FileMaker Pro 13: The Missing Manual

Chapter 7. Layout Mechanics

In Chapter 3, you learned how easy it is to lay out a database by using FileMaker’s tools. You can start out with one of the program’s Starter Solutions and then customize it by moving your fields around, adding fields, text, lines, and other fancy stuff. In this chapter, you’ll delve deeper into all the components that make up a FileMaker layout.

By putting these parts together, you can build your own layout from the ground up. It takes longer—in some cases, a lot longer—than using a Starter Solution, but you get to pick your own fonts, colors, fields, and overall arrangement, unencumbered by anyone else’s work. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to assemble layout parts; create field controls, like drop-down menus and date pickers; make your own buttons; and format fields exactly the way you want them.

Layout Types

You used FileMaker’s New Layout/Report dialog box when you created the List layout in Chapter 3, but that tutorial stepped through the process rather quickly without exploring your other options. So before you start building a layout, the following pages give you a brief introduction to each of the kinds of layouts FileMaker can build for you.

Selecting a Device

To get started, go to Layout mode and choose Layouts→New Layout/Report. When the New Layout/Report dialog box appears, it’s divided into four sections. At the very top, you’ll find a field for naming your layout. A dropdown list lets you select the table occurrence to associate with the ...