Quick Tips: Commenting Your Value Lists
February 18, 2011 By Daniel
Pretty much everything in FileMaker comes with some form of comment box to let you add more information - such as fields, menus, custom functions, calculations, scripts, and the graph. However the one area lacking in a comment box is value lists, unless that is, you think a little outside of the box…
Where is the comment box?
If you are anything like me, then you are an obsessive commenter of anything and everything in FileMaker. So when it comes to value lists, the lack of a dedicated comment box is somewhat annoying. Fear not, FileMaker graciously gave us a large comment box, they just got the name wrong.
"Custom Values"
If you use "custom values" value lists often, then it's pretty obvious what they are for given you can see the values right in front of you.
However sometimes a "custom values" list is simply not going to cut the mustard, especially when dealing with values from records, related data, conditional value lists and so on. So why not just use the custom values box as a comment box in this situation? Well fortunately you can.
It's Easy
Just choose the "Custom Values" option, type in your comment, and set your value list option back to its original type. Your comment be left greyed out, but still clearly visible
Final Thoughts…
Comments
Bart
19 February, 2011
I'd sure like to see what that box, a la "outside-the-box thinking", looks llke! :D
Well done.
Bob Stuart
19 February, 2011
Hey Daniel,
That's so cool! I love it when developers exploit imaginative ways to expand FileMaker's existing capabilities.
Regards,
Bob.
Paul Spafford
19 February, 2011
Very cool, Daniel. I remember doing something similar using the Auto-Enter "Data" option for fields (back before we had field comments) but had never thought of this!
Steve Hearn
19 February, 2011
Nice one. As soon as I read the first sentence it occurred to me how you were going to comment but it never occurred to me. Good one!
Daniel Wood
19 February, 2011
Thank you everyone for leaving a comment - the irony of that is not lost on me :)
Jerry Robin
19 February, 2011
Like Steve, as soon as I saw your headline I thought, "of course, just put it in the custom values area." Sometimes, you just need someone to ask the right question to help you come up with an answer you didn't even know you were looking for. Kind of like when you call tech support and figure out the answer while you are describing the problem out loud to the tech support agent. :)
Now your next challenge is to show us how to put in a comment if you actually are using custom values!
Walter Erskine
19 February, 2011
Jerry Robin said, "Now your next challenge is to show us how to put in a comment if you actually are using custom values!"
You can use the name of the list. It will hold up to 100 characters, so be concise.
Bart
18 July, 2011
Adding just a little more to the mix. Hopefully, these images will come through.
Bart
18 July, 2011
They didn't. So here are the links:
http://habmarketing.com/images/valuelist_1.png
http://habmarketing.com/images/valuelist_2.png
Jerry Robin
18 July, 2011
Bart,
I see the first meal on your list is "breadfast." Is that a new term for Passover?
Bob Stuart
18 July, 2011
It's an alternative to "weetbicks".
Bart
18 July, 2011
It's easily explained. I was breaking bread and got them confused. :-)
Something to say?