FileMaker DevCon 2017 360works Interview

FileMaker DevCon 2017 360works Interview

Every FileMaker developer with more than a week's worth of experience knows about 360works.  I have been helped by many, if not all, of the fine people who work there (Charis, it's always nice to hear your voice when I call for help).  And at DevCon 2017, I finally met and interviewed three of them I have spoken with in the last year:  Meet Arnold, Sterling, and Charis:

https://youtu.be/4C9LLp-XuQE

Lots of New Stuff

The staff at 360works has been busy in the past year, cranking out a major update to their plugin platform and new versions of their existing products.

The newest product in their lineup is 360Deploy:

360Deploy: Updating an already deployed database? Migrating data? Adding improvements to a live database? It can all be a pain, but it doesn't have to be. Let the experts at 360Works introduce you to automated rollouts! Say goodbye to the complexities of the separation model, skip the tedious data imports, and stop risking data loss. In this session learn how 360Works newest tool, 360Deploy, makes it a simple operation for you to roll out updated database versions to FileMaker Server: yours, your clients, or your vertical market customers.

Here's the latest product listing from 360works, directly from their website:

MirrorSync	Easy to use synchronization tool that links FileMaker Server to FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Go, MySQL, Oracle and more
Zulu	Sync your events across devices, calendars, and more
CloudMail	Send and track email marketing campaigns
DocuBin	Cross-platform tool for document and digital asset management
SuperContainer	The ultimate document storage tool for FileMaker
Plastic	Payment processing plug-in, now featuring: payment tokenization, subscriptions, ACH, and much more in Plastic 2.
Scribe	Read and write PDF, Word, and Excel files
ScriptMaster Advanced	Adds many new functions & create custom plug-ins
Email	Send and receive text and HTML emails in FileMaker
FTPeek	FTP upload and download from your FileMaker database
Web Services Manager	Publish FileMaker scripts as XML Web Services
RemoteScripter	Trigger scripts on FileMaker Pro from the web or IWP
WebAssistant	Access internet resources, URLs, and fill out web forms
JDBC	SQL access with JDBC Compatibility
Charts	Easy-to-use charting for FileMaker
AdminAnywhere	Administer FileMaker Server from a browser or smartphone
Portfolio Bundle	All of our products for one low price!

Where's Jesse?

Some you may be wondering: Where was Jesse Barnum during all of this?  If you look at the right side of the video, you'll see the back of his white work coat!  I stopped by the booth several times, but Jesse was always busy talking, being interviewed, or off demonstrating a product or offering.  I'll catch up with him next year.

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Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

Dr. Seuss

FileMaker Goodies

FileMaker Goodies

I've been collecting interesting links here and there, saving them up to share.  Here goes in no particular order:

Douglas Alder sends web data directly to FileMaker (with a free FileMaker Example File at the link):

Ever wish there was a way to ‘Send to FileMaker’ from your Web Browser?

Turns out there is a fairly easy way to do this. It involves creating a bookmark in your web browser that is written in Javascript. It calls a FileMaker script using the URL scheme ‘FMP’ and sends the web page title, and the page’s URL to FileMaker. Once you have this in FileMaker, you can use a callback script to get more information from the web page using standard screen scraping techniques to parse out things you are looking for.

This little bookmark makes it easy to grab and save data from the web into your FileMaker solution.

Source: Ever wish there was a way to ‘Send to FileMaker’ from your Web Browser? | HomeBase Software

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Daniel Wood of Digital Fusion: Easily make beautiful Hamburger sliding menus in FileMaker Client and FileMaker Go

Sliding Drawer Menus

We have covered these types of menus in the past. A couple of years ago I wrote an article about how they can be built using sliding panels. That article went a little over the top by having the menu open/close simply on a mouse-over action through the use of a plugin and tooltips. The technique while workable had some limitations - the plugin on FileMaker Go and WebDirect being one of them.

Recently I began development on a large client solution and decided to overhaul this technique and make it both easier to implement, and more usable and reliable.  The menu was to work on both FileMaker Pro and in FileMaker Go.

I wanted the drawer to look and feel as native as possible, and leverage all the tools that FileMaker provides to give the user the most native experience.

It really is nice to emulate a Web Browser hamburger menu, thus saving valuable screen real estate (especially on iOS devices) and providing a clean interface.  And, of course, there is a Free FileMaker Example File at the link.

Source: Beautiful and Easy Drawer Menus for Desktop and Go

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Nicholas Orr:  Synch is not a Product

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85yaMidNTFs[/embed]

Nicholas's point is that a true synch is never really possible. Calling it synch sets up the expectation that complete synched version exists at all times.  With that said, Nic spends a bit of time explaining how to synch systems as best you can...just don't call it a sync.

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I made decisions that I regret, and I took them as learning experiences... I'm human, not perfect, like anybody else.

Queen Latifah

FileMaker DevCon 2017 - Geist Interactive Interview

FileMaker DevCon 2017 - Geist Interactive Interview

Join me with Dave Ramsey and Hailey Kurfess at the Geist Interactive booth at DevCon.  Topics include a new Carbon application, basically a free business starting point for larger database systems (I could not find this on the website, so no link), Generator, a free program that make connecting to an API from FileMaker much easier, FM Perception, FM QBO, GoSign, GoZync, GoDraw, and more.

Dave talks about his baby, FM Perception, which is the newest FileMaker database analysis tool (and it is very impressive).

https://youtu.be/AYZjfeIzLaw

Hailey is the Operations Manager and does the critical work in keeping the wheels on bus for Geist Interactive.

JSON, cURL, the FM Data API and JavaScript Training - FREE

Geist Interactive also announced a free training series:

At last months FileMaker DevCon, I had the honor of presenting 8 hours of training for the Innovation Track. The material covered JSON, cURL, the FM Data API and JavaScript.  It was great fun. But it was a lot of material, and we didn’t get all the way through. In order to make sure that everyone has access to this very important material, I am going to be releasing a very long series of videos, blogs, tutorials, and webinars covering all of the material, starting in the first week of September 2017.  Here is how we are planning to pull it off.

Format

I’ll be releasing a video, tutorial and sample files at regular intervals, hopefully, every week. There will be a slack channel for people to ask questions. And we’ll have occasional Webinars for advanced topics and tutorials. We plan to do this for as long as we have topics.  See Below for the Topics we’ll be covering.

I signed up, and I recommend you do the same.

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Form follows function.

Louis Sullivan

FileMaker DevCon 2017 - Cross IT Interview

Cross IT Interview at FileMaker DevCon 2017

Bob and Laura of Cross IT were kind enough to let me interview them at FileMaker DevCon 2017:

https://youtu.be/4hnXq4YWYoo

Custom FileMaker Development and Off the Shelf Solutions

Cross IT develops custom FileMaker solutions for their clients and has three off the shelf solutions. Featured at the show was a Help Desk solution with a side of Project Management.  The other two are a forms solutions (think Survey Monkey) and a site management solution (think managing the exhibit hall we were in).

And they were giving away splat balls (you gotta see it to believe it - it's on the video).  My three young granddaughters each got one when I made it home and spent the rest of the day throwing their ball at every flat surface they could find.  Wonderful fun.

Thanks Bob...Thanks Laura!

 

Demystifying SSL and FileMaker - Mislav Kos

Demystifying SSL and FileMaker

SSL and encryption are confusing subjects that make even very smart people want to run the other way.  This is especially so when dealing with SSL and FileMaker, it seems. And that, as with any other confusing subject area, makes it a profitable subject for those willing to master it.  But where do you start?   There are figuratively reams of data out there with sometimes conflicting information.  And since every system is different, and every implementation seems to be difficult.

Don't Despair

You need clarity.  And Mislav Kos provides that clarity in his presentation, DV006 - Demystifying SSL - Mislav Kos |FileMaker Community, delivered at FileMaker DevCon 2017.  If you need to understand what SSL and security, set aside an hour to watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig_UTnYcBTo&feature=youtu.be

 

This video will provide you with answers:

SSL is a critical part of security, but its mechanics are not well understood. We all use SSL on a daily basis as web users, but many of us couldn’t say what is in an SSL certificate, what role certificate authorities play, or why it’s important to use a custom certificate with FileMaker Server.

This session will demystify SSL, explain its constituent parts and the steps in the process, and walk through the steps of getting and installing a custom certificate.

What You Will Learn

• The mechanics of SSL, the role of certificate authorities, and the details of how digital signatures work


• Why you should never use the FileMaker Server standard certification in production (this will scare you if you haven't installed SSL)


• How to get and install a custom SSL certificate


• Learn about some of the 'gotchas' you may encounter when setting up and using SSL with FileMaker

Here are a few more nuggets of info from the video you might find useful:

• Cheaper pricing


• List of tested certificates (and FileMaker Server 15+ help)


• FileMaker Server 14 help


• FileMaker Cloud help


• If you use GoDaddy, be sure to choose the Other option when downloading the certificates, otherwise the intermediate cert won't work with FileMaker (this is my tip, btw)

If you are a developer and want to leverage your skills, study this video and practice what's inside.

If you just want to know more about SSL and FileMaker, just watch it.  You won't regret it.

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Good advice for FileMaker Developers (for you and your clients):  Pick One Thing Today to Automate

Triple 8 Network - FileMaker Hosting, IT Services, and more.

FileMaker Hosting, IT Services, and more at Triple 8 Network

Mark Brown is the man to talk to at Triple 8 Network, a long time provider of FileMaker hosting services.  And in today's world of Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Azure, I asked Mark why people should use Triple 8 for their hosting needs:

There you have it:

• Free tech support


• Better service


• Enterprise Class SSD drives


• Free Backups


• Free Archives


• An image backup of your server every night


• Better hardware


• Services offered in the following countries
  
  • US
  
  
  • Sweden
  
  
  • England
  
  
  • Singapore
  
  
  • Japan
  
  
  • Australia
  
  


• He owns all the servers and rents space


• 10GB connections at the backbone


• 100 day free trial - never expires


• Hosts FileMaker 7 to 16


• They'll convert your FM 7 files to fmp12 for you if you upgrade


• Virtual Servers


• Dedicated Servers


• Managed Servers

And more.

So look at your needs closely before choosing one of the big players in this arena.  Remember the learning curve for AWS and Azure is a bit steep for the average user.

Triple 8 might just be the best FileMaker hosting solution for you and your client.

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Did you know there are a number of magical 3 little word phrases which, if used more often, could transform you, your team and your business? 

Lesterius (MyFMButler) at DevCon 2017 - Mobile App Builder

What's New From Lesterius (AKA MyFMButler)

Lesterius is one of the largest European FileMaker developer companies, and also sells great FileMaker related products.  I had the opportunity to stop by their booth at DevCon 2017 and learn what they've been up to in just two minutes:



Along with updates to several of their existing products like FM Calendar, Lesterius just released a new product that many FileMaker Developers might just want to check out:  Mobile App Builder.

No Need for xCode

If you want to build a FileMaker based iOS app, you can do it.  You just need to learn how to use Apple's xCode and the FileMaker SDK.  Which is a large barrier for many developers, especially if you don't have the time necessary to learn it properly.  Mobile App Builder will help - it allows you to build a custom iOS FileMaker App without learning xCode:

Mobile App Builder allows you to create and manage FileMaker mobile custom apps with the iOS App SDK without knowledge of Xcode in an easy-to-use interface.

The required knowledge of command line instructions and xcode can be a threshold to use the FileMaker iOS App SDK. With the myFMbutler Mobile App Builder we simplified the whole build process and you can now build apps without even opening Xcode.

It's due to be released this month but isn't shipping as of today.

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The market for used eclipse sunglasses

It doesn't matter how long the line was yesterday...The market is gone.

Seth Godin

 

 

FileMaker JSON Functions

Using FileMaker JSON Functions

Have you tried the new FileMaker 16 JSON functions?  If not, you are in for a treat.  I hadn't taken the time to explore them depth, mainly because I did not have a client needing the work who had FileMaker 16.  That changed, so I started doing research, and found a wealth of information.

JSON basic usage includes the following:

• Creating JSON files - we're interest in doing so from FileMaker data


• Parsing JSON files - getting what we want from a JSON document


• Modifying JSON data in files - adding and deleting information


• Formatting JSON documents in order to improve readability


• Listing values from a JSON document using a path, key or index


• Listing the keys from a path, key or index

On top of that, I found ways to use the new JSON functions to do old things in new ways, and to do them easier.

The Basics

The most useful video and post I found for dealing with JSON basics is from Jeremiah Hammond at DB Services:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ky2mo4rIUE

The accompanying post is well written and there is free download FileMaker file with the JSON examples available, too – DB Services free FM QuickStart solution.

FileMaker's JSON tools are powerful and easy to use once you get the hang of it.  And there are innovative ways to use JSON, too.

Using JSON in Innovative Ways

• JSON Transactional Edits in FileMaker 16 - Using JSON to more easily allow a Browse and an Edit mode in FileMaker (free download available)


• Overview: better script parameters - Using JSON to send multiple script parameters


• FileMaker 16: Passing Multiple Parameters Natively Using JSON - Another look at passing multiple script parameters


• Google – Auto Complete using JSON in FIleMaker 16 - Look up contact from Google's Auto Complete


• JSON + Virtual List - Using JSON to populate virtual lists (see part two, also, and download the free files at each link)

I'm thinking we've just scratched the surface in this area.  Keep on the lookout for new ways to use JSON in FileMaker.

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You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward.

Conrad Hall

LiveCode for FM

LiveCode for FM

How many of you remember HyperCard, a development system for Apple from the days before the world wide web (yes, there was a time when the web did not exist)?  Here's a bit of history:

HyperCard is application software and a programming tool for Apple Macintosh and Apple IIGS computers. It is among the first successful hypermedia systems before the World Wide Web.

It combines database abilities with a graphical, flexible, user-modifiable interface.^[2] HyperCard also features HyperTalk, a programming language for manipulating data and the user interface.

This combination of features – simple form layout, database abilities, and ease of programming – led to widespread use in many different roles. Some HyperCard users employed it as a programming system for rapid application development of applications and databases, others for building interactive applications with no database requirements, command and control systems, and many examples in the demoscene.

HyperCard was originally released in 1987 for $49.95 and was included for free with all new Macs sold then.^[1] It was withdrawn from sale in March 2004 after its final update in 1998. HyperCard ran in the Classic Environment, but was not ported to Mac OS X.

At the risk of dating myself, I developed several solutions for my business back then (a resort in New Mexico called the Damsite Recreation Area) using HyperCard. My wife, Dotty, developed a couple of games for her DECA students using HyperCard.  It was very powerful for it's time, but limited in what it could do. And it only ran on a Mac.  But we had fun with it? Then I discovered FileMaker, and that was the end of HyperCard.

How many of you have heard of LiveCode?

Here's what Wikipedia has to say:  

LiveCode (formerly Revolution and MetaCard^[1]) cross-platform^[2]rapid application development runtime environment inspired by HyperCard. It features the Transcript (formerly MetaTalk) programming language which belongs to the family of xTalk scripting languages like HyperCard's HyperTalk.

LiveCode runs on iOS, Android, OS X, Windows 95 through Windows 10, Raspberry Pi and several variations of Unix, including Linux, Solaris, and BSD. It can be used for mobile, desktop and server/CGI applications. The iOS (iPhone and iPad) version was released in December 2010.^[10][11] The first version to deploy to the Web was released in 2009.^[12] It is the most widely used HyperCard/HyperTalk clone,^{[citation needed]} and the only one that runs on all major operating systems.

LiveCode is HyperCard on massive amounts of steroids.  And it works on all major operating systems.

So what does LiveCode have to do with FileMaker?

LiveCode developed a plugin for FileMaker, a plugin that extends FileMaker's capabilities in almost unlimited ways.  Check out Kevin Miller, CEO and founder of LiveCode, at DevCon 2017:

LiveCode shipped it's first live version at DevCon!

Here are just some of the features:

• Drag-drop to create a full user interface experience, include rich graphics and multimedia


• Write code in English to crunch data from any source


• Integrate your FileMaker app with the operating system or web APIs


• Write Custom Functions using their interactive window


• Build custom components


• Custom Form builder


• Upload files to Dropbox - a forever free feature that comes with the free trial.

Here's what Richard Carlton has to say about LiveCode:

https://youtu.be/uidGsnQUKzg

More Info

By the way, there is a developer version of LiveCode for FM, and it's only $50 per year.  It's limited to FileMaker consultants actively developing solutions for other companies.

The bottom line:  LiveCode adds some great features to FileMaker, and it very competitively priced.  Check it out and see if it helps your clients.

And finally, Kevin Miller knows how to draw attention:  At the reception on opening night at DevCon, a Scottish bag pipe player in full regalia marched through the crowd to the LiveCode booth.  That turned some heads...

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Change your thoughts and you change your world.

Norman Vincent Peale

BrilliantSync and LuminFire

Synch FileMaker to almost anything. Easily.

Tim Cimbura has rebranded:  Cimbura.com is now Luminfire.  Tim's company offers a variety of products and services, one of which is a brand new service called BrilliantSync:

ODBC and ESS

BrilliantSync uses ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) And ESS (External SQL Sources) to connect FileMaker automatically to a variety of services such as Gravity Forms, MailChimp, Woo Commerce, and WordPress.

This is good news for those FileMaker developers who need to provide this connectivity but don't want to learn the API or methodology for each service.  And sometimes, providing a one off like this for a client is the best solution.

BrilliantSync does all the work behind the scenes and stores the data on their server, then makes it available to you via ODBC and ESS (at least, that is how it appears to work to me).  Simply put, it means you can add tables from their server to your solution and collect the data from there using standard FileMaker programming techniques.

Smart.  It already works with a list of common services, and you can request a connection to your favorite service if it does not already exist.

Check out this video for an example of this at work.

Note:  BrilliantSync ships in September.

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Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.

Anton Chekhov

Nic Orr and Salvatore Colangelo at FileMaker DevCon 2017

Nic Orr and Salvatore Colangelo at FileMaker DevCon 2017.

I interviewed Nic Orr and Salvatore Colangelo on the exhibition floor at DevCon 2017.  I had never met either before, and enjoyed our meeting.  And, as usual, I learned a lot.

Nic is the developer Goya's BaseElements, RefreshFM, RESTfm, and the BaseElements plugin, a plugin used by a large and growing number of FileMaker developers.  I use it in almost every solution, and am a subscriber of the $199 per year support fee. That fee helps support further development and, more importantly, provides email support from Nic. Very much worth it.

In this interview, you'll learn about Nic's vendor presentation on the differences between the new FileMaker Pro Data API, which is REST based, and RESTfm, a free solution from GOYA.  Download Nic's presentation here. A video from Nic is coming soon, but take the time watch this presentation if you want to know more about REST.

Salvatore talks about his presentation (which you will definitely want to see when it is released by FileMaker) on how to get a start on integrating an API with FileMaker. As most of you know, I feel FileMaker developer will need to know how to integrate web services with FileMaker in order to succeed in the future. Salvatore's presentation makes that easier to do.

https://youtu.be/gTCRFSA0uM0

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Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Arthur C. Clarke

Mike Beargie Interview at FileMaker DevCon

Mike Beargie of Mainspring

Mike starts off with two key changes at Mainspring over the past year that resulted in 90% plus utilization for their developers...think about that number.  By streamlining their project management and sales processes, they have increased sales, efficiency and have work lined up and assigned to the right people:

Mike's interview covers a wealth of topics:

• Business process improvements


• Stress Reduction for FileMaker Developers


• Mike's presentation in the Advanced track: ADV005 - Augmenting the iOS App SDK - Mike Beargie
  
  • FileMaker iOS SDK
  
  
  • FM added Plugins capability to the iOS SKD and to FileMaker Cloud
  
  
  • TrackFM, which tracks GPS information over time
  
  
  • MonkeyBread Software's iOS plugin
  
  
  • Showed how to unzip a zip file already in a container field, modify the pics, and then attach the pics to individual records via container fields
  
  
  • Showed how to create merge documents on the fly in FM Go
  
  
  • Demonstrated the BaseElements iOS plugin by processing javascript text to use regular expressions to extract email addresses
    
    • Flattened several arrays into one array
    
    
    • Showed that a loop function will work
    
    
  
  
  • And all of the above works offline - no internet connection, no need to send work to a server
  
  


• Keeping up with FileMaker by listening to and watching all of the sessions after FileMaker posts video sessions


• The increase in the level of activity of the FileMaker Community over the past three years


• Integrating other technologies into FileMaker and the challenges existing FileMaker only developers


• The REST API and how it will change how we develop


• NodeJS and other courses available on Linda.com


• The value of learning the language of other developing technologies


• Mike's upcoming presentation at DevCon Japan in October on developing a multilingual FileMaker interface

There's more - the above list is just the highlights.  Watch the whole interview to learn more.

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