy Supported Features

People familiar with using and developing for FileMaker Pro will immediately be struck by the fact that FileMaker

Go is FileMaker Pro. There is wide support for most FileMaker Pro features, and to list them all would be both

tedious and redundant. FileMaker Go is a full-featured client that works much the same way FileMaker Pro does,

minus the development features. There is no Layout mode or other database development tools. You can work

with databases, but not create them or modify their schema. Likewise some users may be familiar with Bento®

and, from years past, FileMaker Mobile. Both of those products rely on a limited synchronization model for sharing

data; FileMaker Go instead delivers a live connection to FileMaker Server and its hosted databases or the option

to copy complete database files to and from the iOS device.

This section highlights important FileMaker platform features and explores how they differ on FileMaker Go. If you

need an orientation to the interface in FileMaker Go, please refer to its documentation at:

For iPhone: http://www.filemaker.com/products/filemaker-go/for-iphone/help/1/index.html

For iPad: http://www.filemaker.com/products/filemaker-go/for-ipad/help/1/index.html

Entering Data & Committing Record Changes

As with FileMaker Pro, users can enter a field in Browse mode, make changes, and commit those changes to a

database opened either via a network connection or local to the device. When a record is committed, record-

level script triggers, auto-entry functions, field validation, and index updates all occur as they do in FileMaker Pro.

Tapping out of a field in FileMaker Go is exactly the same as clicking out of a field in FileMaker Pro.

When a user attempts to edit a record that is locked (in use) by a different user in a hosted environment, a

FileMaker Go user can send a message to the other user. While the user interface is different, the functionality and

user experience is exactly the same as in FileMaker Pro.

Text

Entering text in a field is fully supported, but there are a few differences when compared with the experience in

FileMaker Pro.

When selecting text in FileMaker Go—by double-tapping on text when the keyboard is present—users can cut,

copy, paste, and apply spelling corrections using iOS text controls. Note that this mechanism is analogous to the

Edit menu commands and spellcheck features in FileMaker Pro.

Users will only be able to edit approximately 64,000 characters of text. In the unusual case of a text field containing

more than 64,000 characters, the iOS text control tries to gracefully truncate at a word break as users approach the

limit. An error message appears if users try to edit or select text in a field that exceeds 64,000 characters. The text

is properly displayed and readable in FileMaker Go, but editing beyond 64,000 characters can only be done in

FileMaker Pro.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 7

FileMaker Go properly displays rich text stored in your FileMaker database. However, the following formats are

not supported by iOS: highlight, strike through, condense, extend, small caps, superscript, and subscript. These

formats will not be displayed but remain stored and displayed in FileMaker Pro.

Bold, italic, underline, title case, upper case, lower case, word underline, and double underline (appears as

underline) are all displayed. Manipulation of rich text attributes, creating mixed paragraph styles within a single

block of text, entering tab stops, and setting line spacing are not supported. If a user enters a field with rich text

attributes and makes any change, FileMaker Go will replace all the unsupported styles with the default attributes

of the field. This means users will lose any style and paragraph elements they may have applied to the text in

FileMaker Pro.

Auto-completeisnotsupportedonFileMakerGo.Texteldswithoption“auto-completeusingexistingvalues”will

behave as though the setting were turned off. Likewise, when entering data, users cannot insert text from an index

in FileMaker Go.

AsianlanguagesaresupportedalthoughJapanesespecicfeaturessuchasSidewaysTextOrientation

and Furigana are not supported. IME input will also not work in fields setup with OnObjectKeystroke and

OnLayoutKeystroke script triggers.

Numbers

FileMakerGodoesnotdisplaya“?”characterfornumbereldscontainingmoredatathancanbedisplayedas

FileMaker Pro does. Instead, it uses the iOS truncation mechanism. The result will also display somewhat differently

depending on how alignment is set. If centered or right aligned, you will see the first character followed by an

ellipsis.Forexample,thevalue“8050”mayappearas“8…”.Ifleftaligned,therstseveralcharacterswillbe

displayedandmaynotincludeanellipsis.Usingthesameexamplefromabove,thevalue“8050”mightappear

as“805”whenleftaligned.Asaresult,considerationshouldbegiventothesebehaviorsandhowtheywillaffect

users when placing number fields on a layout.

Dates & Times

Dates and Times work just as they do in FileMaker Pro; however, they use iOS controls for data entry as shown below.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 8

The Timestamp iOS control, as seen below, does not support inserting seconds (or fractional seconds). However,

you can type seconds into any Time or Timestamp field before or after using an iOS control.

There is no direct means of inserting the Current Date, Time, or Timestamp via keyboard shortcuts or menus. If you

wish to provide such functionality, you will need to write scripts for those behaviors and optionally associate those

scripts with buttons placed on your layouts. Additionally, script triggers such as the OnObjectEnter script trigger

could be used to enter the desired data as a starting point for data entry.

Field Objects

Field controls including repetitions, check boxes, radio buttons, and iOS-style value pickers are all supported.

Fields with applied data formatting and conditional formatting display the same in FileMaker Go as in FileMaker Pro.

To remove or clear values from radio buttons in FileMaker Go, you will need to provide a button and/or scripted

method.

Layout Objects

Tab Controls, Buttons, Portals, and Web Viewer objects are all supported. Layouts on the iPad/iPhone will look

nearly identical to how they appear in FileMaker Pro. Most object formatting options such as pen color, fill

color, line width, and embossing/engraving/shadows are supported, as are geometric objects including lines,

rectangles, rounded rectangles, and circles. Fill patterns are the exception – FileMaker Go ignores them.

Tooltips are not supported and do not appear in FileMaker Go. In a touch interface there is no hover or rollover

state to invoke tooltips.

Container Fields

ContainereldssupportallimageformatssupportedbyiOS:GIF,PNG,JPG,andTIFF.Otherleformatsincluding

PDF, Word, and Excel can also be stored and viewed. Sound and video formats are supported and will execute

when you tap on them. Tapping an empty Container field lets users insert a photo taken from the camera or stored

inthedevice’simagelibrary,orcaptureasignature.IftheContainereldhasdata,usersmayalsochoosetoOpen

orEmailthecontentsusingthedevice’slocalemailclient.Youcancut,copy,paste,anddeletebyrsttapping

on a container field, which will expose the iOS keyboard, and then tapping again to access the contextual menu

containing these menu items. If you have previously copied an image to the iOS clipboard, you are able to paste

it into a container field from this menu. You can also paste between containers or from a container field to Mail, for

example.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 9

When the signature capture feature is activated, a signature capture window will be displayed where the user will

beableto“draw”onthetouchsurfaceofaniOSdevice.TheusermaytouchtheClear button to erase what has

been drawn, the Cancel button to exit without making any changes to the container field, or the Accept button to

save the signature to the container field. A PNG image will be generated when the signature is saved.

NOTE: The signature capture window only supports landscape screen orientations. This includes devices that

are locked in portrait mode. Once captured, the PNG of the signature can be viewed and emailed like any other

image stored in a container field.

Find Mode

Familiar FileMaker Pro operations are supported with both Find Mode and Quick Find, including multiple find

requests and constrain/extend options. Although there is no list of operators available in Find Mode, users may

enter them manually.

Charting

All chart types that are supported in FileMaker Pro 11 are supported in FileMaker Go. The charts displayed in

FileMaker Go are live and will update when the data that was used to define them is modified.

Printing and Print to PDF

FileMaker Go supports the ability to print directly to iOS compatible printers. Printing functionality on FileMaker

Go is similar to the functionality provided by FileMaker Pro, although there are some minor differences due to the

different print options supported by iOS.

The following features are supported for printing using FileMaker Go but must be setup using FileMaker Pro:

• ShrinkingandSlidingoflayoutobjects

• Shrinkinglayoutparts

• Hidinglayoutobjects

• Multiplecolumns

• Fixedpagemargins

The following features are supported directly from within the FileMaker Go Print dialog

• Printarangeofrecords

• Specifythestartingpagenumber

• Papersize–Ifthechosenpapersizeisnotknownthen“PrinterDefault”willbedisplayed

• PageOrientation

• Scale–pre-denedchoicesandtheabilitytospecifyavaluebetween25-400%

FileMaker Go also supports printing direct to PDF. The Save As PDF function, introduced in a previously released

version of FileMaker Go, has been modified to take advantage of the new Print To PDF functionality. The output of

Save As PDF will look more like expected printed output and respect settings like those mentioned above.

Print Options will be remembered for each file and will be the defaults next time the print dialog is displayed for

that file. The print settings are stored in the user defaults and not in the file itself. There could be situations when

some of the Print Options are unspecified, illegal or missing – this may happen, for example, if no default printer is

selected when opening FileMaker Go for the first time.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 10

Keep the following in mind when creating printing scripts for FileMaker Go

• Perform without dialog is not supported in FileMaker Go. A print script that has the Perform without dialog

option checked will go to the Print dialog and to the Print Setup dialog if this option is unchecked.

• ThePrint Setup script step will not show a dialog but the settings stored in the script step will be applied.

Sorting

Sorting, including custom sort order and ascending/descending operations, is supported. You can only sort

by fields on the current layout, however hidden fields can be used to offer more options in the Edit Sort Order

window.

In Table View, users can sort by tapping on column headers. The first tap will sort ascending, the second will sort

descending and the third tap unsorts the records.

Security

Both file-access security and access to features and operations within a FileMaker Pro database remain unchanged.

FileMaker Go also supports the ability to open files set to not display (hidden) in the Open Remote File dialog by

allowing the entry of a direct file path when browsing the lists of available files for a given host or server. Simply

tap Enter Filename to enter the name of the hidden file. FileMaker Go will automatically enter in the path to the

host so that only the name of the file needs to be entered. However, FileMaker Go will not prevent the user from

changing the path so that the user can specify a file on a different host if desired.

NOTE: For usability reasons, the fmnet protocol will be hidden from the UI of FileMaker Go. There is no need to

include fmnet: in when opening a hidden file.

FileMaker Go supports the “fmrestorelogin” extended privilege. To take advantage of this extended privilege, you

must create a new extended privilege using “fmrestorelogin” (no quotes) as the specific keyword.

FileMaker Go, by default, will not save the user name and password of a file that is terminated. The next time

FileMakerGoislaunched,itwillprompttheuserfortheircredentialsandattempttorestoretheuser’sprior

session, except in the following cases:

• ThecurrentuserisloggedinusingaGuestaccount.FileMakerGowilllettheuserimmediatelyreconnectasa

Guest.

• ThecurrentuserisloggedintoaFileMakerdatabasewhereautomaticlogintothelewasturnedoninthe

File Options.

• Thecurrentuserisloggedinusinganaccountthatisassociatedwiththe“fmrestorelogin”extendedprivilege.

This privilege exists to allow users to resume an interrupted FileMaker Go session without being further stalled

by an authentication dialog. In these cases it may be prudent to recommend that all users lock their devices

using the iOS security code feature.

The “fmrestorelogin” extended privilege works with Auto-Restore Login application setting (Home screen >

Settings Menu) in FileMaker Go. If the setting is turned off, a user will always be prompted for their credentials.

If FileMaker Go is closed as a result of a user pressing the Home button or an incoming call, multi-file solutions

willnotprompttheuserforcredentialsforeverylewhen“awoken.”FileMakerGosimplypromptsauserfor

credentials when opening the first file. As long as the other files in the solution contain the same account and

password, no additional credentials prompt will be displayed.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 11

TheFileMakerGoclientshouldhonorallofasolution’sexistingsecuritysettings.Thismeansanyoneauthorized

to access a database via FileMaker Pro is similarly authorized to access that same database, with all the same

privileges, in FileMaker Go.

Scripts

Scripts are available to run in FileMaker Go just as they are in FileMaker Pro. As with Web Publishing, some script

stepsarenotsupportedandsomediscussiononscriptingiswarranted;pleaserefertothe“What’sOut”and

“ScriptingforaMobileWorld”sectionsbelow.TheabilitytoeditscriptsisnotavailableinFileMakerGo,noris

there a Script Debugger.

One behavioral change is worth noting from the start. When a script is running in FileMaker Go and is set to allow

user abort, any tap on the screen will bring up an abort dialog. In FileMaker Pro the only way a user can abort a

script is by pressing the escape key or Command + period (Mac). Given that tapping the screen is a fairly common

practice for users—especially if they may not realize a script has not finished running—developers may want to

disallow user aborts (by using the Allow User Abort [Off] script step) more frequently.

Another important reality of working in a mobile world is that scripts can be aborted at any time, regardless of the

Allow User Abort settings and ordinary operations of FileMaker. When a user either switches to the Home screen

(by pressing the Home button) or receives an incoming phone call on the iPhone (which closes FileMaker Go), all

scripts running will be halted without warning.

A third way scripts may not run as expected is when FileMaker Go encounters an unsupported script step. There

are two ways in which FileMaker Go handles this. Some script steps are fairly benign and are simply skipped or

ignored and the script will run to its conclusion. If you use Get(LastError)=3 you can check for these cases.

For script steps that could potentially harm your database (Export Records, for example), FileMaker Go will present

an alert to the user and, if Allow Abort is set to On, the user can choose to continue the script or halt its execution.

If Allow Abort is set to Off, FileMaker Go will continue the script after ignoring the problematic script step. It is

important that developers test their databases and review their Database Design Reports for script steps that will

not run on FileMaker Go.

There is more discussion later in this technical brief on how to approach scripting for FileMaker Go.

Somebehavioraldifferencestonoteforscriptsinclude(excerptedfromtheDeveloper’sGuide):

• Send Mail does not support Perform without dialog. The email displays on the device, and you can send it

manually. This does not apply to mail sent through SMTP.

• AscriptusingReplace Field Contents cannot prompt users in FileMaker Go to specify the field and data to be

replaced. A Replace Field Contents script step with Perform without dialog deselected will not be performed.

• TheSelect All and Set Selection script steps do not highlight text if the keyboard is hidden on the device.

• TheOpen URL script step using a Google maps URL will open a browser, and then choosing Open in Safari

will open the Maps application.

• Ifascriptcontainsahidewindowcommand,FileMakerGodoesnothidethewindowbutchangestheorderof

the open windows that are displayed.

• WhenyouhibernateFileMakerGo,anycurrentlyperformingscriptsareaborted.IfAllow User Abort is On, you

can return to the previous state when you resume FileMaker Go. If Allow User Abort is Off, FileMaker Go will

close instead of hibernating.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 12

Script Triggers

Script Triggers, including OnTimer, work in FileMaker Go as long as they use supported script steps. See the

“ScriptingforaMobileWorld”sectionbelowforanexample.

Calculations

The calculation engine is fully available on FileMaker Go with plug-ins being the only exception. Custom functions

are also supported including recursive functions with the same stack limits as FileMaker Pro. Mobile devices do

not have as much processing power, so performance needs to be considered when creating formulas that work

with related data. Additionally, unstored calculations should be used sparingly. This will be discussed more in the

performance section. It is important to note changes to the following functions:

• Get(SystemPlatform) returns 3 when performed on the mobile device.

• Get(ApplicationVersion)fortheiPhoneandiPodTouchwillreturn“Go1.x.x”andfortheiPadwillreturn“Go_

iPad1.x.x”.

• Giventhattherearenonetopress,Get(TriggerModifierKeys) and Get(ActiveModifierKeys) do not return

expected modifier key information.

• Get(WindowContentHeight) and Get(WindowContentWidth) are the only two Window functions that change

with device rotation

Custom Menus

Custom Menus are supported in a limited way in FileMaker Go for the obvious reason that many of the menus that

are available in FileMaker Pro are not available or applicable in FileMaker Go. You can modify and override the

following menu items that are displayed in the interface:

• Inthe menu in Browse mode:

- Show All Records

- Show Omitted Records

- Omit Records...

- Sort Records...

- Enter Find Mode

• Inthe menu in Find mode:

- Show All Records

- Show Omitted Records

- Constrain Found Set

- Extend Found Set

- Perform Find

- Exit Find Mode

• Inthe menu in Find mode:

- Add Find Request

- Duplicate Find Request

- Delete Find Request

- Revert Find Request...

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 13

• Inthe menu:

- Add new Record

- Duplicate Record

- Delete Record…

- Delete Found Records…

- Revert Record…

• Inthe Tools Menu Pop-over dialog:

- Refresh Window

- Save / Send

- View As

- Print (including PDF)

You cannot override the Quick Find menu item, the Save Record menu item, or the Exit Record menu item. You also

cannot add custom menus to your databases nor can you remove menus or menu items. Menu items that are not

included in your custom menus will still appear, but will be grayed out. Finally, you cannot use ampersands (&) in

custom menu names.

Importing Records

Importing records is supported in a scripted process when using the Import Records script step to import from

another FileMaker file. Using the Import Records script step, you can:

• Importrecordsfromahostedle(FileMakerServerorsharedusingpeertopeersharingwithFileMakerPro

and FileMaker Pro Advanced) into a local database. Although FileMaker Go cannot import directly from an

ODBC source, it can import from an ODBC source through ESS.

• Importrecordsstoredinalocaldatabaseintoahostedle

• Importrecordsfromahostedleintoanotherhostedle

• Importrecordsfromalocaldatabaseintoanotherlocaldatabase

• Importrecordsbetweentablesinthesamele(localorhosted)

Important Note: Field mapping and import order must be established before you import records with FileMaker Go.

Creation of a new table during an import process is not supported. Please see the FileMaker Go Development Guide

for more information.

Export Field Contents

Field contents can be exported in a scripted process or by clicking the Tools menu ( ) in the upper-right of the

application. Note that exporting multiple records is not supported; FileMaker Go will export only the contents of one

field from the current (single) record. The resulting content can be emailed, viewed, or saved. If the content is saved,

it will be available in the Files on Device list.

Consider a case where a text field contains a large amount of text. A user could export the contents and email them

to a colleague in a few simple steps or through a scripted process.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 14

Save Records As PDF

Save Records as PDF is supported as a scripted process or by clicking the Tools Menu ( ). As with Export Field

Contents, the resulting file can be emailed and is available in the FileMaker Go Files on Device list accessible via

the Window menu > File Browser option. It is important to note that some of the script step options from FileMaker

Pro are not supported:

• AppendingrecordstoanexistingPDF

• SelectingtheAcrobatversion

• SelectingPrintingandEditingoptionsontheSecuritytab

• Deselectingtheoptionthatallowsscreenreadingsoftware

• OptionsontheInitialViewtab

This feature has been updated from previous versions of FileMaker Go to work more like Print To PDF in FileMaker

Pro. Previously unsupported FileMaker Pro features like object sliding and hide when printing are now supported

when creating PDFs using FileMaker Go.

Save A Copy As…

FileMaker Go can save a copy of a local database on the device. Saving a file as a compacted copy or a clone is

supported when you use the Save a Copy As script step, but is not supported when using the menu item. The

resulting file can be opened and used in FileMaker Go, sent via email or saved on the device where it appears

in the Files on Device list. This feature can be useful for sharing files between FileMaker Go users or for storing

a backup of a file. Imagine working with a local database in the field, and receiving a request from your office

for access to your database. This feature would allow you to create and email a copy of your database to those

needing access. It is important to note that a copy of a local file is not linked in any way to the original file. Data

that is entered into the original will not show in any copies of that file.

URL Schemes

Many FileMaker developers will be familiar with the fmp7://<host>/<filename> URL scheme that allows a

database to be opened from a clickable link. This URL protocol has been extended to support script names and

parameters. The new scheme syntax is:

FMP7Script://<host>/<le>?script=<scriptname>[&param=<parameter>][&<$name>=<value>]

This URL protocol allows FileMaker Go to communicate with other iOS applications. For instance, say you have an

application on your mobile device that scans barcodes. Using a URL scheme from within FileMaker Go, you could

launch the external barcode scanning application, scan an item and pass the barcode data back to FileMaker Go

where the data could be used to lookup product information.

Script Step, Recognition of Runtime Files and Other Subtle Changes

The Open Preferences script step opens the FileMaker Go Settings screen (equivalent to tapping the Tool Menu

> Settings), where users can set preferences for settings like the Status Bar display, Auto Correction behavior, and

Auto-Restore Login functionality.

FileMakerGonowsupportstheexpectedbehaviorforthe“Gotonextobjectusing”layouteldattributewhena

user presses the tab or return keys. These field attributes are specified using the Inspector (FileMaker Pro 11) or

Format Menu > Field/Control > Field Behavior… (FileMaker Pro 10 and previous). It is important to note that since

theiOSkeyboarddoesnotprovidean“enter”key,itisnotapplicableinFileMakerGo.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 15

Therehasbeenaslightchangetothe“Recordchangedwhiledisconnected”errormessage.Theerror“Your

recordchangescannotbesavedbecausethisrecordwasmodiedbyanotheruserwhileyouweredisconnected.”

now has a revert button so that users know what they need to do to get out of the current state.

FileMakerGowillnowrecognizeleswithanextensionof“.USR”sothatruntimesolutionscanberecognized

and opened automatically by Go. A new file icon will be associated with the .USR files (the icon resembles the

FileMaker document icon on Macintosh and Windows computers).

FileMaker Server

FileMaker Go can access External SQL Sources in databases hosted on FileMaker Server or shared via FileMaker

Pro through the use of ESS (External SQL Sources). ESS is supported just as it is with FileMaker Pro using the ODBC

driver on the FileMaker Server machine or the FileMaker Pro desktop machine. Databases stored on the mobile

device cannot access SQL Sources directly because there is currently no ODBC driver for iOS devices.

InFileMakerServer,“Go1.x.x”or“Go_iPad1.x.x”appearintheAdminConsole.

Thereisnocountdowntimerin“AsktoClose”messagesfromthedatabasehost.Auserwillbepromptedtoclose

a file, and if there is no response after 30 seconds, FileMaker Go will close the file.

What’sOut

Schema Modification

Developerscannotaccessthe“Manage”menuoptionsincludingtheManageDatabasedialog.Alldevelopment

for FileMaker Go databases must be done in FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Pro Advanced. This includes modifying

tables, fields, security permissions, and relationships.

Layout Mode & Structure Modification

FileMaker Go has no Layout mode so developers cannot make changes to layouts or layout settings. Likewise,

there are no editing capabilities for scripts, custom menus, custom functions, and so on. A value list of custom

valuescanbeeditedsolongasthe“Alloweditingofvaluelist”optionisselectedwhenapplyingaeldcontrol

style. Modification or edits to other value list types are not supported.

Note that this also prohibits gaining access to layouts that do not appear in the layout menu. Such layouts can be

accessed in FileMaker Go using scripts or buttons for navigation.

Exporting

FileMaker Go does not support record exports. Only field contents can be exported.

Plug-ins

Plug-ins are not supported.

Cocoa

FileMaker Go does not provide access to the native programming environment for the iPad or iPhone because

Objective C and Cocoa Library elements in native applications are not available to developers.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 16

Hosting/Sharing

FileMaker Go does not allow sharing or hosting of any kind. If a file is local to an iOS device, only a single user is

supported.

Save/Send Records As

Save/Send records as Excel and Snapshot Link are not supported.

Performance Considerations

JustaswithFileMakerPro,developersneedtoconsiderbothnetworkspeedandoperationalspeedwhen

building databases for FileMaker Go. In testing there were few surprises. Performance with FileMaker Go is far

more subject to its network connection than to anything else. Committing and creating records on a 3G network

can take longer than expected, and sub-summary or sorting routines may be problematic. Generally speaking,

operations that touch multiple records or modify keys that drive relationships should be carefully reviewed and

tested for performance.

Performance Recommendations

Avoid long looping scripts, especially those that open and commit record data. If you need to work with large

blocks of data, you might explore some of the strategies presented in the next section on scripting or choose

to execute those routines that may be too slow on a mobile device in FileMaker Pro or as a scheduled script in

FileMaker Server.

Be mindful of sub-summary reports and avoid large found sets. A list view with a large found set of records and

one or more sub-summary parts can cause users to wait while the records are sorted and totaled. You might

consider simplifying the list layout by removing sub-summary parts or use other means, like script triggers or

navigational elements, to reduce the size of the found set.

Any images or graphics on your layouts should be compressed as much as possible.

Use portal sorting and relationship sorting judiciously. On a local area network, portal sorts can perform well, but

on a wide area network with FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Go, sorted portals significantly increase the time it takes

a layout to render.

In our benchmark tests, a MacBook Pro that was connected to the WAN via WiFi performed similarly to FileMaker

Go on an iPhone and iPad. Setting aside the lower bandwidth available when connecting via 3G, the mobile

devices only showed noticeably slower performance on those operations that required local processing power. It

was interesting to note how completely some expensive operations are offloaded to the server. For example, one

test involving a find on an unstored field in 350,000 records delivered almost identical results on a LAN connected

Dual Quad Core Mac Pro, a WAN connected MacBook Pro, and both WAN connected mobile devices. In contrast,

an intentionally malformed recursive function displayed in a calculation field on a list of 300 records reached its

recursion limit in under a second on the LAN connected Mac Pro, less than ten seconds on a WAN connected

MacBook Pro, and took more than ten minutes to conclude on the iPhone and iPad. This being the case, be wary of

processor-intensive tasks. In these same tests, performance degraded sharply on the 3G network.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 17

This may be commonsensical, but use the excuse of less screen real estate to remove items from layouts. Scrutinize

how many unstored calculations and related fields your layouts require, and be judicious with summary fields. All

of these considerations are as true for solutions deployed to FileMaker Go as for those deployed to FileMaker Pro

on a wide area network. This technical brief will not dwell further on WAN optimization except to remind you that it

is important.

Tailoring an Interface for FileMaker Go

While you can simply open any existing FileMaker Pro database with FileMaker Go, the smaller screen and the

touch interface of the iPhone and iPad will lead you to build layouts and workflows optimized for iOS.

JustasdevelopersneedaccommodatethesubtledifferencesinhowtextandobjectsarerenderedonMacOS

and Windows, they will need to make sure to leave space for fonts and objects on iOS as well. There is some

scaling that occurs, and you will want to test the appearance of your layouts on iOS just as you would for desktop

platforms. This is particularly true for FileMaker Go as layouts are zoomed in single integer increments—for

exampleyourscreenmightbezoomedto64%—totonmobilescreens.Becauseofthis,objectsandparts

maynotlineupascleanlyastheydoinFileMakerProat100%zoom,72dpi.Testingdemonstratedsomeminor

aesthetic differences. For example, you might see a thin line appear between list view rows, depending on their

pixel row height, on your iPhone that you do not see in FileMaker Pro on your desktop. The key here, again, is to

test your solutions for all platforms you intend to support.

FileMaker Go does support some gestures such as double-tap for zooming, pinch, and swipe to move around

a zoomed screen. Since FileMaker Go also needed to ensure compatibility to existing FileMaker Pro databases,

extensive use of new gesture-based features was avoided. One of the core strengths of the FileMaker platform

has always been cross platform fidelity. With the introduction of FileMaker Go, experienced developers will need

to learn the subtleties of the new platform, but FileMaker takes care of most of the differences automatically. For

these reasons, developers do not have access to some of the touch interface gestures available on iOS.

Apple’sHumanInterfaceGuidelinesforiOSarerecommendedreading.Whilemanyguidelinesdonotapply

specicallytoFileMakerGo,reviewingthemcanhelpfocusadeveloper’sthinking.YoucanndtheGuidelineshere:

http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/MobileHIG/Introduction/

Introduction.html

Iconography

While no special restrictions exist for databases accessed with FileMaker Go, some standards do exist. These are

bothformal—fromApple’spracticesandrecommendations—andinformalontheiOSplatform.

Forexample,itisacommonpracticetouseaplus“+”icontosuggestaddingsomethingtoadatabaseorto

displayapickermechanism.A“>”icon,oftenfoundinacircle,denotesdisplayingadetailview.Trashcans,along-

timestapleofFileMakerdevelopers,usuallyindicatedeletionasdocircleswithslashesor“x”icons.Amagnifying

glass suggests search functionality, and a curved arrow pointing upwards usually implies sending data to someone

or something else.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 18

Table 10-1 from the iPhone Human Interface Guidelines shows some of the standard buttons the iPhone platform

provides for toolbars and navigation bars.

Button Meaning Name

Opens an action sheet that allows users to take an application specific action Action

Opens an action sheet that displays a photo picker in camera mode Camera

Opens a new message view in edit mode Compose

Show application-specific bookmarks Bookmarks

Display a search field Search

Create a new item Add

Delete current item Trash

Move or route an item to a destination within the application, such as a folder Organize

Send or route an item to another location Reply

Stop current process or task Stop

Refresh contents (use only when necessary; otherwise, refresh automatically) Refresh

Begin media playback or slides Play

Fast forward through media playback or slides FastForward

Pause media playback or slides (note that this implies context preservation) Pause

Move backwards through media playback or slides Rewind

While these icons will be familiar to iPhone and iPad users, there is a risk in too literally recreating an iOS-like

interface. FileMaker Go behaves differently than native applications, and it will be important for users to remember

that they are still working with connected databases within the FileMaker paradigm. Likewise, FileMaker Pro users

on desktops may be put off by having to manipulate an interface exclusively designed for iOS devices. Still, it

makes sense to leverage user expectations and create interfaces that are intuitive and common to applications

with which they are already familiar.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 19

Log Out Buttons

During testing with FileMaker Go, only the most disciplined users remember to close all open files before hitting

the Home button and closing FileMaker Go. Most users will, when finished with FileMaker Go for the moment,

immediately hit the device Home button without a second thought. If your database requires a more graceful

exit,youcannotensureorenforceadifferentbehavior,butyoumightconsiderplacingalarge“LogOut”or“Exit”

button at the top of your interface screens in the hope that users can be trained to use it.

Refresh / Request-based Processing

Mobile device users will generally be comfortable tapping a refresh icon to retrieve fresh data from a server. This is

a common element in many connected and web-based mobile applications. This opens a world of possibilities for

FileMaker developers. While many FileMaker Pro users, especially those used to working on a local area network,

would not expect refresh functions, mobile users will not only accept this user interface practice, they can benefit

from it. Users can choose explicitly when they are able to wait for data and performance-intensive processes to

complete and explicitly request them.

For example, imagine a database that shows a list of employee expense reports and a subtotal. In a standard

sub-summary list view, FileMaker Go would redraw the list and recalculate the totals each time a user viewed that

layout. This might create a performance delay for mobile or wide area network users.

Given that the idea of refreshing data on a mobile device is more familiar to mobile users than it might be to

FileMaker Pro users, a developer could create a list view that does not use live sub-summary functionality, but

rather relies on stored totals and updates those totals when the user explicitly requests new data. Note the controls

added to the top of this example for grouping data and displaying totals.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 20

Adopting this sort of mechanism clearly depends on how developers approach their database and on the

expectations of their users. This is one example of how a developer might consider adjusting an interface to

accommodate both performance issues and the different experiences with mobile devices. An argument can be

made that this practice would benefit FileMaker Pro users across wide area network connections as well.

Sizing Layout Elements

On the iPad and iPhone the pointing device—a human finger—is less precise than the pointer for a mouse. As such,

you may want to adjust the size of your layout objects, including buttons, field heights, and the row height for list

views and portals, accordingly.

InApple’sHumanInterfaceGuidelinesfortheiPhone,Applerecommendsusing

fontsbetween“17-pixeland22-pixel.”InFileMakerterms,usingHelveticaonMac

OSX,thefont’sverticalpixeldimensionisgenerallytwohigherthanitspointsize.

In the screenshot below there is a gray box shown behind the font that is sized to

the point size of the font in each row.

In practice, you can generally make labels smaller than buttons and field text.

Since users do not interact with labels, the size of a human fingertip does not mat-

ter as much as it does in situations where a user needs to edit or click the text.

Likewise, row height— for both portals and list views—should be between 34 and 42 pixels high.

Lastly, button hit areas should be a minimum of 32 pixels square and can be as large as 52 pixels high to conform

to what most users on the iPhone or iPad are used to.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 21

The example above demonstrates what might be considered a reasonably well laid out interface for the iPad

withaformviewandalistview.TheexamplealsoshowsaJPGbackgroundimagethathasbeencompressed

significantly.

TheexampleabovemimicsApple’sguidelinesforanexpensereportlayoutthatmightappearontheiPhone.

Please note that these are only recommendations. Interfaces should be driven by the needs of the people using a

database. It is not the intention of this technical brief to introduce new dogma into the development community.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 22

Likewise, interfaces primarily aimed at iPad and iPhone users may be completely inappropriate for users of

FileMaker Pro on the desktop. One of the core strengths of the FileMaker platform is its ubiquity and compatibility;

one layout can serve the needs of Mac OS users, Windows users, and iPhone/iPad users. Using pinch-zoom and

swipe scrolling, you can create a common ground for your users without alienating desktop users by exclusive use

of iOS-like layouts.

Finally, we should emphasize that for casual or occasional use, existing interfaces may work just fine. In the same

way that most people use their iPhones to successfully browse desktop-sized web sites, they can use FileMaker Go

to move around a FileMaker Pro interface. Device-specific-interfaces could be easier to use and improve mobile

productivity, but you should weigh the benefits of separate touch-specific or size-specific screens versus the effort

required to create and maintain them.

Object Autosizing & Portrait/Landscape Rotations

If you are not already making heavy use of the automatic sizing of layout objects in FileMaker, available via the

Anchor settings on the Position tab of the Inspector, developing for FileMaker Go should make it a necessity.

Users can rotate their devices from landscape to portrait at any time, and FileMaker Go does an excellent job of

redrawing the current layout accordingly. Keep in mind that graceful resizing of layouts depends on your minimum

dimensions being the smallest common denominator.

Screen Dimensions

For reference purposes, these are the screen dimensions for FileMaker Go in various states:

Remember: List View consumes an additional 3px of width for the selection indicator on the left. This difference is

not reported by Get(WindowContentWidth) and it is not taken into consideration in this matrix:

Portrait Landscape

Toolbar No Toolbar Toolbar No Toolbar

iPad 768W x 929H 768W x 973H 1024W x 673H 1024W x 717H

iPhone 320W x 385H 320W x 429H 480W x 255H 480W x 289H

In order to test for whether a user has their device in landscape or portrait mode, and to determine how much

screen real estate you have available, use Get(WindowContentWidth) and Get(WindowContentHeight). Note that

regardless of your zoom level, the values above are what FileMaker Go will report.

Window Management

FileMaker Go behaves similarly to FileMaker Pro on the Windows operating system in maximized mode. Only one

window displays at a time in FileMaker Go. Mobile users cannot position two windows on their display next to each

other and click between them. Windows are managed in a separate interface that mimics the way Safari works on

the iPhone and iPad.

There is no benefit to hiding a window on FileMaker Go; a hidden window behaves the same as a non-hidden

window. Floating (smaller) pop-up windows or pseudo-modal dialogs take over the whole screen. Off-screen

processing windows are not drawn off screen; they are fully visible while they have focus. If you have a script that

relies on an off-screen window, your users will see FileMaker Go flip to that window where it will remain on screen

until your script switches focus back to the original window. For some developers this may significantly impact

their scripting habits.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 23

All of this leads to the general recommendation that you should design your solutions to be single-window-centric

in their primary functions.

Zoom Management

Window zoom settings behave somewhat differently in FileMaker Go. Zoom settings can be applied to a layout

and those settings will be retained for the layout until the setting is changed. This is slightly different than in

FileMaker Pro, where the zoom setting is applied to the window and is retained even when a layout change occurs.

Additionally if you script a zoom level that is smaller than the zoom level that will fill the screen, FileMaker Go stops

at the fractional zoom value that lets you see the whole layout, but no smaller. FileMaker Go will not let you zoom

out to see a postage-stamp version of your layout; it will only go as far as the screen allows.

For example, if you view a layout that does not fit the screen and pinch it, it will not get smaller than what can fit

onscreen,say73%.Ifyouuseascripttosetzoomlevellowerthan73%inthiscase(sayto50%),FileMakerGowill

onlyzoomto73%.

Note that Get(WindowZoomLevel) returns the integer value of a screen, even though FileMaker Pro users and

scriptscanonlychangethezoomlevelinsetincrementsof25%,50%,etc.

Locking the zoom level can be helpful on a list view to prevent horizontal scrolling. In general though, given that

users will more dynamically control zoom levels by pinch-zooming whenever they feel like it, a possible best

practice would be to defer zoom levels to the user rather than setting them by script as is common in FileMaker Pro.

Scripting for a Mobile World

As mentioned above, one of the important considerations to keep in mind for FileMaker Go is that a script can

be halted at any time regardless of its Allow User Abort settings. If a call comes in on the iPhone, iOS closes the

existing application to take the call. FileMaker Go does not support multitasking, so the application is shut down

when that happens. Likewise, a user can close the application at any time by pressing the Home button on either

the iPhone or the iPad.

Performance is another important consideration. While it is possible to create some fairly elaborate and richly

scripted processes in FileMaker, the addition of FileMaker Go to the platform further stresses that developers

shouldbejudiciouswhenusing“coolpettricks”ordataintensiveprocesses.

Testing indicated that committing records is a more network-intensive function than most other operations in

FileMaker Go, such as performing a find request. If, for example, a developer were to create a looping script that

modifies a field in a found set of records, two potential issues may arise. Firstly, the Home button, a phone call,

or a dropped connection may interrupt your script; and secondly, your users may not be prepared to wait for the

results, especially when on a 3G network.

A poorly conceptualized script in this case could leave a significant portion of your data in an unmodified state.

It cannot be stressed enough that in FileMaker Go there is no guarantee a given script will finish. A strong best

practice is to be careful and deliberate when writing scripts that modify data.

Before being guilty of a Chicken-Little response to this reality of working in a mobile world, consider that it would

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 24

berareforsomeone“intheeld”toneedtorunlargebatchscripts.Whileaconcern,andsomethingthistechnical

brief addresses, the practical reality is that developers will accommodate the limitations of mobile networks.

Developers should consider leaving the heavy lifting to FileMaker Pro users and FileMaker Server.

Scripting Strategies

There are a few different ways to approach data processing scripts for mobile or, more universally, WAN-accessed

databases. The following techniques are meant to illustrate the ideas without necessarily suggesting that these are

the only or universally correct approaches.

Testing for Platform

There is no additional permission required to open a database in FileMaker Go; this is an important subtlety to

understand. If users have permission to open a file in FileMaker Pro, they can also open the file in FileMaker Go.

Given that complex database solutions are likely to contain scripts that need to be tested before being used in

FileMaker Go, you may want to prevent mobile users from connecting to your database until you have checked for

compatibility.

As mentioned above, you can test which platform someone is using by using the calculation function

Get(ApplicationVersion).TheiPhoneandiPodTouchwillreturn“Go1.x.x”andtheiPadwillreturn“Go_iPad1.x.x”.

You can also use the Get(SystemPlatform)functionwhichwillreturnaresultof“3”whenevaluatedfromamobile

device using FileMaker Go.

If you add an If step to a script set to run when your database opens, you can effectively prevent mobile users from

accessing the database:

If [ Get ( SystemPlatform ) = 3 ]

Show Custom Dialog [ Title: “Mobile Access”; Message: “This database does

not yet support access by FileMaker Go. Please contact your developer for

further information.”; Buttons: “OK” ]

Close File [ Current File ]

End If

OnTimer Scripts

OnTimer triggered scripts are set to run at specified intervals. A key difference between a script set to execute with

an OnTimer trigger and any other script is what happens when a user hits the Home button or a call comes in and

forces FileMaker Go to close. A script being triggered with the OnTimer script step is smart enough to know how

much time has elapsed even though the application may have been closed. Once the application is reopened, the

OnTimer script will know if the interval has passed and will trigger the script in the event that it has.

For example, if you managed your daily appointments using FileMaker Go and had a reminder set to alert you

10minutesbeforeanappointment’sstarttime,youcoulduseanOnTimerscripttohelpFileMakerGokeeptrack

of your reminders even if a call comes in. No other trigger or scripted process can continue in the event that

FileMaker Go is closed. In addition to the OnTimer script, you need to make sure that you add an Allow User Abort

[Off]scriptstepinyourscript.IfyoudonotaddanAllowUserAbort[Off]scriptstep,thenthescriptwillabort,and

the OnTimer script will cease to function until you are able to trigger it once again. This technique demonstrates

one of many possible uses for an OnTimer trigger using FileMaker Go.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 25

Using Location Information

While FileMaker Go cannot access any GPS features of the iPhone, with a little creativity and a web viewer, it is

possible to work around this limitation. The technique involves a combination of a simple HTML5 page and some

JavaScript.SinceSafariontheiPhonesupportsHTML5geolocationservices,socanFileMakerGobecauseaweb

viewer object uses the Safari engine to handle rendering of web pages.

Imagineasalesteamthatcould“stamp”theircustomerlocationswhiledoingdataentryalongatravelroute—all

within FileMaker. Likewise, it would also be possible for a user to record mileage (at least as the crow flies). There

are numerous possibilities.

Chad Novotny (The Support Group) and Todd Geist (Geist Interactive) have each posted blog entries that show

how to accomplish this. A Google search for FileMaker Go geolocation will quickly provide links to both articles.

Scripts That Run On Open and Close of a FileMaker Database

Scripts set to run when a database opens and closes behave the same way as they do in FileMaker Pro. However,

user behavior and FileMaker Go hibernation require extra consideration of these scripts. As with FileMaker Pro,

anopeningscriptwillrunwhenale’srstwindowisdisplayed.ThisistrueforFileMakerGo.However,ifauser

returnstoFileMakerGoafterclosingtheapplicationandrespondingwitha“yes”tothedialogaskingifhewants

to resume working with his prior open databases, FileMaker Go will do exactly that—return the user to his prior

state and not perform any script specified in the File Options.

Likewise, scripts set to run when the file closes only run when a user (or a script) closes the final open window for a

given file. If a user hits the Home button or is interrupted by a phone call, FileMaker Go will close without running

any additional scripts including the one set to run when a file closes.

Related Record Locking Transactions

While not exactly a scripting strategy, a consideration is the potential for related records to get out of sync in

dependent edits. If, for example, you needed to ensure that either all changes to a related set of records are

committed or none are, one approach is to use the natural behavior of the locking mechanism in FileMaker Pro.

If you open a record, any changes made to related records through portals while that record is uncommitted are

also uncommitted.

Todd Geist, a regular contributor to the FileMaker developer community, has spoken and written about a

transactional model that takes advantage of this fact if you need to ensure an atomic operation on a complex

process. All changes to a parent record, and to its children made through portals on the uncommitted parent,

will either commit or completely roll back if the operation gets interrupted. This technique has been around for

years and is well understood by advanced developers. It is of renewed interest given the much less persistent

connection to the host from mobile devices.

Todd has posted some information at http://www.geistinteractive.com and http://www.geistinteractive.com/

content/inventory-transactions.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 26

Server Side Queuing

Rather than having FileMaker Go handle your entire scripting load, consider moving some scripts to your

FileMaker Server or a FileMaker Pro client machine dedicated to supporting your solution. Queuing is a common

technique used by FileMaker developers. It is sometimes referred to by different names; asynchronous processing,

(ro)bot processing, and server side processing all refer to this concept. Namely, a user does something that puts

a request into a queue, which then gets processed by a daemon or scheduled process running at some regular

interval on the host or robot/client machine.

This technique is frequently used for tasks that may take a lot of processing time, and therefore would block

the user from doing other things if performed on the client. This technique has new relevance in mobile apps.

Mobile devices have less processing power and more intermittent connections, so task queuing might be worth

considering in more situations than it normally would have been in solutions designed only for FileMaker Pro on a

local area network.

Queuingworksparticularlywellwhenyoucanhavetimely“push”notication,andtheOnTimer trigger makes a

great compliment to this technique. Note that OnTimer script triggers will only work when FileMaker Go is actively

running.

Here’showthetechniqueworks:

1. User initiates your script by tapping a button or running a script from the scripts menu.

2. RatherthanprocessthescriptthereontheFileMakerGoclient,yourscriptcreatesarecordina“queue

table”withthenameofthescriptintendedtorun,theuserwhorequestedit,andanypertinentscript

parameters or required data.

3. EitheraFileMakerProclientorFileMakerServerrunningitsown“watcher”scriptonatimernoticesthat

there is a new script request in the queue table. Based on the name of the script and the parameters

provided it runs the batch process.

4. As a nice way to notify the user that their script is done, an OnTimer triggered script on FileMaker Go could

watch the queue table and note when a record is listed as being complete. It could then show a dialog to

the user informing them of this.

This is by no means the only way to work, and glosses over some challenges with context and found sets, but it is

an approach worth considering.

Script Logging / Flagging

Another approach to ensuring that data is not left in an incomplete state by an unfinished script is to simply test

for a result condition. This idea could be implemented in a number of ways, but the essential idea is to flag each

record modified by a script with a timestamp or some similar element and then to, perhaps via an OnTimer script,

periodically look for records missing that timestamp. Your database could then ask the user if they wish to run the

script again in order to conclude its process.

Common sense should dictate your approach to these issues. If you write a script that, for example, generates a

report for the user, no one will care if a connection drops and the report is not presented. Your data will be fine

and the user, once she reconnects, will have an opportunity to run the report again.

The intent here is to be mindful of the issues around halted scripts and plan accordingly.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 27

Appendix A: Unsupported Script Steps

(excerpted from the Developers Guide)

FileMaker Go does not support some script steps.

Running scripts without handling unsupported script steps appropriately may lead to unintended behavior or data

corruption.

Returns Error code 4

The following script steps return error code 4: Command is unknown. Use Get(LastError) to check for this error

code. If Allow User Abort is on, FileMaker Go displays an alert that gives the user the choice to continue or to

abort the script. If Allow User Abort is off, FileMaker Go displays an alert informing the user which script step is

unsupported unless Set Error Capture is on, which prevents any error display dialog from appearing. Additionally,

users cannot abort scripts if Allow User Abort is off.

Category Script step

Editing script steps

Perform Find/Replace

Fields script steps

Insert from Index

Insert Picture

Insert QuickTime

Insert File

Files script steps

New File

Miscellaneous script steps

Execute SQL

Navigation script steps

Enter Preview Mode

Records script steps

Import Records (import between FileMaker files is supported)

Export Records

Save Records as Excel

Save Records as Snapshot Link

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 28

Returns Error code 3

The following script steps return error code 3: Command is unavailable. Use Get(LastError) to check for this error

code. FileMaker Go does not display an alert for these script steps.

Category Script step

Fields script steps

Insert Object (Windows)

Update Link (Windows)

Files script steps

Set Multi-User

Recover File

Convert File

Miscellaneous script steps

Allow Toolbars

Speak (Mac)

Send Event (Mac)

Send Event (Windows)

Perform AppleScript (Mac)

Send DDE Execute (Windows)

Open Menu Item script steps

Open Edit Saved Finds

Open File Options

Open Manage Database

Open Manage Data Sources

Open Manage Layouts

Open Manage Scripts

Open Manage Value Lists

Open Find/Replace

Open Sharing

Spelling script steps

Check Selection

Check Record

Check Found Set

Correct Word

Spelling Options

Select Dictionaries

Edit User Dictionary

Windows script steps

Show/Hide Text Ruler

Move/Resize Window

Arrange All Windows

Open Help is a supported script step: it will open the web view to the help page, but will not exit the application.

FileMaker Go 1.2.1 Technical Brief 29

Last updated March 2011

Knowledge Base Articles

Please also check out the Knowledge Base articles on the FileMaker website at:

http://help.filemaker.com/

Credits

WrittenbyScottLoveatSoliantConsultingwithassistancefromJeremiahSmall,CarlYoung,andAaronGutleben.

Soliant Consulting creates custom databases, web sites, and mobile applications for businesses around the

country. We specialize in FileMaker, PHP and the Zend platform, the iPhone/iPad OS, Adobe Flex, and Salesforce.com.

www.soliantconsulting.com

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