I work with many different clients, often on their back-end systems where the relevant FileMaker app isn’t directly visible on their server which means I needed an easy way to get to the file I needed without having to remember what it was called!
FileMaker apps can be launched through the use of the fmp:// URL protocol. For example you can open one of the demo files on our server by visiting fmp://fms.msdev.co.uk/Matatiro%20Solutions%20Demo.fmp12.
Initially I created an HTML page which I hosted on our development server which included links to the many different servers and apps which I wanted to access, but even that wasn’t as convenient as I was looking for.
What I really wanted was a menu which I could access directly from the primary UI of my operating system without having to use other applications. Some research indicated this should be pretty simple to build and after some head scratching I was able to build exactly what I wanted – a custom menu-bar app which I could easily modify to add and remove files as I needed. It looks something like this (though the menu is significantly longer in my production version).
If you’re interested in customising this for your own purposes, everything’s available on GitHub for you to download and modify. You’ll need Xcode to be able to build the modified version, and if you want to use it anywhere other than on your own Mac you’ll also need code signing keys from the Apple Developer Network, but if you’re already using the FileMaker iOS SDK to build custom apps, you’ll be set with those too.
Great stuff! I know nothing about programming so this is beyond me, but I found a free app called XMenus where you can do the same thing.
February 17, 2020 at 10:15 pmhttps://apps.apple.com/us/app/xmenu/id419332741?mt=12
Hey that’s clever, and doesn’t involve having to compile anything! Now why didn’t I think of looking for something ‘pre-made’ before working out how to do it myself…? Oh well, it was a fun bit of exploration.
February 18, 2020 at 8:14 amHere is an AppleScript that can be run from the built in AppleScript menu:
February 18, 2020 at 2:35 pmopen location fmp://fms.msdev.co.uk/Matatiro%20Solutions%20Demo
http://www.twdesigns.com/how_to/how_to_reveal_applescript_menu.php
Another interesting way of solving the same problem, though I do think my approach is somewhat neater, more focussed and the end result easier to use but I would agree this is easier since it doesn’t require compiling anything.
February 18, 2020 at 2:38 pmI think yours is cool. Can you add a configuration screen so people wouldn’t need XCODE?
February 19, 2020 at 5:39 pmOr maybe just a config file… I’m sure that’s possible… but right now I have no idea how 😉
February 24, 2020 at 7:42 am