Figure 1: Be careful what you wish for -- Filtering in the script list is very literal. If you're looking for scripts with "sort" in their names, don't stop at "sor."

Ditch the Rodent

One of the best ways to be an efficient developer is to master FileMaker Pro's keyboard shortcuts. Granted, spending a couple hours memorizing key-commands isn't anyone's idea of a good time, but if you make an effort to learn them over time, you'll accumulate some truly useful time savers. Here are a few of my stand-by keystrokes. Because Macs and PCs have different modifier keys, I'm standardizing on alphabetical order. When I write command/ctrl - Z, Mac users should use command-Z and Windows users ctrl-Z.

Drag copies

In Layout mode as well as the relationship graph, the easiest way to copy something is to hold option/ctrl while dragging the object. This trick is extremely useful when adding fields to a layout. By copying an existing field, you get all its formatting and attributes, something you won't get by dragging a new field out from the status area.

Select Same

You probably know the shortcut for Select All, but FileMaker Pro has an obscure feature called Select Same. In Layout mode, with a single object selected, press command-option/ctrl-shift - A to select all objects of that type on the layout. For example, if you've selected a field and invoke Select Same, you can select all fields on that layout but not objects such as text labels and graphical elements.

Basic training

Any developer worth his salt can move among the modes with key commands. If you aren't already lighting-quick with these, practice it right now: command/ctrl B, L, F, U for Browse, Layout, Find, and Preview modes, respectively. You'll also want to be quick with your command-shift/ctrl-shift - D for getting into Define Database and command-shift/ctrl-shift - S for ScriptMaker.

Relationship graph

Getting around the relationship graph is easy for small databases, but when you start adding a few table occurrences, it can get unwieldy. It's nice that you can zoom in and out of the graph, but command/ctrl - I zooms to fit the graph in the current window. And if you've been zooming in (command/ctrl - =) or zooming out (command/ctrl - -), command/ctrl - R will get you back into pointer mode without a trip to the mouse.

Making scripts

You likely use command-shift/ctrl-shift - S to get into ScriptMaker already. After you're in ScriptMaker, you can stay off the mouse. When viewing the Manage Scripts window, type the first few letters of a script's name to select it. Having selected a script, just press return/enter to edit it or press the space bar to toggle the checkmark to include it in the Scripts menu. Of course, if you have scads of scripts that start with the same word, type-selecting as I just described won't cut it. Fortunately, script names are searchable. See that box at the top of your Manage Scripts window? Start typing in there and the list of scripts will filter to match. See figure 1 for a filtered list.

One more ScriptMaker goody for FileMaker Pro Advanced users: Holding command/ctrl when clicking on the Perform Script button disables the Script Debugger before executing the selected script. Yeah, that one included a mouse click, but it's a good one!

Other gems

In any mode, command-option/ctrl-alt – S toggles the Status Area. Not sure what the Status Area is? Try the shortcut and it will be immediately clear. You can move from one record to the next using ctrl – ? or ctrl – ?. The great thing about that trick is that FileMaker Pro keeps your cursor in the same field as you move from record to record. It's a huge time saver when you need to review the contents of one particular field across several records. Better still, the command arrows work in Layout mode, moving you among layouts without a trip to the menus.

A keystroke for every occasion

Look in FileMaker Pro's Help menu for a direct link to all the documented shortcuts. There are literally dozens of them and some apply to only one platform. No shortcut for the commands you use the most? You aren't entirely out of luck. In Windows, pressing the alt key opens just about every menu item to keyboard activation. Macintosh users can access the Keyboard & Mouse system preference pane to assign a shortcut to any menu command. Just make sure your custom strokes aren't already in use.