5 Minutes with Philly FileMaker featuring Don Levan

By: Jason Mundok

Get a preview of two sessions by Don Levan, Vanguard Custom Software, that will be presented on Tuesday at the FileMaker Development Conference in San Diego, CA. Don joined us at IT Solutions in Philly to give us a sneak peek at his interface sessions in spring 2010.

Also check out www.fmcraftworkshops.com for info on a special FileMaker design seminar in NYC in October.

phillyfilemaker DevCon meetup at noon today.

By: Colin Keefe

We’re aware there are some conflicts – notably with the Women of FileMaker luncheon – but we’re keeping this on the agenda for today, and may arrange a second meeting later this week.

Noon today, look for the bright red Phillies cap in the dining area.

From the City of Brotherly Love to the City of Unspeakably Nice Weather (or: how I stopped worrying and learned to love an ambient temperature of 71 degrees)

By: Colin Keefe

I stepped off the puddle jumper plane from LA to San Diego (en route from Philadelphia) and squinted into the bright light, scowling at the light breeze.  71 degrees?  Seriously?

I’m a firm believer that the West Coast was invented to mock East Coasters.  “See how happy you can be when you don’t need to sweat in 100 degree weather or shovel four feet of snow off your Subaru Forrester?  And oh, by the way, here we actually use our sunroofs.”  Uncomfortable pause.  “And, come on.  A Subaru Forrester?  Do you wear anoraks too?”

It wasn’t always this way with the FileMaker DevCon.  It used to be that you’d crawl out of your transportation device of choice into a humid steam bath and say to yourself, “yeah, okay, this sun thing is nice, but at least I don’t live 20 miles from downtown huddled in an air conditioning bubble”.

No longer.  FileMaker DevCon these days is now held in places that make me envious. Continue reading ‘From the City of Brotherly Love to the City of Unspeakably Nice Weather (or: how I stopped worrying and learned to love an ambient temperature of 71 degrees)’

5 Minutes with Philly FileMaker featuring Mike Lee

By: Jason Mundok

Mike Lee, Proof Group, joined me for a quick chat Sunday morning to discuss his FileMaker DevCon sessions called SQL to the Rescue about using SQL inside FileMaker solutions. Look for more video interviews and DevCon blog posts throughout the conference from all of the IT Solutions team attending this year’s conference.

5 Minutes with Philly FileMaker featuring John Sindelar

By: Jason Mundok

We’re at the FileMaker Developer Conference 2010 in San Diego, CA getting ready for an excellent week of networking and learning about all of things FileMaker. This afternoon I dusted off the video camera and started lining up a great list of FileMaker experts to spend a few minutes chatting with to see what they have coming up at DevCon and what mind blowing tips and tricks they’re seeing out in the community. I’m kicking off a new batch of 5 Minutes with Philly FileMaker interviews with our good buddy John Sindelar, SeedCode. John is doing his annual Year in Review session Monday morning, which I already know will be a DevCon highlight.

Chad Sager and Colin Keefe are also representing IT Solutions at DevCon. If you’re at the conference, be sure to say hi!

FileMaker DevCon!

By: Colin Keefe

As many of you know, the 2010 FileMaker DevCon is coming up soon – August 15-18, to be exact.  We’re going to be doing a recap meeting on Tuesday August 24.  I’ll have more on that in a few weeks,but I think we can safely assume that FileMaker Go will be on the agenda!

If you’re from eastern PA, please email me at colin.keefe@itsolutions-inc.com – we’re planning a get together for Philly FileMaker folks on Monday.  I’ll reply with the details.

Some tools to keep you connected to what’s going on: Continue reading ‘FileMaker DevCon!’

Speak your Mind. Using Comments, part 1.

By: Jerry Salem

Recently I was on a family trip to Pittsburgh.  We were walking around the campus of Carnegie Mellon and I saw this memorial brick;
Eschew Obfuscation

It got me to thinking about some of the monster databases that I have had to take over for clients.  When I take over a project, often I am spending a great deal of time just trying to figure out what the developer was trying to do.

Our earlier posts on this blog are generally concerned with improving the user experience(better printing workflow) or getting more out of your data (One Report two sets of summarized data).  Today I would like to return to that lowly person, the developer.  Anything that I can do that can make my job easier will make be a better developer and ultimately make my customers happier.  Or as my grandfather would say to my grandmother, “What would you do if I got hit by a bus?” Continue reading ‘Speak your Mind. Using Comments, part 1.’

FMPug discounted memberships – with locked rate

By: Colin Keefe

FMPug is offering discounted memberships at a LOCKED in rate, in perpetuity.  As of this moment, the rate is $50.00 US, which I believe is half the usual annual fee.  There are only a limited number of discounted rates available, after which a lesser discount tier becomes available.  When those get used up, it’s back to to the regular rate.

Here’s how it works:

Your locked in rate is based on the number of COMPLETED transactions. To avoid losing the current promotional rate” (ed: currently $50), “we urge you to complete this transaction sooner rather than later. Wait too long and it could be gone! ;-)

** YOU’RE LOCKED-IN FOR LIFE! ** Here’s where things get really exciting! By signing-up now, the promotional price is your rate for life! That’s right, providing your membership never lapses, the promotional price will be your annual FMPug renewal rate for life! Whether you’re a new member or a renewing member, you won’t pay a penny more. It’s just that simple.”

Go here:

https://www.fmpug.com/signup

Is it worth it?  You bet.  But if you need more than the product discounts, mailing lists and so on, here’s an extra perk:

The all new iPad!

Er…wait, I mean this:

I meant THIS iPad.

Yeah, that’s it.

FMPug will be giving away four iPads to FMPug members – two at the FileMaker Developer Convention in August, and two to FMPug members who couldn’t attend DevCon.  I hear there’s some kind of FileMaker GO thingy that runs on iPads now too.

Customizing the Toolbar in FileMaker Pro 11

By: Jason Mundok

The status toolbar is the gray area located horizontally across the top of a FileMaker Pro 11 window and can be easily customized to suit your needs. If you’re using older versions of FileMaker, the status toolbar combines all of the functionality of the old status area, which was located on the left side of the window, and the optional standard toolbar, both of which existed in versions prior to FileMaker 10. By default the status toolbar comes loaded with commonly used features, such as record navigation (the book), Show All, New and Delete Record, and Find. Depending on how you use FileMaker, there may be other buttons that make more sense for you to have on the toolbar. With a few clicks, you can set up your FileMaker toolbar however you’d like.

Continue reading ‘Customizing the Toolbar in FileMaker Pro 11′

Please Join us June 22nd: Using FileMaker as a SQL Front End

By: Colin Keefe

Greetings FileMaker Enthusiasts,
Our next Philadelphia FileMaker User Group meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday evening, June 22nd 2010 at 6:00 PM.
The meeting will be held at the IT Solutions Fort Washington Office:
+  414 Commerce Dr., Suite 150, Fort Washington, PA 19034
As always, pizza and soft drinks will be provided.
Please RSVP here if you are planning to attend this meeting:

USING FILEMAKER AS A SQL FRONT END