MORE FREE DEMOS
As a free service to fellow developers and potential clients, sample
and demonstration files are periodically made available for download
from this site. A selection of current offerings is listed below:
Some Lateral Solutions
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MacOS
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Windows
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Comprehensive Audit Tracking System
If you want to be able to see a complete log of exactly who changed what values, when they made the change, what the field was before the change, and what they changed it to, for every field and every record in your database, this file will be of interest to you.
This demo is an adaptation and extension of a technique published last decade, which has its roots in work by Ilse Kazar and John Mark Osborne, among others. The system is one which can be configured to produce a comprehensive text history of all changes to the user-defined values on a record. It offers an invaluable safeguard to the integrity of your data, and offers assured accountability and traceability for transactional systems.
Whereas other implementations often require more than double the number of fields in the database, this technique requires only six extra fields, regardless of the total number of fields to be logged. Numerous other refinements and extensions of the technique in this implementation improve its efficiency and versatility. The NightWing version of this audit technique is publicly released here for the first time.
The demo is an fp5 format file. It contains no passwords. Explore it at your leisure. To download a Mac archive in Stuffit format click on the MacOS icon at right, or for a download in PKzip format, click the Windows icon.
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Auto-Date-Stamping a Field Entry
This sample technique file shows a method which was developed for a use by a fellow programmer, to enable a solution to incorporate automatic dating of a value selected from a drop-down list. It fuses together several techniques which have been used to good effect by others - and puts them to a new use.
The file is in fp5 format. This demo is not password protected, so that you can look "under the bonnet" to see how it works. Click on the MacOS icon at right to download a Mac archive in Stuffit format, or on the Windows icon for a download in PKzip format.
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Multi-State and Multi-Modal Graphical Checkbox
This is unashamedly an interface sampler - a teaser if you will.
It has been said that it couldn't be done, but we have been doing it for years. A graphical checkbox which can be operated with the mouse or the keyboard in Browse Mode - and which offers a tri-modal capability in find mode, so that with one click it will allow you to search for all checked entries, with a second click it will search for all unchecked entries, and with a third click it will be returned to a null state (excluded from the search criteria). Moreover it offers keyboard control in find mode also.
As well as providing a sampler of functionality, this file also shows another of the many interface styles which we adapt and originate for our clients. Each NightWing interface is purpose built to suit the style and preferences of the client.
The demo is an fp5 format file. This demo is locked, but is indicative of the advanced techniques we make available to our clients. To download a Mac archive in Stuffit format click on the MacOS icon at right, or for a download in PKzip format, click the Windows icon.
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Alphanumeric Code Extractor
If you have a field full of text which includes a sprinkling of alphanumeric codes - be they consignment codes, part numbers, clientIDs etc - the script demonstrated in this file will automatically extract a list of them for you.
The technique was originally developed for use extracting university subject codes and course codes from databases of curriculum documents - however variations of the basic technique have since proven ideal for the isolation of a range of other alphanumeric strings from license plate codes to international postcodes.
In addition, the demo provides a script which automatically sorts the extracted list of codes and eliminates duplicate code strings. Although provided as a separate script in this demo, the function can readily be built into a single script so that the extracted codes are returned in that form if desired.
The demo is an fp5 format file. The file is password-free and open to inquisitive eyes! To download a Mac archive in Stuffit format click on the MacOS icon at right, or for a download in PKzip format, click the Windows icon.
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Rotating Container Field Images
Call it a bonus pack if you will... This demo offers two separate files which illustrate two different approaches to a similar requirement. They show methods by which an image within a container field in FileMaker Pro can be dynamically rotated through 360 degrees in 90 degree increments - at the click of a button!
The first file shows a method by which the actual container field contents are changed, so that the resulting image is in a new orientation. The demo file is configured for 72dpi images - but can be set up for other formats. The technique is print-driver dependent when implemented without plug-in support (as in the demo) but is nevertheless a valuable FMP native resource. If several image resolutions are to be rotated using this technique, a separate script (and associated set-up) must be provided for each.
The second file provides a 'non-destructive' approach where the original image is preserved as data, but is simply displayed at an orientation selected by the user. Again, the image can be rotated through 360 degrees. This technique can be configured to provide support for images of multiple resolutions.
Both demo files are in fp5 format. Their secrets are open to your gaze. To download a Mac archive in Stuffit format click on the MacOS icon at right, or for a download in PKzip format, click the Windows icon.
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Field Ranking and Sorting Order Within a Record
For various purposes ranging from competition tracking to educational grading to quantitative research, the need arises to enter a set of data and efficiently establish ordinal values. Whilst this is more commonly done across multiple records, on occasion there is a need to compute sort or rank orders between multiple values within the same record.
This double barrel demo file shows two related techniques. One is the calculation of an ordinal sort order, the other the calculation of competitive rankings (the difference being that with the latter, ties result in demotion of subsequent records to accurately reflect the position of the record in the group as a whole - ie how many were ahead of a given value). The technique relies on a calculated key and indexing system, using FileMaker's native indexing capabilities.
This demo file is in fp5 format. It is unlocked and open to examination and research :). To download a Mac archive in Stuffit format click on the MacOS icon at right, or for a download in PKzip format, click the Windows icon.
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Calculate Sorts and Competitive Rankings Across Records
We all know how to sort a file to display or print records ranked in a given order. But the three files packaged in this demo show techniques by which a defined sort order can be calculated dynamically and displayed on the record regardless of the current sort or found set status of the file. This means that you can search and sort by other criteria, yet still display the rank or sort factor for your preferred criterion on each of the records.
The simplest of the files (RecordOrder.fp5) offers a sort order - calculated according to a single sort key, and grouping like records together, so if three are several records with the first value there will be three 1s, whereas there may be only one record tagged as 2 and two tagged as three etc. A calculated sort order, dynamically displayed as data on each record.
The second file (AutoRanking.fp5) provides an alternative approach by which true competitive rankings can be calculated. While similar in principle to the calculated sort order offered by the previous file, this method omits rank numbers where 'ties' occur so that if two records tie for first, the next rank allocated is 3.
The third file (GroupRanking.fp5) extends the autoranking technique to provide independently calculated rankings for like records within the same file. Whether you need to record separate rankings according to the completion times of each participant in each race at a carnival, or to display relative share performance by market sector, this technique will be of interest.
All three files are in fp5 format and each is password-free and open to inquisitive eyes! To download a Mac archive in Stuffit format click on the MacOS icon at right, or for a download in PKzip format, click the Windows icon.
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Simulated Pop-Up Lists with Extended Functionality
Pop-up menus provide access to value lists - and this in turn proves access to FileMaker's powerful conditional value list options. However value lists which are based on values from a field (whether or not via a relationship) cannot be reverse-sorted or sorted by values not shown on the list. Moreover icons and container field contents etc cannot be made to appear on a native FM pop-up menu.
The simulation shown in this demo utilises a combination of techniques to provide a pop-up menu with a custom sort order, however the same approach can be used to include icons or graphics - or to introduce a range of other effects to a pop-up menu style interface element.
The demo is in fp5 format and is password free. To download a Mac archive in Stuffit format click on the MacOS icon at right, or for a download in PKzip format, click the Windows icon.
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Dynamic Merge Tags Within Field Text
FileMaker Pro features a 'merge' capability for layout text, however setting this up requires that end users have layout access. On occasions it is be desirable that users be able to create custom form letters without the requriement to access layout mode.
This demo shows a method by which users can enter tagged merge letter templates into a global field - referencing any field within the solution - and have them appropriately merged for display on a layout. The technique shown here utilizes an advanced parsing process by which fields may be referenced by name without hard coding them into the script. Note: the technique requires FMPv5.5 or above, as it utilises the GetField( ) function.
The demo is in fp5 format and is fully unlocked. To download a Mac archive in Stuffit format click on the MacOS icon at right, or for a download in PKzip format, click the Windows icon.
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