Help

Creating and managing layouts and reports
F
ILEMAKER PRO HELP 238
For more information, see Setting up a field to display a pop-up menu, checkbox set, or other
control. For more information about editing and formatting field objects, see Selecting and working
with objects on a layout and Formatting and setting up field objects in Layout mode.
Placing and removing fields on a layout
After you define a field, you can add it anywhere on a layout. Fields can be either from the same
table, a related table in the same file, or a related table in another FileMaker Pro file.
You can place related fields directly on a layout or in a portal, but the results are different. See
Deciding where to place related fields.
Note For information about defining fields, see About defining database fields.
To place a field on a layout:
1. In Layout mode, choose the layout you want to work on from the Layout pop-up menu.
2. Do one of the following:
• To add a field, drag a field from the Field tool in the status toolbar to the position
you want on the layout. As you drag the field onto the layout, you see a border and text
baselines to help you align the field with other objects on the layout. Release the mouse
button when the field is where you want it.
If you're placing a related field in a portal, position it in the first row of the portal. Make sure
each field in the portal is from a table related to the table that the portal is set up to display
records from. See
Creating portals to display related records.
• To add and resize a field, click the arrow next to the Field/Control tool
(Windows) or click and hold the Field/Control tool (OS X) in the status toolbar.
Drag the crosshair to draw the field.
• To add a specific control or field, click the arrow next to the Field/Control tool
(Windows) or click and hold the Field/Control tool (OS X) and select the type of
field or control to add to the layout. Drag the crosshair to draw the field.
Note The Field/Control tool displays the image of the tool that is currently selected.
3. In the Specify Field dialog box, select the field to place.
To choose a field in another table, choose the table from the tables list above the list of fields. Or
choose Manage Database to create a relationship or a table, then select a related field from the
list of fields. You can also click the Manage button
to choose a field from the current or a
related table.
4. Select Create label to include the field name as text on the layout.
5. Click OK.
You see the field name in the field on the layout unless you have chosen to display sample data
(View menu
> Show > Sample Data). Fields from related tables appear as ::Field Name
(preceded by two colons).
All fields except container fields display text baselines to indicate where the data appears in
Browse mode and to help you align fields with each other.