This is an introduction to FileMaker Pro Custom Functions.
I was petrified of getting into Custom Functions when I began my FileMaker Pro Development journey. I wasted many months avoiding them, but once I started getting into the logic a little bit, I found a new world and a host of ways to speed up the development process.
Custom functions can give you a streamlined, more efficient, way of working. You don’t need to construct complex calculations time and time again.
It might seem like custom functions are a bit of black-hole in your FileMaker armoury at the moment, but there’s only one way to fix that, which is to jump in and start learning.
In this screencast I go into the rudimentary aspects of starting your custom function writing journey. Starting with one very basic and very useful technique for understanding custom functions, by using them to make shorthand versions of the standard functions within FileMaker. Some of the standard function names are just a pain in the ass to type out time and time again, this technique solves that.
In the future we will build a real custom function together, perhaps something still basic, but useful, and one that is easy to follow. If you have a suggestion for a custom function you would like, then add it to the comments below and I may use the most popular asks for that screencast – it must be a simple one that beginners could follow..
In the screencast there are pointers to a couple of excellent sites where beginners can download pre-written custom functions. 9/10 times you’ll find the one that you wanted anyway, but that doesn’t mean that you should just go ahead and use it without understanding how it works.
These are the links to those custom function sites:
Of course there are many more, Google will provide those easily.
There is no shortcut to understanding custom functions, you need to study them before their logic jumps out and hits you. I promise you that if you start with more basic custom functions that it won’t be long before you are writing your own tail recursion versions, but don’t worry about those for some time yet.
Look out for the follow-up screencasts coming shortly, in the meantime enjoy this introductory screencast and, as usual, any comments or feedback are welcome in the comments below.
Screencast
Word of warning, my mobile rings at about 9 minutes 20 seconds into the screencast, so you can have a bit of a laugh at that – god bless wives eh!
Play Screencast
About the Author: Darren Lunn is on a mission to help new FileMaker Pro developers to become competent FileMaker Pro Developers. You can connect with Darren on Twitter
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
A big thank you for your article post.Much thanks again. Keep writing.