Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 2-14. The text ruler lets you change paragraph margins. The Margin marker (on the bottom
left) also moves the First Line marker (the bar above the arrow). To move them separately, drag
the margin marker first and then move the First Line marker. Or hold down the Alt (Option) key as
you drag.
UP TO SPEED: WHAT'S THE POINT?
We haven't reached that Xanadu of the paperless office yet, but the emphasis
has
shifted from the
printed page to the glowing screen. One place you'll see that shift is in FileMaker's measurement
system, in which the default unit of measurement is “points,” abbreviated as “pt.” If you're still
designing for the printed page, you know that there are 72 points per inch. And most, but not all,
computer screens have 72 pixels per inch. So functionally, at least, there is a similarity, and you can
treat a point as the equivalent of a pixel on your computer (or mobile device's) screen.
But if you just like the old ways, you can change FileMaker's unit of measurement to either inches
or centimeters. But you'll need to be viewing layout rulers to do it. Here's how:
1. Choose View→Layout Mode. The status area changes to show FileMaker's layout tools.
2. Choose View→Rulers. A horizontal and a vertical ruler appear at the top and left edge of the
layout.
3. Click where the two rulers intersect (you'll see the abbreviation “pt,” which stands for
“points”). The unit of measurement changes to inches (“in”). The rulers change to the new
measurement system. Click a second time to change to centimeters (“cm”).
Your rulers aren't the only things that change. The Inspector, which is FileMaker's main method of
formatting objects on a layout (
Using the Inspector
)
, also changes its measurement system. Once
you're familiar with the Inspector, you'll probably prefer to use it to change measurements, even
though the method isn't obvious. You'll see the “pt” abbreviation to the right of the Position and
Size fields. Click any one of those abbreviations, and the units rotate from points to inches to centi-
meters.
