FileMaker plug-in ideas, anyone?

[Darren Gates]

Hello,

I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into FileMaker
plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard to
plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for plug-in
suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users. If
I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
:)

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many times.
Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's users
update a web page using FileMaker data? Or... ?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Darren
[url]http://www.tufat.com[/url]

[Lynn allen]

Darren Gates <dgates@tufat.com> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into FileMaker
> plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard to
> plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
> plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for plug-in
> suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
> especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users. If
> I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
> :)
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
> email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many times.
> Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's users
> update a web page using FileMaker data? Or... ?
>

On THIS list, what you're going to be getting requests for is
organizational and development tools for developers. If a plugin could
manage the Scriptmaker list, or transfer field definitions from file to
file, or do cool things like let us build our scripts as a text file and
then import them to Scriptmaker, we would be internally AND eternally
grateful. And we would send money.

Anything which can write changes into a file from outside (like the
newest version of MetadataMagic, which can correct file references and
replace embedded IP addresses with asterisks) would be interesting.
Getting scripts out as text, or being able to do search & replace within
scripts..yum!

Being able to capture a mouse click or focus by posiiton or object would
be wonderful, and go a long way toward the much desired object oriented
programming. Being able to manage the objects in the status bar,
including putting our own custom items in there, would be excellent.

I've tried to suggest things which have not already been done. I'm sure
other folks will chime in as they wake up. :)

--
Lynn Allen Allen & Allen Semiotics
FSA Associate Filemaker Consulting & Training
[email]lynn@semiotics.com[/email] [url]http://www.semiotics.com[/url]

[Bridget Eley]

Hey Lynn, you forgot to put in a request for the fabled clairvoyant plug-in
you have been talking for years.

But seriously, there was a post recently (initiated by Howard) that called
for "top five" suggestions for future versions of filemaker - anything that
is repeated two or more times on that thread that isn't also on a v7 rumours
thread would be worth looking into.

Bridget Eley

in article 1g0zmga.jlvhbe4ttgg0N@[192.168.1.101], Lynn allen at
[email]lynn@NOT-semiotics.com[/email] wrote on 9/9/03 3:11 PM:

> Darren Gates <dgates@tufat.com> wrote:
>

>> Hello,
>>
>> I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into FileMaker
>> plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard to
>> plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
>> plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for plug-in
>> suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
>> especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users. If
>> I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
>> :)
>>
>> Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
>> email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many times.
>> Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's users
>> update a web page using FileMaker data? Or... ?
>>

>
> On THIS list, what you're going to be getting requests for is
> organizational and development tools for developers. If a plugin could
> manage the Scriptmaker list, or transfer field definitions from file to
> file, or do cool things like let us build our scripts as a text file and
> then import them to Scriptmaker, we would be internally AND eternally
> grateful. And we would send money.
>
> Anything which can write changes into a file from outside (like the
> newest version of MetadataMagic, which can correct file references and
> replace embedded IP addresses with asterisks) would be interesting.
> Getting scripts out as text, or being able to do search & replace within
> scripts..yum!
>
> Being able to capture a mouse click or focus by posiiton or object would
> be wonderful, and go a long way toward the much desired object oriented
> programming. Being able to manage the objects in the status bar,
> including putting our own custom items in there, would be excellent.
>
> I've tried to suggest things which have not already been done. I'm sure
> other folks will chime in as they wake up. :)

[Jean Biver]

Bridget Eley <bridgeteley@ihug.com.au> wrote in message news:<BB83AA10.2E5D%bridgeteley@ihug.com.au>...

> Hey Lynn, you forgot to put in a request for the fabled clairvoyant plug-in
> you have been talking for years.
>

> > Darren Gates <dgates@tufat.com> wrote:
> >

> >> Hello,
> >>
> >> I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into FileMaker
> >> plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard to
> >> plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
> >> plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for plug-in
> >> suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
> >> especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users. If
> >> I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
> >> :)
> >>

Dear Darren,

I have a couple of ideas for plug-ins:
HTML Tools to code HTML in FileMaker fields to make a content
management system
1. replace high ASCII characters with their HTML equivalent i.e. é ->
&eacute;
2. Color code selector: Color Swatch to select colors with a saved
list of preferred colors
3. Table builder dialog
4. Image import dialog with image dimensions (generate <IMG
SRC=file.gif WIDTH=pixels> tag)
5. export file with a name (This can be done with the Troi File
plug-in)
6. FTP selected files to the server (This can also be done using
differnt utils)

Regards,
Jean Biver

[Jean Biver]

"Darren Gates" <dgates@tufat.com> wrote in message news:<JIc7b.24613$Ad4.9892438@news3.news.adelphia. net>...

> Hello,
>
> I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into FileMaker
> plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard to
> plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
> plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for plug-in
> suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
> especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users. If
> I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
> :)

How about a fax driver that doesn't use a dedicated fax application.

Regards,
Jean Biver

[Glenn Schwandt]

"Darren Gates" <dgates@tufat.com> wrote in message
news:JIc7b.24613$Ad4.9892438@news3.news.adelphia.n et...

> Hello,
>
> I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into

FileMaker

> plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard

to

> plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
> plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for

plug-in

> suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
> especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users.

If

> I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
> :)
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
> email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many

times.

> Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's users
> update a web page using FileMaker data? Or... ?
>
> Thanks in advance for your feedback!
> Darren
> [url]http://www.tufat.com[/url]
>
>

How about something that would function similar to the TEXT function in
Microsoft Excel? Assume the following:

CompanyName (text) = ABC Company
Sales (number) = 150.3
TotalSales (number) = 733.25
ReportDate (date) = 9/9/2003

SetField [GlobalText1, TEXT (Sales, "$0.00")]
SetField [GlobalText2, TEXT (ReportDate, "yyyy"]
SetField [GlobalText3, TEXT (ReportDate, "mmmm d, yyyy"]
SetField [GlobalText4, TEXT (Sales / TotalSales, "0.00%")]

Now, place the following text block on your layout:

<<CompanyName>> has sales of <<GlobalText1>> so far in <<GlobalText2>>
(through <<GlobalText2>>), which amounts to <<GlobalText4>> of total sales.

The result would read like this (regardless of the Number or Date formats
for the text block):

ABC Company has sales of $150.30 so far in 2003 (through September 9, 2003),
which amounts to 20.5% of total sales.

In other words, how we all wish NumToText, TimeToText and DateToText would
really work.

[Darren Gates]

hi Jean,

Thanks for the feedback. I'm a bit unclear on what you mean here...

Are you saying that the plug-in should work like an HTML editor like
Dreamweaver or FrontPage... i.e., the user can type normal wysiwyg text into
some sort of popup window, and then that content is translated to HTML?
Thus, the contents of the field would appear as HTML text, not as the
wysiwyg equivalent? But when the tool/plug-in is activated, the contents of
the textfield gets "reformatted" to appear as wysiwyg?

Thanks,
Darren


"Jean Biver" <jbiver@internet.lu> wrote in message
news:f8dd7fe8.0309090242.f56391@posting.google.com ...

> > >>

> Dear Darren,
>
> I have a couple of ideas for plug-ins:
> HTML Tools to code HTML in FileMaker fields to make a content
> management system
> 1. replace high ASCII characters with their HTML equivalent i.e. é ->
> &eacute;
> 2. Color code selector: Color Swatch to select colors with a saved
> list of preferred colors
> 3. Table builder dialog
> 4. Image import dialog with image dimensions (generate <IMG
> SRC=file.gif WIDTH=pixels> tag)
> 5. export file with a name (This can be done with the Troi File
> plug-in)
> 6. FTP selected files to the server (This can also be done using
> differnt utils)
>
> Regards,
> Jean Biver

[Christoph Bouthillier]

Hello Darren,

nice to hear your good intentions. On my list:

- My absolute "favorite": via a script block the "Window" menu item -
therefore make it possible to
absolutely forbid the user to switch files except via a script

- somehow get rid of or make settable the OS language' influence on opening
files created on machines with other OS languages without the very annoying
question about which date syntax to use

- allow animated GIFs

- sound (= a selectable wav) on mouse-over

- by script pre-setting of the choice of direct image input or storing only
a reference

- 4 (FOUR) T-ssquare lines - 2 (two) are so much less useful when drawing
squares etc.

- selectable highlighting of all other editable field borders when the
cursor is places into any editable field

- suppressing the background blackening of portal rows when clicking outside
of a field in a row

- make horizontal status bar of FMP window (at the bottom) selectable by
script (important for maximising space on crowded layouts)

Ah, that's just a quick answer. Maybe I might come up with more

Good luck!

--


Met vriendelijke groet / Mit freundlichen Grüßen / With kind regards
Christoph Bouthillier
post (-a-t-) no-no-spam tekstotaal dot com
Please remove "no-no-spam" when e-mailing me directly - Thanks
------
"Darren Gates" <dgates@tufat.com> schreef in bericht
news:JIc7b.24613$Ad4.9892438@news3.news.adelphia.n et...

> Hello,
>
> I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into

FileMaker

> plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard

to

> plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
> plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for

plug-in

> suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
> especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users.

If

> I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
> :)
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
> email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many

times.

> Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's users
> update a web page using FileMaker data? Or... ?
>
> Thanks in advance for your feedback!
> Darren
> [url]http://www.tufat.com[/url]
>
>

[Jean Biver]

Dear Darren,

The FileMaker field can only display text. The functions would allow
to generate HTML for the given elements that would then be pasted into
the text field. Wysiwyg is not feasible in FileMaker fields.
Color-coding would be nice, but it's not feasible with FM plug-ins.
I'm rather thinking of HTML functions like in BBEdit on the Mac.

Regards,
Jean Biver


"Darren Gates" <dgates@tufat.com> wrote in message news:<FCp7b.24982$Ad4.9931298@news3.news.adelphia. net>...

> hi Jean,
>
> Thanks for the feedback. I'm a bit unclear on what you mean here...
>
> Are you saying that the plug-in should work like an HTML editor like
> Dreamweaver or FrontPage... i.e., the user can type normal wysiwyg text into
> some sort of popup window, and then that content is translated to HTML?
> Thus, the contents of the field would appear as HTML text, not as the
> wysiwyg equivalent? But when the tool/plug-in is activated, the contents of
> the textfield gets "reformatted" to appear as wysiwyg?
>
> Thanks,
> Darren
>
>
> "Jean Biver" <jbiver@internet.lu> wrote in message
> news:f8dd7fe8.0309090242.f56391@posting.google.com ...
>

> > > >>

> > Dear Darren,
> >
> > I have a couple of ideas for plug-ins:
> > HTML Tools to code HTML in FileMaker fields to make a content
> > management system
> > 1. replace high ASCII characters with their HTML equivalent i.e. é ->
> > &eacute;
> > 2. Color code selector: Color Swatch to select colors with a saved
> > list of preferred colors
> > 3. Table builder dialog
> > 4. Image import dialog with image dimensions (generate <IMG
> > SRC=file.gif WIDTH=pixels> tag)
> > 5. export file with a name (This can be done with the Troi File
> > plug-in)
> > 6. FTP selected files to the server (This can also be done using
> > differnt utils)
> >
> > Regards,
> > Jean Biver

[Darren Gates]

hi Lynn,

I'm exploring the idea of importing/exporting FileMaker scripts and the
search/replace concept. I was hoping that you might be able to offer a few
more sentences clarifying how the import/export feature might work. Are you
referring to a method of "including" external files at compile time? E.g. as
in PHP or Actionscript:

#include "/path/to/script/file"

or

include( "path/to/script/file" )

then, the developer is able to always edit the external file using something
like Notepad or SimpleText?

Regards,
Darren


"Lynn allen" <lynn@NOT-semiotics.com> wrote in message
news:1g0zmga.jlvhbe4ttgg0N@[192.168.1.101]...

> Darren Gates <dgates@tufat.com> wrote:
>

> > Hello,
> >
> > I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into

FileMaker

> > plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard

to

> > plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially

useful

> > plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for

plug-in

> > suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive,

and

> > especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker

users. If

> > I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
> > :)
> >
> > Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
> > email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many

times.

> > Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's

users

> > update a web page using FileMaker data? Or... ?
> >

>
> On THIS list, what you're going to be getting requests for is
> organizational and development tools for developers. If a plugin could
> manage the Scriptmaker list, or transfer field definitions from file to
> file, or do cool things like let us build our scripts as a text file and
> then import them to Scriptmaker, we would be internally AND eternally
> grateful. And we would send money.
>
> Anything which can write changes into a file from outside (like the
> newest version of MetadataMagic, which can correct file references and
> replace embedded IP addresses with asterisks) would be interesting.
> Getting scripts out as text, or being able to do search & replace within
> scripts..yum!
>
> Being able to capture a mouse click or focus by posiiton or object would
> be wonderful, and go a long way toward the much desired object oriented
> programming. Being able to manage the objects in the status bar,
> including putting our own custom items in there, would be excellent.
>
> I've tried to suggest things which have not already been done. I'm sure
> other folks will chime in as they wake up. :)
>
> --
> Lynn Allen Allen & Allen Semiotics
> FSA Associate Filemaker Consulting & Training
> [email]lynn@semiotics.com[/email] [url]http://www.semiotics.com[/url]

[brad anderson]

On 9/9/03 2:31 PM, in article
JIc7b.24613$Ad4.9892438@news3.news.adelphia.net, "Darren Gates"
<dgates@tufat.com> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into FileMaker
> plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard to
> plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
> plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for plug-in
> suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
> especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users. If
> I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
> :)
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
> email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many times.
> Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's users
> update a web page using FileMaker data? Or... ?
>
> Thanks in advance for your feedback!
> Darren
> [url]http://www.tufat.com[/url]
>
>

Hi Darren

How about a plug in similar to Troi's Grabber that allows you to capture
Video on the Windoze Platform

Cheers Brad

[Matt Revenaugh]

On 9/8/03 9:31 PM, in article
JIc7b.24613$Ad4.9892438@news3.news.adelphia.net, "Darren Gates"
<dgates@tufat.com> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into FileMaker
> plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard to
> plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
> plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for plug-in
> suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
> especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users. If
> I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
> :)
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
> email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many times.
> Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's users
> update a web page using FileMaker data? Or... ?
>
> Thanks in advance for your feedback!
> Darren
> [url]http://www.tufat.com[/url]
>
>

Here is an easy one...

myText = NthField(theText, n, delimeter)
myText = NthLine(theText, n, delimeter)

Get the NthField/NthLine from a text block. As delimited by
tab/space/comma/cr or whatever. Maybe even html type tags?

It would take the place of:

Middle(theText, Position(theText, delim, 1, n - 1) + 1, Position(theText,
delim, 1, n) - Position(theText, delim, 1, n + 1) - 1)


Matt Revenaugh

[Michael Bystroem]

Darren Gates <dgates@tufat.com> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into FileMaker
> plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard to
> plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
> plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for plug-in
> suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
> especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users. If
> I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
> :)
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
> email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many times.
> Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's users
> update a web page using FileMaker data? Or... ?
>
> Thanks in advance for your feedback!
> Darren
> [url]http://www.tufat.com[/url]

Great! How about a complete coded framework for propagating keys and
create, edit and delete fields without compromise from *any* database no
matter how many relations away, on any layout and initiating these edits
with simple user actions like simple field editing.

While this set of problems is possible to solve somewhat today with
scripts and other nifty techniques, a genuine solution if done right
would probably be worth something for both new and old developers.

These features could give Filemaker a complete new set of possibilities
and freedom for the developer without taking anything away.

[marianopeterson]

I don't think the FileMaker plug-in API is robust enough to allow for
these things without implementing in a jenky way (like triggering
scripts or events using field validation calculations). I think the
problem with FileMaker's plug-in API is that it really only allows you
to run external programs (like special dialog boxes) using external
functions, and only allows the plug-in developer control of the
application and document windows, but not the objects or events within
them. Thats why you can't develop a plug-in that allows you to link
tool tips to fields - you can only link them to mapped screen
coordinates, which don't stay in sync with a layout object's actual
position on the screen. Also, that's why a plug-in can't be used to
create true event-based scripting - the event plug-ins that are on the
market all use field validation calculations to trigger external
functions - and unfortunately enabling field validations in FileMaker
can lead to many undesirable side effects.



Hopefully FM(next) will provide a richer set of application hooks for
plug-in developers. But, I'm sure they won't work on it unless you ask
for it - so please, go to FileMaker.com and submit a feature request for
a more robust plug-in API.


--
Mariano Peterson


Posted via [url]http://dbforums.com[/url]

[Unregistered]

Hello,

I'm an independent software developer who has recently gotten into FileMaker
plug-in development. I'm interested in "getting my feet wet" with regard to
plug-in development, and would like some suggestions on potentially useful
plug-ins. Ideally, I'd like to sell what I write, so I'm looking for plug-in
suggestions that either don't exist, or which exist but are expensive, and
especially things that are widely needed or requested by FileMaker users. If
I use your idea, I'll give you a free copy of the plug-in when complete.
:)

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've considered things like: SMTP
email for FileMaker, but it appears that this idea has been done many times.
Or perhaps a PDF creator for FileMaker data? Or a plug-in that let's users
update a web page using FileMaker data? Or?


Hi. I surely have some ideas...
I am developing a client/server FM solution (with regular FM pro 11, no FM server) that exchange data with an accounting app (MIDA, made in Access..) and that can be used with an iPad too:
As of now, as complex as it may seem, I print from the iPad (client) using a recurring OnTimer script on the FM (server): from iPad GO a fill a field, the OnTimer script see it and fire the printing script (airprint printer are not as common).
To connect to Access I use DDE (fired with the same OnTimer script) that do a text file write and read...very cumbersome and slow.
My ideas:
1 - a "cheap" plugin (similar to 360 works RemoteScripter but < $20) to be installed on FM(usedd as server) and fire a script upon receiving a URL (http:...IP,port numer, password).
This way any user of Filemaker GO (that does not support plugin) could print on the house printer, even if it is not airprint, sending a URL and reading the result on a web viewer. RemoteScripter works but I believe $75 form Mac + $75 for Win are way too much.
2 - a plugin to get and write (may be trough VBscript) data to Access (win only, cause on Mac we have Applescript that works just fine).
I hope you are interested. Let me know...
Roberto Trevisan