6 Replies Latest reply on Mar 9, 2011 5:05 PM by YvanTrouselle

    MobileMe-MyGallery layout type INVENTORY

    YvanTrouselle
    YvanTrouselle Mar 7, 2011 10:23 PM

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      MobileMe-MyGallery layout type INVENTORY

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      I have been testing FileMaker Pro 11 for the past 2 days. I have been able to create an inventory customized to my need (a Japanese Antique shop), using the inventory template. It works fine for that purpose, as you can see on the screenshot below.

      But it is only half of what I really need!

      Do you know the “My Gallery” solution from MobileMe and available on Windows, and on iPhone? 

      I need something like that: being able to consult my inventory from an image Gallery, with one icon image for each inventory item. Clicking on one image would then show other images from the same object, then all the inventory data for that object. Would it be possible?

      Would it be possible to get help to create such a template?

      I have Windows-PC, an iPhone 3GS and will get the iPad2 this month.

      Thank you for any help !

      Inventaire-FM.jpg

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        • 1. Re: MobileMe-MyGallery layout type INVENTORY
          philmodjunk
          philmodjunk Mar 8, 2011 10:04 AM (in response to YvanTrouselle)

          It can be done, but you may want to define a separate table of images if you want to support multiple images of the same item. First thing to decide is if you have one picture for multiple items in inventory or whether each item in inventory will have its own picture. Since this is an antique shop, I will assume that any picture taken depicts a specific item in inventory.

          If you have this relationship: (I'm using this approach because your screen shot above shows multiple images of the same item.)

          Inventory::K_ID_Record = Images::K_ID_Record

          You can set up a list view of records on a layout based on Images. The container field on this layout can be set up as a button so that clicking it triggers a script that either changes to the inventory layout and uses the value of Images::K_ID_Record in a find to find the matching Inventory record or the button can use Go To Related record to find the inventory record and display it on an Inventory based layout.

          If you want multiple columns of images to scroll through, you can do that also, but it will take more design work to get the images into multiple columns instead of a single list of images.

          • 2. Re: MobileMe-MyGallery layout type INVENTORY
            YvanTrouselle
            YvanTrouselle Mar 8, 2011 4:51 PM (in response to YvanTrouselle)

            Thank you Phil for your answer.

            First I could go with only one image in the inventory section (also I tried with put 6 on my model).

            For convenience purpose, it would be better that way, so I could show only images to a customer (when going to an Antique show for example) without showing him all information about the item.

            So this is how I think it would work nice:

            First screen, display different icons with all categories (bronze, porcelain, furniture, etc…)(1st screen)

            Clicking on one category-icon would get a new screen with all items for that category (2nd screen).

            Clicking on one item-icon would show all pictures for that item (3rd screen)

            Clicking on one picture-icon would show a high resolution full screen of that same picture (4th screen)

            From 2nd to 4th screen, a bottom menu would need to appear, with 4 buttons:

            • Back
            • Category (going back to 2nd screen)
            • Home (going back to 1st screen)
            • Detail (going to the File Maker inventory data).

            I have no idea how this would work on iPhone and iPad, but it is very important that it does as I will bring my iPad everywhere…

            • 3. Re: MobileMe-MyGallery layout type INVENTORY
              philmodjunk
              philmodjunk Mar 9, 2011 10:40 AM (in response to YvanTrouselle)

              You will need to research the design documentation for FileMaker Go as soon as possible to asses it's strengths and weaknesses. In particular, there are issues to be aware of when using images "stored by reference" in a container field. I don't remember all the details so please research this. You can find a PDF document on designing for FM GO if you select the DownLoads link at the top of this screen.

              What you describe can be fully scripted in FileMaker if you set up your underlying tables to support it.

              First screen functions as a "dash board" or "main Menu". Each button simply performs a find on your category field to find all image records in the selected category. The buttons can all perform the same script but pass the category name as a script parameter.

              All these buttons bring up your second screen as a way to display the results of the find initiated by clicking a category button. Clicking a container field can then either just change layouts or use a Find to locate the records for all pictures of that item. Clicking these container fields can switch to a different layout where the container field has been resized to show a much larger copy of the same container field or one where a higher resolution image has been inserted.

              • 4. Re: MobileMe-MyGallery layout type INVENTORY
                YvanTrouselle
                YvanTrouselle Mar 9, 2011 4:22 PM (in response to YvanTrouselle)

                Thank you Phil.

                I am glad to know that what I need is possible. But I am not so good at technical programing.

                Do you think there is a place I could post my request and have it done, for a reasonnable fee?

                Thank you.

                Yvan.  

                • 5. Re: MobileMe-MyGallery layout type INVENTORY
                  philmodjunk
                  philmodjunk Mar 9, 2011 4:30 PM (in response to YvanTrouselle)

                  There are consultants available you can negotiate with. There are even some listed via the consultants link at the top of the screen. I do suggest you not select a consultant that doesn't also have FileMaker Go and an iPhone on which to test this solution. (I don't have an iPhone myself...)