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Russell Watson edited this page May 17, 2024 · 67 revisions

[A FileMaker Integrated Development Environment]

fmIDE is a FileMaker module to make integration of your FileMaker database into your development processes and analysis tools easier and tighter!

Welcome to the fmIDE wiki!

The source of all fmIDE documentation!

Introducing fmIDE

See also the fmIDE Repo README

What is it?

fmIDE is…

  • magic
  • a FileMaker script module, a one-script API between your FileMaker database, the FileMaker development environment and external FileMaker tools & documentation.
  • an extension of the FileMaker development environment (Script Workspace, Layout Workspace and all the various editing dialogs), which allows you to jump straight to a thing you name.
  • an integration tool to connect your FileMaker database more closely with your documentation and FileMaker development tools.

What's it for?

  • fmIDE's for deep linking into your FileMaker databases.
  • fmIDE's for integrating with your analysis tools to make finding the right element in your database as simple as a click or a key-press!
  • fmIDE's for automating your daily development workflows and boosting your productivity (by running script-like fmIDE-actions).

fmIDE builds on top of FileMaker development steps (Open Manage…, etc.) and on the MBS Plugin developer extras to provide a richer development environment and experience.

Who's it for?

Installing fmIDE

fmIDE needs to be installed into each FileMaker file you want to magically access, but since it needs to be tweaked to your layout naming conventions it pays to first install it to one file of your solution and tweak it before copying it to all files of your solution.

Follow the instructions on the fmIDE Installation and Setup page.

Calling all FileMaker Tool developers!

Let's make fmIDE work around the world!

The fmIDE 'Name that thing' Project is for you! 👀 Please take a look!

Impress me!

Here are some impressive improvements to FileMaker Development Environment processes:

Use Case: Industrial Bug Eradication

[From bug report to bug eradication in a fraction of the time]

  • Do you use an analysis tool?
  • Does the error report tell you that you have (loads of) mistakes - in some step in some script in some file of your solution?
  • And when it does, how long do you need to get there, and fix it (and tick it off, and move on to the next bug)?

These are the steps I used to take:

  1. Internalise the bug (or in other words read and remember - or note down - or copy - the bug details)
    1. the file name
      • read it
    2. the script name
      • remember it, or copy it (=better if you have many and similar script names)
    3. the script step number
      • remember it
  2. Locate the bug
    1. Switch from tool to FileMaker
    2. Select the file from the window menu
    3. Open the Script Workspace
    4. Locate the script
      • by scrolling (good luck!)
      • by typing or pasting the script name into the search box
    5. Open script and scroll to the line
  3. Fix the bug
    1. Edit, delete or replace the step
      • In cases where you need to paste a fixed step,…
        • you are often hampered by the need to copy and paste to find the script name quick
        • so you may need to keep a fixed script open to copy the fixed code from
    2. Save the Script
  4. Move on to next bug
    1. Return to the analysis tool
      • …
    2. Mark the last bug as finished
      • …
    3. Move on to next bug
      • …
    4. Repeat from the beginning

😳 Phew! That is a lot of steps!

These days…

  • with an installed and setup fmIDE (inc. plugins)
  • with a prepared analysis tool
    • here I am using a modified CrossCheck, but BaseElements is similar
  • and with a further little help from fmAutoMate

…I need a fraction of the steps:

  1. No need to internalise the bug! (You don't need to even look)
  2. Just run the fmIDE-Go to Thing script (or press ⌘⇧M) to locate the bug
  3. Fix the bug (sorry, I can't do that for you)
    1. Edit, delete or replace the step
      • however, since you no longer need the clipboard for remembering the script name, it is free to be used for pasting the corrected code
    2. Save the Script
  4. Move on to next bug
    1. Just press ⌃⇧2 to return to the analysis tool window (that's fmAutoMate's go to window 2 key)
    2. Run the fmIDE-OK and Next script (or press ⌘⇧K) to…
      • mark the last bug as finished
      • move on to next bug
      • and locate it, so you are ready to fix the next bug (already at step 3!)

😎 Now that is cool!

(more coming)

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