THEME AND STYLE IMPOSTORS - make theme management IMPOSSIBLE in multi-file solutions (3 Comments)

Issue report by MrWatson

Product

FileMaker Pro

Version

13.0v3

Operating system version

Mac and Win

Description of the issue

@Matthew O’Dell, @Heather Winkle, @Andrew Paulsen - IMPORTANT!

Before themes and styles were introduced into FileMaker copying and pasting FileMaker objects inserted and linked objects based on their VISIBLE NAMES. When pasting objects into a solution the internal IDs are looked up and stored based on matching object names. Thus,

- before pasting objects (scripts, fields, layout objects or whatever) into another file you had to ensure that all the referenced objects are correctly named,
- pasting objects between FileMaker clients using different languages breaks all language-dependent references (function names, script step names, etc.)

This was good because

1) it is consistent
2) it is understandable
3) users can check the names before pasting,
4) HOW to proceed is clear
5) the (multi-lingual) limitation is (THUS) fully acceptable.


WITH THEMES AND STYLES FileMaker Inc. has - sadly - deviated from this standard so that pasted objects are matched by *internal* IDs (i.e. internalName) instead of using the name which is visible in FileMaker.

This leads to the unmanageable situation that it is impossible to tell if a theme or style is the 'real' one or an 'impostor'.

(real = same name AND same internal name, impostor = same name but different internal names)

- Real themes/styles will be updated when a theme is updated.
- Imposter themes CANNOT be updated
- Imposter styles will not be be updated, even if their theme can be & is updated.


This is bad, because

1) it breaks the standard method of referencing objects by VISIBLE NAME when pasting
2) users cannot understand why it sometimes works and sometimes not, and
3) users have no possibility to check if themes and styles are real or impostors*, and
4) there are no guidelines (I know of) from FileMaker HOW themes are to be managed in order to be able to synchronize & update them successfully.
5) the limitations are perceived as a failure of / bug in FileMaker

* Note: With the next version of fmWorkMate (my toolbox for FM-developers - www.fmWorkMate.com); it will be possible using fmCheckMate and the fmCheckMate-XSLT library to copy themes to XML and see the internalNames and contents of themes.

Steps to reproduce the problem

1. Create a multi-file solution (e.g. with 4 Files).
2. Create a custom Theme "myTheme" in file 1.
3. Add some custom styles (Buttons, Text, whatever)
4. Make some layouts + objects using these styles
5. "Synchronize" the theme to other files in various ways:
5.2 To File 2 using Import Theme, and then copy + paste layout objects
5.3 To File 3 using copy + paste theme, and then copy + paste layout objects
5.4 To File 4 by copy+pasting layout objects FIRST, and then using save as new style and theme to create theme and style of the same (visual) name
6. …and create layouts and objects with the styles in the 3 other files.

… so far so good - everything *LOOKS* the same ...

Now let's try to develop and update our theme a bit:

7. Change some styles in File 1, and save them and save the theme "myStyle".
8. Now try to update your theme to files 2-4:
8.2 Try to import Theme "myTheme" from File 1 into File2
8.3 Try to import Theme "myTheme" from File 1 into File3
8.4 Try to import Theme "myTheme" from File 1 into File4

Expected result

I expect the three methods of creating themes and styles in other files to allow me to update my theme BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SAME NAME (that I can see)

Actual result

File 2: I can update OK, because FileMaker asks me if I wan't to replace "myTheme". (Real Theme)
File 3: FileMaker creates "myTheme 2" without asking if I want to update. (Impostor Theme)
File 4: FileMaker creates "myTheme 2" without asking if I want to update. (Impostor Theme)

Exact text of any error message(s) that appear

-

Configuration information

-

Workaround

ONLY USE METHOD 1 TO SYNCHRONISE THEMES

1. First save all theme changes in your source file (File 1)
2. Use Import Theme to import or update the theme information into another file (File 2).
3. Only having completed step 1+2 may layout objects be successfully copy+pasted into other files (File 2)

In other words:

THE THREE GOLDEN RULES OF THEME MANAGEMENT IN FILEMAKER:

1. DEFINE THEMES AND STYLES IN *ONE FILE* ONLY AND SYNCHRONIZE THEM TO OTHER FILES USING MANAGE THEME > *IMPORT* THEME
2. *NEVER* COPY AND PASTE THEMES
3. *NEVER* DEFINE THEMES AND STYLES BY HAND ANYWHERE ELSE IN YOUR SOLUTION

and best practice:

1. APPLY THE THREE GOLDEN RULES BEFORE COPYING LAYOUT OBJECTS TO OTHER FILES
2. If you DO copy objects to a file, where the theme or style does not yet exist, then
- DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO USE 'SAVE AS NEW STYLE' OR 'SAVE AS NEW THEME'
- rather create the required style in the current file by applying the three golden rules, and
- then apply the style to the pasted object.


(Please attribute this technique to MrWatson of mrwatson.de when passing it on to others.)