FileMaker Pro 14: The Missing Manual

Chapter 7. Field Options

In Chapter 4, you learned a couple of ways to create fields and how field type helps define the kind of data you’re storing. In this chapter, you’ll learn more about the field types you already know, and then you’ll learn about some types you haven’t come across before. But type is only one of the options you can choose when you create a field. For example, lookup fields (Lookups) are one way FileMaker can automatically enter data into a field, but they’re not the only way. FileMaker gives you so many other ways to get automatic data into fields, the Field Options window has a whole tab dedicated to those options.

Other times, you need to limit the types of information people can enter in a field, but a value list (Adding a Field Control Style and a Value List) is too restrictive. So FileMaker lets you decide what kind of data—date, text, or whatever—a field can accept. That’s called field validation, and once again, there’s a whole tab full of options.

After you’ve put your data into fields, FileMaker lets you decide how to store it and do more advanced tricks—like create a field that has the same value for every record in a table or repeat the same field multiple times on one record. And you’ll learn how container fields let you store entire files from other programs within a FileMaker record.

Note

To follow along in this chapter, you’ll find it helpful to download the sample database CH07 Field Options.fmp12 from this book’s Missing CD page at www.missingmanuals.com/cds/fmp14mm ...