New FileMaker 16 Features – Card Windows

July 27, 2017
William

FM16 has a number of very cool features. One of the more visual feature additions is a new type of window called a “Card Window”.

A Card Window is an overlay window that appears on top of your current window. It has the option to dim the background window so that all attention is given to the window in front. It requires some sort of action before it can be dismissed.

It is perfect for those situations where you need to ask the user to choose from a set of records before moving on. For example, let’s say you want to email an invoice to someone but the company has several contacts and emails to choose from. You could present the Card Window to the user with all the contacts and their emails listed. Then ask the user to simply check or select the emails to which they want to send. They click ‘Go’ and then the window goes away, sends the emails and they are presented once again with the original window.

Such a technique has been possible with FileMaker before, but it took more work and trouble to try to make it function smoothly. Also, the option to dim the window behind is a very nice automation feature.

In fact, we have already implemented the use of Card Windows in some solutions since FM16 has come out. It is a very cool feature.