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OnLayoutKeystroke and Navigation Key Failure

Question asked by DavidLudwig on Jan 5, 2018
Latest reply on Jan 8, 2018 by DavidLudwig

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Using Filemaker 16 Pro on Windows 10 Pro PC, having an OnLayoutKeystroke script trigger of any kind set up (even when calling an empty script) will malfunction when placing focus on text filed and holding down left or right cursor keys to continuously move cursor, or holding down delete key or other non-alphanumeric keys to perform a repeating function.

It may not occur immediately, but continuous holding down of the delete key (for example) will cause FileMaker to start repeatedly inserting periods instead of deleting characters. Likewise, holding down left arrow key while in a text field will cause percent sign characters to be repeatedly inserted instead of cursor moving left.

Ay thoughts on what might be causing this?

Thanks

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6 Replies

mikebeargie Jan 6, 2018 5:58 AM
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If you have a layout keystroke trigger and hold down a button indefinitely, I'd imagine you are attempting to fire off hundreds of trigger scripts in the command chain before filemaker finally fails.

FileMaker only has keystroke triggers, as opposed to keypress/keyhold/keylift triggers.

I've never personally thought that anyone would be holding down a button when triggering that isn't a modifier button (ctrl, shift, command). But it looks like you may have discovered unique behavior.

To take this further, you may want to put together a report in Report a Product Issue
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DavidLudwig Jan 6, 2018 5:28 PM
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Thank you. I am using layout keystroke trigger to reset a 180 second ontimer script call upon each keystroke so that I can release record lock after no user activity detected. Perhaps there is a better way to do this?
It all seems to work just fine for normal typing but holding down a key to move cursor or delete multiple characters cause the reported malfunction. It doesn't matter what is in the script being triggered by the layout keystroke trigger, even if the script is empty or attempts to handle the delete or cursor keys, the failure I described still occurs when holding down these keys.
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wimdecorte @ DavidLudwig on Jan 6, 2018 5:35 PM
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DavidLudwig wrote:

Thank you. I am using layout keystroke trigger to reset a 180 second ontimer script call upon each keystroke so that I can release record lock after no user activity detected. Perhaps there is a better way to do this?
So your script fires no matter what keystroke the user does? Even if they are just typing text?
I wouldn't do that, that's a huge amount of script activity.

An alternative approach would be to find a User Experience workflow where it is natural to go in and out of record locking / edit mode so that the user can not have records locked for a long time.
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Andy Hibbs Jan 7, 2018 3:22 AM
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Hi David

Please note similar reports and replies from FileMaker at OnObjectKeystroke Trigger Problem in Windows and OnObjectKeystroke issues with arrow keys from last year.

Kind regards

Andy
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mikebeargie @ DavidLudwig on Jan 7, 2018 1:24 PM
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Put the "beep" script step in your script. Now see how much it fires off when you hold a key down. Probably a lot.

Like Wim and I both mentioned you're probably firing the script hundreds of times until it crashes.

Even if your script doesn't DO anything, the action of firing the trigger fires off an entire stack of actions before and after the script is run.

Another better way outside of what Wim suggested would be to have your ontimer script check Get(ModifiedFields) to see if there have been any changes in the last 180 seconds. Then do something after x number of times through the script.

OnRecordLoad:
Install OnTimer Script [ "Checker Script" ; 180 seconds ]

Checker Script:
If [ isempty( $$changecheck1 ) ]
   # Kicks off the first check and resets the timer script
   Set Variable [ $$changecheck1 ; Get(ModifiedFields) ]

Else If [ $$changecheck1 <> Get(ModifiedFields) ]
   # A record change was made, reset loops
   Set Variable [ $$changecheck1 ; Get(ModifiedFields) ]
   Set Variable [ $$changecheckloops ; "" ]

Else If [ $$changecheck1 = Get(ModifiedFields) ]
   # There were no changes, start looping/re-looping

   # Exit/reset condition after too much inactivity
If [ $$changecheckloops >= 3 ]
     Commit Records [ no dialog ]
      Go To Layout [ homescreen ]
      Set Variable [ $$changecheckloops ; "" ]
      Set Variable [ $$changecheck1 ; "" ]
     Set Variable [ $$changemessage ; "your work was saved and you were returned here due to inactivity" ]
      # On your home screen, place a merge variable somewhere on the layout so $$changemessage can be displayed.
      Exit Script
End If

   # Continue setting iterations to count the loop
   Set Variable [ $$changecheckloops ; $$changecheckloops + 1 ]

End If

# Reset the timer unless exit condition was met.
Install OnTimer Script [ "Checker Script" ; 180 seconds ]

Since that script runs once every 180 seconds it isn't as invasive as a keystroke trigger.

You could potentially make it more complicated and loop through Get(ModifiedFields) and actually compare the current content of the modified fields as well to see if there are any character level changes.
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DavidLudwig Jan 8, 2018 12:20 PM
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Thank you all very much. This was all very helpful. I have eliminated usage of OnLayoutKeystroke trigger in my solution.

I now have an ontimer script set to check Get(ActiveFieldContents) every 3 minutes and compare the result with a saved copy of the previous result. If ActiveFieldContents has changed (indicating either keyboard activity or change of field focus), then I save the current result and check again in 3 minutes. If the ActiveFieldContents result has not changed (matches the previous saved result, indicating no recent activity) then I Commit Record, leaving the record available to other users.
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OnLayoutKeystroke and Navigation Key Failure

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