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FileMaker Pro basics
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ILEMAKER PRO HELP 42
How layouts are converted
When you open a file converted to the FileMaker Pro 12 format, the Classic theme is applied to the
layout. The file will look as it did in the previous version. Any new layouts you create or new objects
you add to the file will have the attributes of the Classic theme. You can choose a different theme for
each layout.
If you want to change the appearance of a layout, you can change themes or use Layout tools and
features to modify the converted layout.
You’ll notice the following differences in converted layouts:
• Patterns in pre-conversion layouts are converted to images tiled to resemble the pre-
conversion pattern.
• Line patterns are converted to an appropriate line style.
• If the View menu > Show > Buttons option is selected in a file before conversion, a button
badge appears in the lower right corner of any buttons that reference a script or script
step.
• If View menu > Show > Script Triggers is selected in a file before conversion, a Layout
Script Trigger
badge displays in the lower-right corner of the layout for which script
triggers have been set. In the Manage Layouts dialog box, a badge appears on the folder
icon
next to a layout name for which script triggers have been set.
• Any merge symbols used on layouts are converted to a new format. For example, the
merge symbol for page number (##) changes to {{PageNumber}}.
Note If you used any of the former variable symbols as static text on a layout, they will be
converted to the new symbol format. You can retype symbols after conversion to correct static
text.
Layout mode changes and improvements (FileMaker Pro 12)
If you converted a FileMaker Pro database to FileMaker Pro 12 format for the first time, you may
want to know about the following changes that were introduced in FileMaker
Pro version 12 that
affect layouts.
Note For information about new and changed features in FileMaker Pro 13, see New features in
FileMaker Pro 13.
Behavior changes
• The formats for objects and text you add to a layout are based on the current theme’s
default formats. You can customize formats after adding objects to a layout, if you want. You
can no longer set custom default formats (such as text and border style) in Layout mode.
You must select a layout object before you can set options in the Inspector.
• Objects placed in tab controls (or portals) stay with the tab control when the tab control is
copied, moved, or deleted even when the objects on the tab control are locked. In addition,
objects must be explicitly added to or removed from tab controls. Sending an object on a tab
control to the back places it in back of all objects on the tab control, not behind the tab
control.
• FileMaker Pro manages layouts using points instead of pixels. On most computer screens,
1 point equals 1 pixel. On some high-resolution displays (such as the Retina display on
iPhone), FileMaker
Pro manages the display conversion to ensure proper screen rendering.