A FileMaker Blog» AppleScript

AppleScript your FileMaker Pro Advanced Menus

Michael Gaslowitz — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:17:47 +0000

The Data Viewer and the Script Debugger are staples in every FileMaker developer’s toolkit, yet there is no built-in keyboard shortcut or script step for either one of them. With four lines of AppleScript, these menus are now within reach:

tell application "FileMaker Pro Advanced"
     activate
     do menu menu item "Data Viewer" of menu "Tools"
end tell

tell application "FileMaker Pro Advanced"
     activate
     do menu menu item "Script Debugger" of menu "Tools"
end tell

To install, we could copy/paste these scripts into a Custom Menu that uses the Perform AppleScript script step (and of course a keyboard shortcut), but that would require us to do that for every database file we create. A better option would be to use a system-wide keyboard shortcut application like Quicksilver, FastScripts, or the built-in Keyboard System Preference.

If you run into problems, make sure your computer is configured properly.

Download the AppleScripts

Video: Quicksilver for Large Type Functionality

Michael Gaslowitz — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:05:29 +0000

This post demonstrates how to integrate Large Type functionality into your FileMaker Pro database using Quicksilver. For those who have never poked around in Apple’s Address Book, clicking on a phone number type (work, home, etc.) pulls up a list of options, one of which is Large Type. Think big numbers across the screen for easy viewing and dialing.

Quicksilver’s Large Type functionality is accessed via an AppleScript that has been embedded in a custom function. Filemaker Pro Advanced is required to view the custom function.

iPod Download (11.5 MB)

Quicksilver website

Quicksilver tutorials

Download LargeType.zip

Video: Growl Integration

Michael Gaslowitz — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:56:22 +0000

This post demonstrates how to integrate the Growl notification system for Mac OS X with your FileMaker Pro Database. Growl notifications are called via an AppleScript that has been formatted into a custom function. FileMaker Pro Advanced is required to view the custom function. These notifications can be used whenever you want to alert a user without requiring his or her interaction.

iPod Download (18.5 MB)

Growl website

Download Growl.zip

Configure AppleScript to Work with FileMaker

Michael Gaslowitz — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:45:50 +0000

Before we get into all of the cool things you can do with FileMaker, we need to make sure it is configured to work properly with Apple’s scripting utility, AppleScript.

Head into the Finder, navigate to Applications > AppleScript, and open up AppleScript Utility.

Check the box Enable GUI Scripting.

You are now ready for filemaking with AppleScript.