When a client asks you whether you can do something in FileMaker, please don't just check FileMaker documentation, but also check if MBS FileMaker Plugin has something for you. Over the past 18 years we got a lot of requests and consequently added a lot of functionality to our plugin. Let's show you a few examples:
Switch printers
While FileMaker has a printer setup script step, you may prefer to use our plugin to switch printers and set various options like which tray to use or whether to print color or b&w. Our plugin has functions to control the printer on macOS and Windows and allows you to automatically lookup the best printer in the database for each workstation in a company. Then print to the nearby printer and dynamically pick paper source, format and collation options.
Connect to a MongoDB or some SQL database
Use our MongoDB functions as well as the SQL functions to connect to other databases. Whether your client stores data in PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, SQL Server or one of the other supported database systems, you can connect to the database via MBS FileMaker Pluginand exchange data. Run server side scheduled scripts to sync data automatically or access remote data on the fly when browsing related records in FileMaker Pro (or WebDirect).
Drag & Drop
Your clients like to import files by dragging them from their email to FileMaker? Just offer a drop area on your layout or make the whole layout the drop area. You get a script triggered when new files arrive and you decide what to do with them. Let users drag attachments directly from Mail to FileMaker as well as files from Explorer or Finder to FileMaker.
Barcode and QR Code Generation/Scanning
Your client needs anything around barcodes? MBS FileMaker Plugin can generate them locally, quickly and without need of a web service. And we can generate pictures or vector graphics. If you output a PDF, we can even draw the barcode as vector graphics into the PDF page.
Once you receive a barcode, we can read the content with our plugin in three ways.
JSON & XML
Do you need to import or export data in JSON and XML formats? We have a lot of JSON and XML functions. These help to both generate and parse data in large quantities. Especially parsing XML and JSON data once and then querying it a lot of times helps to increase performance. Our advanced query functions allow to find and extract rects in bigger data sets.
File manipulation
Your clients may ask you to read and write files in various locations. With our folders functions, you can find the special folders and use our files functions to work on the files. Read and write containers, image or text files with any path accessible. Watch hot folders to import files, mark them as imported with a Finder label or by moving them to an "imported" folder.
Excel documents
Do your clients like to use Word and Excel documents a lot? Use our XL functions to read data form existing excel files. Or create new files from scratch with the style and content you like to have. Or even better prepare a template document to fill in data and provide the reports as Excel documents your clients ask for. We can also fill Word files with text if needed.
Take pictures
Provide ways to your clients to import pictures. Let them use their iPhone to take a picture on macOS with ContinutiyCamera functions. Let them import images from their DLSR with ImageCapture functions and WinPhotoAcquire functions. Or use the built-in webcam on your Mac or PC with the AVRecorder functions to take a picture this way. Customize a file open dialog to pick pictures and allow multiple selection.
Email integration
Your client may ask you to send an email and FileMaker can do this already. But how about sending a html email with inline graphics? We have an example for this as well as for batch sending a newsletter. Our plugin comes with an example to upload that email to the sent folder. If needed, you can built a solution to receive emails by loading them from an IMAP account into your database for automatic processing.
PDF Manipulation
Your client likes to have clickable links in the PDFs you generate? Add them with our DynaPDF functions. The PDF files are too big to send via email? Just run them through the DynaPDF.Optimize function to remove unnecessary data and shrink down images to a good resolution. If your client like PDF forms, you can generate form fields in FileMaker with our plugin and pre-fill them with data. When you receive PDF documents, we can read the form values and store them in your database.
More
MBS FileMaker Plugin is in development now for 18 years and there is much more developers asked for. Check out the OCR functions to recognize text in pictures, the Speech Synthesis and Recognition functions, system information functions and image manipulation functions.
If you can't find a function or you have a question, please don't hesitate to contact us.
