Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Typing in Vain
If you try typing something
before
you've clicked in a field, FileMaker warns you with the
box shown in
Figure 1-8
. You'll see this same message if you try to type into a database with
no records in the found set, or indeed no records at all. It may seem overly protective to warn
you that you're not actually entering data, but in this day of multitasking and distractions, it's
helpful to know that FileMaker doesn't let your information disappear into space as you type
it.
You will have to dismiss an error message every time you accidentally bump a key, and you
can't get rid of the error message for good. Just remember that you must be viewing an actu-
al record and have your cursor
in
a field before you can start typing. (And take that topic off
your laptop's keyboard, eh?)
Figure 1-8. In this dialog box, FileMaker asks you to tell it where to put all that data your 110 wpm
typing power is delivering. Until you click in a field, your information has nowhere to go.
Navigating Your Database
Once you've entered a few dozen—or a few hundred—records into your database, the next
challenge is to get back to a specific record. But first, you need to learn how to
navigate
through the records in the database. Hint: It's not called Browse mode for nothing, you know.
The Status toolbar gives you several tools that help you get where you need to go.
NOTE
As you go through this section on navigating, it helps to have a database open in front of you so you
can follow along and try some of these techniques. You can download a sample on this topic's Miss-
ing CD page at
www.missingmanuals.com/cds/fmp13mm
.
