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Moving text and data with drag and drop

You can use drag and drop to transfer information within a FileMaker Pro database, between databases, or between FileMaker Pro and other applications that support drag and drop.

For example, you can drag a number or text from one field and drop it into another field in the same database. Or, you can drag text from a Microsoft Word document into a FileMaker Pro text field. You can also drag and drop data between layouts, between container fields, and between layouts and container fields, either in the same database or between different databases.

In FileMaker Pro, you can use drag and drop in Browse mode, Find mode, or Layout mode.

Note  Drag and drop must be enabled in Preferences. See Setting general preferences.

 

To	Do this
Copy text from one field to another field	Select the text, drag it, then drop it into the new location.
Copy data from one container field or layout to another container field or layout	Select the contents of the container field or the layout object, drag it, then drop it into the new location.
Move text to another location in the same field (in Browse mode or Find mode)	Select the text, drag it, then drop it into the new location.
Copy text to another location in the same field	Press Ctrl (Windows) or Option (OS X), select and drag the text, then drop it into the new location.
Copy text between FileMaker Pro and another application	Select the text, drag it, then drop it into the new location.

Notes

•	If the source application displays dates, times, and numbers as text (the way FileMaker Pro does), you can also drag and drop them into a number, date, or time field.

•	When you select a rotated field in Browse mode, the field is temporarily displayed unrotated while the field is selected. See Rotating objects.

•	In Browse mode or Find mode, dragging text to a field other than a text field overwrites the existing data.

•	You can't drop text into a record or field that is being edited by someone else or that you don’t have access privileges to edit.

•	You don't have to select a field before you drop data into it.

•	If validation options are set for the field, data is validated as follows:

•	If the field isn't selected before you drop the data, the data is validated immediately after you drop it.

•	If the field is selected before you drop the data, data is validated when you deselect the field.

For more information on field validation, see Defining field validation.

•	Windows: You can move text from FileMaker Pro to some applications by selecting and dragging the text, then dropping it into the other application.

•	You can drag a file from Windows Explorer (Windows) or the Finder (OS X) into an interactive container. See Working with content in interactive containers.

Related topics 

Setting general preferences

Using data in container fields