Figure 1: Tab Control -- This Tab Control, seen at the bottom of the illustration, organizes two sets of address data. The active tab shows a home address. The Work Address tab is a little darker to indicate it's clickable. When you do click, you'll see exactly what's promised -- the work address for the current record.



Figure 2: The tool for the job -- The tool looks like a manila folder, but you can create multiple tabs on a single Tab Control.



Figure 3: Tab Control Setup dialog -- This dialog lets you determine how your Tab Control looks and behaves. Use these settings to create your new Tab Control.

Not at all. FileMaker Pro's Tab Control tools will help you organize all that additional data with minimal fuss. A Tab Control adds something like the tabs in a hanging file (figure 1). Selected tabs look different than the unselected ones, to indicate that they're clickable. When you do click on a tab, most of the data on the layout stays the same, but in the Tab Control itself, you'll see different fields. Each tab's label helps you figure out what kind of data you'll see when you click. This is a common technique for organizing data, and if your database's users have even a little bit of experience with computers, they'll recognize this visual clue. FileMaker Pro makes it easy to convert your layout to this new organizational style.

To follow along with the steps in this article, you can use any file of your own. But subscribers can download an example file.

Create a Tab Control

Like all design tasks, you'll start creating a Tab Control in Layout Mode. Take a gander at the toolbox (you'll find it in the middle of the grey status bar to the left of your screen). The first tool on the bottom row looks like a file folder (figure 2). That's the Tab Control tool. It works like a drawing tool. That is, after you've selected the Tab Control tool, you'll click and drag on your layout to tell FileMaker Pro where to put the Tab Control and how big you want it to be.

As with most objects, you can adjust the size and placement of the Tab Control if you don't draw it just right from the start. You can set a series of options, including tab names, justification, and appearance. You also control which tab usually stays "in front" and what the label width should be.

Because you're editing an existing layout, your first step is to make space for your new Tab Control. In this case, you want the layout to look like figure 1, so you'll have to move the address fields and their labels out of the way. Drag them way over to the right of your layout to give yourself room to work. You might have to increase the size of your FileMaker Pro window to get the space you need.

Tip:
You could draw the Tab Control over the top of the existing fields. If you do, the fields will be "underneath" the new Tab Control and you won't be able to see them. This is easy to fix, though. With the Tab Control is selected, choose the Arrange > Send to Back command. Now your fields are "on top" of the Tab Control, where you can see and interact with them.

Now that your layout is prepared, it's time to create a Tab Control.

To create a Tab Control on an existing layout:

1. In Layout mode, click to select the Tab Control tool. The pointer turns into a crosshair.
2. Click and drag to create the Tab Control. When you let go of the mouse, the Tab Control Setup dialog appears (figure 3).
3. In the Tab Name field, type "Home Address," then click on the Create button. The tab appears in the list and it's automatically selected as the Default Front Tab. This option tells FileMaker Pro you want to see the Home Address tab every time you navigate to this layout.
4. In the Tab Name field, type "Work Address," then click on the Create button. You now have two tabs in the list.
5. Click on the Tab Justification pop-up menu and select "Full." This option divides the tab labels evenly across the width of the whole Tab Control. Other options are Left, Center, and Right.
6. Click on the Appearance pop-up menu and select "Rounded." This option makes the tabs look like manila file folders. Choose "Square" if you prefer that look.
7. Click on OK. The new tab Control appears on your layout with the Home Address tab active.