Help

Creating a database
F
ILEMAKER PRO HELP 179
• making a repeating field
• indexing and storing data
• storing container data externally (see About setting up container fields)
• storing a global value
• setting Furigana input options (Japanese language fields only)
You can add, change, or remove data entry, validation, repeating, storage, and indexing options for
all field types except summary.
FileMaker Pro doesn't update existing records if you change field options. You can find existing
records and change the data, if needed.
Important To avoid confusion when using dates in FileMaker Pro, set field validation options to
make sure dates are always entered with four-digit years. For information on how FileMaker
Pro
handles dates with two-digit years, see
Defining field validation and Conversion of dates with two-
digit years.
Defining automatic data entry
To save time and ensure accuracy, you can set FileMaker Pro to automatically enter data in text,
number, date, time, and container fields. For example, FileMaker
Pro can enter the current user's
name into a field.
To set options for automatic data entry:
1. With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Database.
Note To set options for fields in Table View, right-click the column heading for the field, choose
Field
> Field Options from the shortcut menu, then skip to step 6.
2. In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Fields tab.
3. If your database contains more than one table, select the appropriate table from the Table
list.
4. Select a text, number, date, time, or container field from the list of existing fields, or define a
new one.
5. Click Options (or double-click the field name).
6. In the Options for Field dialog box, click the Auto-Enter tab, then select options for the field.
To Do this
Enter the record creation date or time Select Creation, then choose Date or Time from the
list.
Enter the record creation date and time
(timestamp)
Select Creation, then choose Timestamp from the
list.
Enter the name of the person who creates
the record
Select Creation, then choose Name from the list.
Enter the account name that creates the
record
Select Creation, then choose Account Name from
the list.
Enter the record modification date or time Select Modification, then choose Date or Time from
the list.