Development Guide
Table Of Contents
- Chapter 1 Introducing FileMaker Pro Advanced
- Chapter 2 Creating database solutions
- Chapter 3 Customizing database solutions
- Chapter 4 Debugging, analyzing, and optimizing files
- Chapter 5 Developing third-party FileMaker plug-ins
- About external functions
- About the example plug-in
- Installing, enabling, and configuring the example plug-in
- Description of the FMExample plug-in’s external functions
- Using the example plug-in
- Customizing the plug-in example
- Requirements for writing external function plug-ins
- FileMaker messages sent to the plug-in
- Avoiding potential Mac OS X resource conflicts
- Providing documentation for your plug-in
- Appendix A Feature comparison of the runtime application with FileMaker Pro
- Index
Chapter 4
Debugging, analyzing, and optimizing files
The FileMaker Pro Advanced features explained in this chapter are:
1 the Script Debugger for systematic testing and debugging of
FileMaker scripts
1 the Disable script step feature for testing portions of a script
1 the Database Design Report feature for publishing comprehensive
documentation on database schema and options
1 the Data Viewer for monitoring fields, variables, and calculations
1 the File Maintenance features for compacting the size of database
files and improving their performance
Note See Help for detailed, comprehensive information and step-by-
step procedures for using FileMaker Pro Advanced.
Debugging scripts
With FileMaker Pro Advanced, you can use the Script Debugger to:
1 debug startup scripts (the Script Debugger menu is enabled even if
there are no open files)
1 step through scripts one step at a time
1 view and track sub-scripts
1 monitor fields, variables, and calculations
1 disable script steps
1 debug restricted-access scripts
1 pause a script when script errors are encountered
1 click a script error number to open a Help topic
To run scripts in debug mode:
1. Select Tools menu > Script Debugger.
The Script Debugger dialog box opens.
2. Run your script.
You can view sub-scripts when you step through scripts in the Script
Debugger. For example, if Script A calls Script B, which then calls
Script C, you can view the steps in all three scripts.
The Script Debugger recognizes the privileges attached to each script.
A script will only appear in the Script Debugger if you have editing
privileges for the script and the access privileges for the script are set
to Modifiable. You can click Authenticate/Deauthenticate script
to log in and edit script steps in restricted-access scripts.
In the Script Debugger window you can select more than one step
from the step list, enabling you to place simultaneous multiple
breakpoints on steps. If multiple steps are selected, the Set Next Step
button will be disabled.
Tip To enable the Script Debugger from the Manage Scripts dialog
box, press Shift and click the Perform
button. To disable the
Script Debugger, press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) and
click the Perform button.