Quick Start

50 Getting Started Guide
About customizing layouts
Design layouts in Layout mode. You can include any combination of
fields, text, and graphics on a layout. You can change the font and
color of fields and text. You can also change the formatting of
Number or Date fields.
Changes you make in Layout mode affect only the way data appears.
The data itself remains as it was entered.
Leave the sample file open to refer to as you build these features in
the working file.
Customize a layout
You will change a simple layout in this lesson’s working file to make
it look like Layout #2 in the sample file.
1. Open the Tutorial folder in the FileMaker Pro folder.
2. Open the Working Files folder.
You should be here: FileMaker Pro\Tutorial\Working Files.
3. Open MyFile05.fp5.
4. Choose View menu > Layout Mode.
You see a plain layout. You will modify this layout in different ways
in the following sections.
Resize, move, and add a field
Select and resize a field
1. In Layout mode, click the First Name field to select it.
2. Drag the handle at the lower-right corner of the field to the left
until the field is smaller, yet large enough to display the longest first
name you expect in your file.
3. Choose View menu > Browse Mode to see your field.
4. Flip through the records.
If the field doesn’t display all names completely, return to Layout
mode and make the field larger.
5. Repeat this process for Last Name.
Move a field
1. Choose View menu > Layout Mode.
2. Click inside the Last Name field and drag it beside the First Name
field.
3. Drag the Last Name field label above the Last Name field.
4. Drag the First Name field label above the First Name field.
5. Choose View menu > Browse Mode to see your results.
Add a field
If a field has been defined in Define Fields, you can display it on any
layout. In this database, some defined fields are not on this layout.
You will add one of these fields now.
1. Choose View menu > Layout Mode.
2. Using the Field tool, drag the field to the layout, and place it below
the First Name field.
Handle