Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!us.feeder.erje.net!news2.arglkargh.de!news.ecp.fr!aioe.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Helpful Harry Newsgroups: comp.databases.filemaker Subject: Re: Filemaker 11: Show custom dialog, user input field? Date: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 09:32:33 +1300 Organization: Aioe.org NNTP Server Lines: 39 Message-ID: <010220140932337413%HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> References: <9PidnUH1-oUsfnbPnZ2dnUVZ_vGdnZ2d@giganews.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 2EJqCjbFv2vo+YxNsCIxkw.user.speranza.aioe.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Complaints-To: abuse@aioe.org User-Agent: Thoth/1.5.4 (Carbon/OS X) X-Notice: Filtered by postfilter v. 0.8.2 Xref: csiph.com comp.databases.filemaker:1702 In article <9PidnUH1-oUsfnbPnZ2dnUVZ_vGdnZ2d@giganews.com>, CGreader wrote: > > Many years ago I bought SuperBase for the Amiga. > > I had never used a database before. It used BASIC as a scripting language. > > In less than two weeks I set up a database that was attractive, powerful, > complete, fully automated with checks and balances, and did all my invoicing, > inventory, accounting—everything I needed. It was a snap. It was intuitive, > it was powerful, and scripting was easy. I rarely had to look at the manual. > > I have been using Filemaker for years. I still cannot achieve 1/4 of what I > did with SuperBase and everything on FileMaker, even the simplest scripts, > has me running in circles for hours. There's nothing logical or intuitive > about it. It is the most unproductive scripting system I have ever used. > Whenever I go to the Web for help, I see thousands of search hits for people > asking the same questions I have and often there are no answers (or obscure > ones). > > When I do find answers, often they are bad ones. Many of the database > scripting suggestions are solutions that only apply to one dataset with a > specific format. It's bad programming. A generic solution that solves the > current problem AND encompasses other forms of data that might be entered > later is the way to do it and SOMETIMES this is possible with Filemaker, but > the suggestions and examples frequently don't approach it this way. > > Filemaker is reliable and stable. That's why I keep using it and setting up > the pages (the visual interface) is fine. It's quick. But scripting it to > make it do useful and powerful things is one of the most frustrating > challenges I've ever struggled with in all the years I've been using computers. And the question is?? Believe me, FileMaker is one of the easiest and best database systems there is. If you want a complicated mess with horrible scripting, try using Microsoft's garbage Access! Helpful Harry :o)