Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 1-6. Fields can look like just about anything, but in the People database, they're pretty
simple. When you click in a field, dotted borders indicate the fields you can edit. The field you're
currently editing gets a solid border. With the miracle of In Focus formatting, the fields in the
People database are shaded as you type in them, which helps keep you oriented when you're enter-
ing information in a screen full of fields.
UP TO SPEED: THE MANY FACES OF A FIELD
Fields always appear inside the content area, but other than that, they can have amazing variety. You
can let your creative urges go wild in FileMaker Pro's content area. A field can have a label next
to—or below or above—where you enter data, or no label at all.
You can color in a field with a solid color, a gradient, or a picture. You can make borders—thick or
thin. You can even give them rounded corners, so rounded that they look like little pills. In fact, if
mystery is your thing, then you can make your field invisible—no label, no border, and no color.
(But here's a tip: If you want happy database users, make sure they can tell where the fields are and
what goes in them.)
When you're editing a record, the fields usually appear with the dotted outline shown in
Figure 1-6
,
but you can turn this feature on and off, as described on
Manage Layouts
.
So don't expect every
field to look the same.
See
Chapter 3
for more detail on customizing and beautifying the fields in your database.
