"No Holding Back FileMaker Blogging"


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Recent Blogs:

Window Locking
Window Locking

Everything Changes
Everything Changes

Subsummary Unique Count
Subsummary Unique Count

Scripted Change Log
Scripted Change Log

Abstracted Log
Abstracted Log


Meta-Consulting
Meta-consulting is a service Database Pros offers to help other developers over programming hurdles via GoToMeeting. Email John Mark Osborne or call John Mark at (909) 393-4664 to find out more about this service.


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Quick Tip:

Indexing
FileMaker Pro indexes every word in a text field so that finds can be performed quickly. Think of the analogy of a book. Rather than trying to locate something by thumbing through each page, you look in the index and find all the pages numbers at once. FileMaker works in the same way. In order to make finds as fast as possible, the first 100 characters of every word is indexed. If you click into a field and type Command-I (Macintosh) or Ctrl-I (Windows), you can view the index of a field. Most characters are indexed but you may be surprised what characters designate a new word other than a space. The index does take up space, so if a field is not going to be searched on or used as a match field in a relationship, set the Storage Options in Manage Database to never index that field.



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Fun Stuff:

Hall of Fame
I started working with FileMaker 25 years ago and a lot has changed. Here are the folks I think need to be recognized for their effort in shaping the early FileMaker (in no particular order):



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John Mark Osborne

John Mark Osborne of Philosophy of FileMaker

My Passion
The first time I touched FileMaker was when I worked as a graduate assistant at San Jose State University. I was handed a FileMaker database and told to fix the labels. I can't say it was love at first site but it did begin a lifelong love affair with FileMaker. Not until I started working in technical support across from a guy named Michael Whitney did that spark ignite a fire of passion for this unique product. I'm not sure Michael knows how much he meant to my FileMaker career but kudos to you buddy and the fun we had sitting across from each other.

My Career
For the past twenty years, I have been making a living as a database developer at my company Database Pros. This entire web site is driven by FileMaker! I first started working with FileMaker because I really liked the product. I've done just about everything in the FileMaker market from writing a book, recording videos, speaking at the Developer Conference, teaching live classes, editing multiple magazines, running a popular FileMaker web site, speaking at MacWorld and probably a few other things I've forgotten over the years. My current projects are The Fireside FileMaker Podcast and video training.

Where Am I?
I live in Chino Hills, California with my beautiful wife Aida but I grew up in Silicon Valley. I have two children, Liza and Ryan. Both children have graduated college but still come over often for meals at our house. I also have a food blog so I try my new recipes on my wife and children. If I could make a living cooking, I would but FileMaker enables me to cook all I want. Thanks FileMaker!

Fun
I have a few hobbies. I usually have a nice craft beer while I'm cooking (but, not while I'm developing FileMaker) and I'm also brewing my own beer from time to time. Cooking is my main hobby though and something I do almost daily. I do enjoy the company of my dogs on our early morning walks but the day is mostly devoted to FileMaker. Night time turns my interests towards Anime like Naruto Shippuden, One Piece, Ruruni Kenshin, Bleach, Attack on Titan, YuYu Hakusho, Dragonball Z and so many more that I can't name them all here.

What is the Philosophy of FileMaker?
When I was in college, I was fascinated with philosophy classes and how philosophers think through the subject they are trying to prove or disprove so thoroughly. Philosophers focus on a subject like a laser and attack it from all sides, to a degree that most people consider ridiculous. I have used the philosophical methodology throughout my database development career to reveal advantages and disadvantages in order to choose the best solution for the problem at hand. I'll apply the same approach to writing this blog, never leaving any details out or holding back because it is a trade secret.

Please Support this FREE Web Site!
Please support this free web site by purchasing some of the FileMaker products that are linked from the banners or go directly to the databasepros.com web site and check out the solutions, consulting, training and other options. I also have beginner, intermediate and advanced video training with over 3 hours provided for FREE. Thanks so much!

All FileMaker, All Mac
Instead of taking the easy way out and choosing one of the many plug-and-play blogging platforms out there, I decided a blog about FileMaker had to run on the FileMaker platform. So, I developed my own blog solution, customized to my particular requirements. Not only that, all the beautiful screen shots, custom artwork, late night coding and endless hours of writing are done on a Macintosh. Even the server hosting the FileMaker solution is a Macintosh! I'm proud to support the most innovative technology company in the world!