Calculations and Scripting Guide [v1.65]

[Michael Petrov]

Hey Guys,

As usual we are all working late to make using FileMaker even easier for everyone. The treat this time is a calculations and scripting guide that covers what FMTouch can and cannot do with calculations and scripts. This guide is being continuously updated to reflect the latest FMTouch changes. Please also see our official sample files here that can clarify some things even further:

http://fmwebschool.com/reference/FMTouch_Reference#Sample_Files_from_FMWebschool

So please, post comments, requests, questions, and more!

Please note that the calc guide is labeled 1.63, however it is current as of v1.65 that's on the app store now.

Best Regards,
Michael Petrov

[Trinity32244]

Adding a SMS script step or even "send mail" at least gives options for work-a-rounds to be able to add calendar events to most web based calendars and could be very useful! Something to think about as I could use these in about two or three different instances in the current solution I am working on. Especially, for the Iphone to be able to send a text message with a list of to-do's, or notify you when you have gone over budget. ect. would be a big benefit to FMTouch solutions. Thanks for listening and maybe others wouldn't agree but I see many uses for it especially when trying to integrate with Google Calendar.

[silberberg@mac.com]

You state that the "If" function is supported in calculations.

Could you please post an example of an "If()" statement that works in a calculation?

So far... even: "if(1+1=2;2;0)" produces the non-result question mark.

Of course if this doesn't work, neither will: "If([field1]-[field2]<12;[calculation1];[calculation2].

"IF(I can't even do a simple If test ; FMtouch is completely useless to me ; I must be completely missing something )

Please help.

-Less

Lessley P. Silberberg
Computer Ranger

[Michael Petrov]

Hi Less,

I have investigated this issue and it seems to be mainly related to the equal sign in that statement, in the next update that issue should be fixed. I believe something in the last update ended up messing it up since such a simple test was certainly done back when the calculation engine was developed. That being said, this calculation works properly:

If(A_text > B_text ; "A is bigger"; "B is bigger")

Hopefully this puts you on the right track with the calculation engine, and thank you for reporting this simple problem.

Best Regards,
Michael Petrov

[ams]

The tutorial states that "Total" is a function. I am using FM Pro Advanced and there is no function called "Total". Is this is an earlier version? If so what does it actual total? Does it work similar to Sum for summing up fields in related records? OR am I missing the boat completely on this one?

Thanks!

[ams]

 missed the version number "using FM Pro Advanced 8.5"

[Michael Petrov]

The tutorial states that "Total" is a function. I am using FM Pro Advanced and there is no function called "Total". Is this is an earlier version? If so what does it actual total? Does it work similar to Sum for summing up fields in related records? OR am I missing the boat completely on this one?

Thanks!

We will update the manual, the "Total" should be "Sum", however it doesn't work too well right now due to the nature of the SQL based engine. We will be doing a huge calc engine rewrite in about two months which should fix this issue.

[ams]

Thanks. Looking forward to the engine rewrite.

[gdthomas]

This guide should be on the main website. I found it totally necessary to get this thing to work for me!

[Dimwhit]

Will this be updated for the upcoming 1.40 release? I'm waiting to get this until it supports the calculations/scriping I need (standard stuff, like ROUND and TRUNCATE).

This is a great resource.

[Michael Petrov]

I have just posted an updated version of this document in the first post. It now reflects the upcoming v1.40 of FMTouch which should appear on the app store within a couple of days.

Download the older version from the same post for the overview of the pre-update functionality of the scripting and calculation engines.

[BifocalMan]

Some questions:
--Could you add the function, Get(Repetition) in v1.40? My financial database is based on this function.
--Will the ability to add or subtract calculation fields work in v1.40? 
--Will repeating fields work properly in v1.40? In v1.35, some work and some do not.

I realize the FileMaker has been under development for more than 20 years, and I've been using FileMaker since version 1. I know that you are adding as much functionality as quickly as possible. Just keep up the good work, because I'd like to transfer my databases to the iPhone once some of these additional functions and others are added.

[Michael Petrov]

--Could you add the function, Get(Repetition) in v1.40? My financial database is based on this function.

Adding this function would have to come as part of a general repeating field overhaul, I'll consider it as part of the changes for the next major update.

--Will the ability to add or subtract calculation fields work in v1.40? 

Yup, those kind of issues have been resolved at this point.

--Will repeating fields work properly in v1.40? In v1.35, some work and some do not.

Largely repeating fields did not change from v1.35 to v1.40 so same restrictions would apply for now.

I realize the FileMaker has been under development for more than 20 years, and I've been using FileMaker since version 1. I know that you are adding as much functionality as quickly as possible. Just keep up the good work, because I'd like to transfer my databases to the iPhone once some of these additional functions and others are added.

Thanks! We always appreciate feature requests and will continue to make FMTouch better and more powerful.

[JoelBowers]

Hey Guys,

As usual we are all working late to make using FileMaker even easier for everyone. The treat this time is a calculations and scripting guide that covers what FMTouch can and cannot do with calculations and scripts. We believe that this three page guide has enough interesting details to allow even the most seasoned FMTouch developer learn some new tricks or information. We are planning to publish this on the main FMTouch site by the end of the weekend and would love to hear comments from you regarding it.

So please, post comments, requests, questions, and more!

Important Note: v1.30 of the guide reflects the current app store release (1.35), v1.40 reflects FMTouch v1.40 which should appear on the app store within days.

Best Regards,
Michael Petrov

Thanks for the script and calc guide. I would suggest it be tweaked so it shows up in preview on the Mac. I thought it was just a garbled file at first since nothing but punctuation marks show up on the pages.  It seems to work in Adobe Reader only. Trying to import the pdf into FileMaker on the mac is equally messed up!  No characters except punctuation marks show. Weird!

[tysonbrown]

Can you tell me, Michael, whether over time you will be trying to build in MORE scripting steps and calculations that are compatible?  Here is what I WANTED to be able to do, with either Bento OR this software, neither of which (even after I've paid money for BOTH) allows me to do yet...

I have created in Filemaker a little Time Tracking database.  So, I click a button on my layout and it creates a new time tracking record, sets the status to "Open" and automatically places me in my Task field (which is a dropdown list populated with my common tasks).  I click the same button and it inserts a timestamp into my Start time field and changes the status to "Timing".  I click it again, it inserts a timestamp into my Stop time field and changes the task status to "Closed.  A calculated field handles duration...  I REALLY wanted to be able to do time tracking using my Touch (for when I'm away from my Mac....).However when I try to put this database on FMTouch, most of my script steps are not supported.  For script steps, I need:

Commit Record (without verification, no dialogue)
Insert Current Time


For Calculations, it would be REALLY nice to have "Get (CurrentTime)" (at which point I could probably do a Set Field {Get(CurrentTime)} and not need Insert Current Time. 

So, unfortunately, until FMTouch HAS those, it is not doing what I paid my $70 for (yes, I realize I should have investigated it further before I bought it....).  Can you give me any assurances that anything like this might be forthcoming, or have I just thrown away $70?