FileMaker to Amazon Database

FileMaker to Amazon Database

I've blogged for four and a half years now, and in the past two years I've seen an incredible increase in both the quantity and quality of blogging in the FileMaker world.  I've also noticed better posts, better writing, and posts on an incredible breadth of subjects - web connectivity, design, tips and tricks, exploiting new features in creative ways, and more (kudos to FileMaker for moving the platform along at such a rapid and productive pace – it's easier to write when we have so many new features added every year).  The other thing I've noticed is the continued sharing of hard-earned knowledge to the greater FileMaker community.

And it's not just sharing that is notable - it's the quality of what is shared that is remarkable:  Not just the code examples, but often a completely functional free FileMaker example file that allows the lucky recipient to easily do something that would normally take a lot of blood, sweat, tears and time to do on their own.  Which brings me to the subject of my post today.

Making it Easy

Brendan McBride, of DB Services, wrote a blog post in September (and I missed it then, dang it!) about connecting FileMaker to Amazon Marketplace Web Services (Amazon MWS). And included a free FileMaker example database (download at the link below) that does all the heavy lifting for any FileMaker developer looking to make that connection.

And to top it all off, he made a short (6 minutes) video showing how to use it:

https://youtu.be/T4eZmaTtQxo

To put this in perspective, McBride just took most of the pain out of connecting FileMaker to Amazon MWS.  FileMaker developers and clients, existing and potential, will benefit. Here's why:

Authenticating with Amazon MWS is a bit tricky:  In a solution we are just finishing for a client, authenticating turned out to be the hardest part.  There were other challenges (locating, downloading and parsing custom engraved information in zipped json files comes to mind), but nothing happens without the authentication. And updating records on Amazon is not as straightforward as one would expect, but don't worry, the example file does that, as well.

So check out the video and the blog post, download the file, and take a look.  And thank Brandon for his hard work next time you get a chance.

Source: FileMaker Amazon Integration | DB Services

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All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy.

Spike Milligan 

 

FileMaker 16 Progress Bar, Environment and Motivation

FileMaker 16 Progress Bar in a Card Window

Vince Dolan of the Support Group shows a very slick way to easily build two types of FileMaker 16 progress bars using a Card window, a data viewer, and some basic html. There isn't a downloadable file, but this is simple enough to put it together from the video:

https://youtu.be/X8cd8_aVmDs

Jazz it up

If you want to snazzy it up a bit, check out these links at w3schools for some help:

Basic Progress Bars

Complete Progress Bar HTML Reference

Don't overlook the Try it Yourself demo, either.

Simple and functional, or get fancy. Either way, you have an easy way to add a FileMaker 16 progress bar.

And nothing would stop you from adding it as a Webviewer on a standard page, either.  Just be sure to freeze your window so it always displays.

Source: How to Create a Progress Bar in FileMaker Pro

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Motivation is Overvalued.  Environment Often Matters More.

James Clear rarely disappoints with his research into human behavior.  And this time is no exception:

It can be tempting to blame failure on a lack of willpower or a scarcity of talent, and to attribute success to hard work, effort, and grit.

To be sure, those things matter. What is interesting, however, is that if you examine how human behavior has been shaped over time, you discover that motivation (and even talent) is often overvalued. In many cases, the environment matters more.

Let me share an example that surprised me when I first learned of it.

Clear talks about one of my favorite reads,  Guns, Germs, and Steel, by scientist Jared Diamond .  In his book, Diamond talks about the differences that occur due to different environments, from a macro down to a micro level.  Clear discusses some of Diamond's finding, and gives you three ways to design your environment to maximize your success.  A must read for those struggling to overcome a bad environment.  Or to those just seeking a way to improve their own.

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All wish to possess knowledge, but few, comparatively speaking, are willing to pay the price.

Juvenal

Web Viewer Integrations - FileMaker

Web Viewer Integrations into a FileMaker Custom App

Jeremy Brown is well known in the FileMaker community for his work with Web Viewer integrations:  integrating javascript and more into FileMaker web viewers, writing a great free FileMaker demo database, and pushing the boundaries of the web viewer in FileMaker.

Brown presented at FileMaker DevCon 2017 (video below) on his favorite (at least I assume it is) topic, and now has a newer version of his free file for download, as well.

Video Objectives

His objectives for the presentation are pretty straightforward:

• Learn the best practices of web integrations into a custom FileMaker app


• Learn the basics of manipulating an integration to fit their own custom app


• Learn how to implement web viewer integrations into any app


• Undertand how to get an integration to callback to FileMaker

And, most importantly, get excited about using a web viewer integration.

That last goal is critical:  The hardest part of embracing a new technology is the learning curve.  Jeremy's presentation combined with the free download file greatly reduce that curve.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpRU1mrjSWQ&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

Use Cases

So, where will you find this concept useful? How about this list for a partial answer:

• Data Presentation


• User Interface improvements


• Menus


• Photo displays


• Calendars


• Charting (lots of good stuff here)


• Utility


• Media


• Audio

Things you'll learn

Here's just some of the topics covered in his DevCon presentation:

Standardization of an integration
Data-gathering process
Manipulating an integration
Pushing an integration
Extending this concept

What makes is easy - and powerful

Each module in the database is broken into the following components:

• An HTML template


• CSS template


• Javascript Template


• Data Fields

The way it is setup, each part works with the others, and each can be manipulated and modified as necessary without breaking the others.  This is the way web developers work, and it's a powerful method that allows for quicker development and troubleshooting.  For example, different people can work on different portions (HTML, JavaScript, CSS, or Data) at the same time without affecting the others.

Integrate into your FileMaker App

Jeremy actually shows how to export an integration from his example file and integrate it into your solution.  You can't really ask for more.

So don't wait...there is a lot to learn.  Start by watching the video and downloading the file.  Then start playing with it.  Jeremy did most of the heavy lifting, so there's no reason to put if off!

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Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

Charles R. Swindoll

FileMaker 16: Artificial Intelligence and JSON

FileMaker 16: Artificial Intelligence and JSON

FileMaker 16 and Artificial Intelligence from Joris Arts of Clickworks:

Watch this video to discover how easy it is now to integrate FileMaker with Artificial Intelligence using the new features of FileMaker 16. We use an AI for image recognition with a FileMaker custom app for a commercial casting bureau. Learn how in this example a robot completely takes over the data entry and allows to explore the images in a way that was not possible before.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56FhLKRbk7U[/embed]

This is pretty impressive stuff: The images are inspected by a robot service, Clarifai.com, and it offers plenty of different services (model recognition, prevent nude photos from being posted to a forum, and more.  And the basic levels of service are free – up to 5000 photos per month!

Joris provides a free downloadable file at the link - don't miss this one!

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From Anders Monsen of Soliant: Ways to use JSON in FileMaker

There are both external and internal uses for JSON.

Knowing how to create JSON is a requirement for using many web services. Combined with cURL features in the Insert from URL script step, you can now send JSON built from FileMaker records.

Within FileMaker, JSON could be used to handle multiple script parameters, store users preferences in a single object instead of across multiple fields, gather changes in an audit log, and even duplicate records including data in portals. Imagine the possibilities.

This post is loaded with usable information and includes a free FileMaker downloadable file at the link.

Source: How to Create JSON in FileMaker 16 - A Guide from Certified Developers

Superfast Reporting with PSOS and Virtual Lists

Faster Reports with PSOS and Virtual Lists

Anders Monsen's DevCon 2017 presentation is loaded with great tips about PSOS and Virtual Lists, something your clients need from time to time. He doesn't stop there, however, as he combines the use of ExecuteSQL to really speed up reporting.

If you haven't heard of Virtual Lists, it's a technique for easily grabbing data from multiple sources, saving it into global variables, and parsing the information into an unrelated table.  It's a powerful technique that free a developer from some of the constraints of normal FileMaker reporting.

Here a partial list of the subjects covered in the video:

• How to grab easily parsed data using ExecuteSQL (hint: don't use the default delimiter)


• How to build and test scripts in PSOS


• Tips from the audience on things to test for when running PSOS


• How to store the data in a global variable and parse it into the virtual table on the fly


• How to add headers to the virtual table report


• Formatting options to make the report look better

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzukC1uoB2s&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

There are four free FileMaker downloadable files available, as well.

If you haven't built virtual lists before, watch this video and learn how to build powerful reports using PSOS and Virtual Lists.  If you have, watch this video to learn how to optimize what you already know.

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People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.

Isaac Asimov

FileMaker API Integration - Salvatore Colangelo

FileMaker API Integration: How to Interpret an API: From start to working code

This DevCon presentation is the one I've been waiting for: Salvatore Colangelo's presentation on connecting FileMaker to an API.  Colangelo uses the metaphor of a recipe in his presentation, and the same recipe is followed every time you want to connect to an API:

• Understand the Authentication


• Identify the Endpoints and the HTTP Methods


• Construct the Body parameters and the HTTP Headers Submit the request


• Parse the response and the HTTP Headers

Free FileMaker Downloadable File

This video is packed with useful information, and don't miss the free download file and blog post here with explicit instructions for connecting to Amazon services, something that is hard to figure out.

Check out the video (there is a partial list below of what you will find in the video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5kes4lX-fw&feature=youtu.be

Toolbox:

• FileMaker 16 Insert from URL


• FileMaker 16 JSON Parsing


• A powerful text editor like TextMate


• HTTP clients like Postman or Generator

Documents

A discussion of different types of web API documents and some of the "gotcha's" you'll encounter.

Structure

Learn about HTTP methods, Authentication Types, and Endpoint Styles (all critical to successful connections)

Lots of advice

The most important advice:  Test your FileMaker API Integration code.  Test, test, and test some more.  Then test again.  I have found this to be an indispensable part of the process.

Other Tools:

Postman (used by Colangelo)

Todd Geist's free FileMaker Program, Generator (this tool is awesome, by the way).

My Two Cents

In my experience, the hardest part of all of this is figuring out the things the API developers don't tell you.  Many times they assume you know things they know.  Other times they share the info, but leave out a tiny piece of info.  Or they show you how to connect with PHP, Ruby, Python, etc., which is of little use to FileMaker developers.

So make use of their tech support, even if it is halfway around the world, is not very friendly, and has never heard of FileMaker. You'll usually find the problem is with a Header (or lack thereof), a minor typing mistake, of something similar. But with the right tools and perseverance, you'll get there.  And that is a great feeling.

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The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd.

Bertrand Russell