FileMaker: 20 & 30 – Wow!
FileMaker has reached two important milestones: The platform is now 30 years old, and still going strong. No longer a mom and pop database product, but a well-positioned, immensely powerful development platform to help anyone solve a host of difficult problems....
14 Points for Glyphindor!
Key Takeaways SVG glyphs in FileMaker Pro 14 are a significant design advancement: The ability to use SVG-based glyphs in FileMaker layouts is on par with Script Workspace and mobile browser support as one of the most impactful features of FileMaker 14, enabling...
Upward Mobility
Mobile Computing has become a commonly used term among software developers and consumers, business owners and their customers. But what, exactly, does it mean for you? If you have a business to run, chances are it does not all happen inside the walls of your office....
Bug Logic: we all have issues
Key Takeaways Precise issue reporting dramatically speeds up resolution: When users report problems with clear context, including which screen they were on, what action they took, what they expected, and what actually happened, developers can diagnose and resolve...
Typeface Challenges in Database Design
A new article by Jason Pamental in the TNW blog addresses some of the concerns designers face in attempting to design good, readable interfaces. One thing I like about this article is that he pays attention to something very close to my heart: typographic hierarchy....
Getting Started with Design 2: Type
Key Takeaways Typography is one of the most powerful tools in FileMaker interface design: How text is set, sized, spaced, and weighted communicates hierarchy, urgency, and brand before a user reads a single word, making typographic decisions a core part of any serious...
Ruggedized iPad Case with Swiper
I thought I would share a quick note on an interesting project for a client. We are deploying a FileMaker solution on some iPad Air 2s, using FileMaker Go. This is an invoicing/POS system for plumbers to accept on-site payment from customers at the close of a job. We...
Getting Started with Design 2: Type
Many developer types are confused about the entire topic of typography. What's the big deal? If you can read it, it's working, right? Not necessarily. In part 2 of the "Getting Started with Design" series, we will explore what makes type so important to a design, and...
Getting Started with Design 1: Color
Key Takeaways Color in FileMaker design must serve function, not just aesthetics: Effective use of color in a database interface directs user attention, communicates status, and reinforces brand identity, but only when applied with intention rather than decoration....
Double-keying: We Have Penicillin
If you were to ask me what's the most common source of pain for new, first-time clients, I can say unequivocally that it's double-keying – the practice of entering the same piece of information in more than one location (e.g. two different Excel documents). Sometimes...