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Defining fields in the Field Picker dialog box

When you create a new database, by default FileMaker Pro opens the file in Layout mode, and displays a blank layout and the Field Picker dialog box. Use the Field Picker dialog box to define fields for the database, and to add or change fields for an existing layout. Fields defined using the Field Picker dialog box are added to the Manage Database dialog box.

After you’ve defined the fields, drag them from the Field Picker dialog box to the layout. (To have fields that you define in the Field Picker dialog box automatically placed on a layout, select the Add newly defined fields to current layout preference before you define the fields. See Setting layout preferences.)

Note  Using the Field Picker dialog box, you can define fields for the current layout of the current FileMaker Pro table only.

To define fields:

1.	In the Field Picker dialog box, click New Field.

A placeholder Field is created in the fields list, with a field type assigned. If this is a new database file, the field is a text field.

Tip  You can also press Ctrl+Enter (Windows), or Command-Return or Command-Enter (OS X), to add a new field.

2.	With the field selected, type a new name for the field.

See About naming fields.

3.	To change the field type, click the field type and choose a new field type from the list.

See About choosing a field type.

4.	To set options for the field, right-click the field and choose Field Options.

See Setting options for fields.

5.	Repeat steps 1–4 to continue creating fields.

Each new field has the same field type as the field added most recently.

6.	When you drag fields to the layout, the fields are by default placed vertically and labels are placed to the left of fields. To change these settings, click the arrow next to Drag Options before you drag the fields to the layout.

 

To display	Do this
Fields stacked vertically on the layout	For Field Placement, click .
Fields horizontally on the layout	For Field Placement, click .
Fields without labels	For Labels, click .
Each field’s label above the field	For Labels, click .
Each field’s label to the left of the field	For Labels, click .

Subsequent fields that are added to the Field Picker dialog box use the current drag settings.

7.	Select the fields you want to place on the layout, then drag them to the layout.

To locate a field in a long list, type the field name in the search text box near the top of the Field Picker dialog box.

To sort fields in the list, click , then choose how you want to sort fields: Creation Order, Field Name, Field Type, or Custom Order.

To open the Manage Database dialog box, click . See Defining fields in the Manage Database dialog box.

8.	Close the Field Picker dialog box by clicking the close button or pressing Esc.

To add, delete, or change fields:

Note  Changes made in the Field Picker dialog box are applied to the fields in the database and all layouts on which the field appears.

1.	In Layout mode, click in the status toolbar to open the Field Picker dialog box.

You can also choose View menu > Field Picker.

2.	If your database contains more than one table, select the appropriate table from the list at the top of the Field Picker dialog box.

3.	Add, remove, or change fields.

 

To	Do this
Add a field	Click New Field, type a name for the field, and choose a field type. Change drag options, if needed, then drag the new field to the layout.
Delete a field	Right-click the field and choose Delete Field. To delete multiple fields at a time, select the fields, then right-click and choose Delete Field.
Change a field’s name	Windows: Double-click the field, then type a new field name. OS X: Select the field, then click the field name and type a new field name. See Changing field names.
Change the field type	Select the field type, then choose a new field type from the list. See Changing field types.
Change options for the field	Right-click the field, then choose Field Options. See Setting options for fields.

4.	Close the Field Picker dialog box by clicking the close button or pressing Esc.

 

Note  Another way to add an existing field to a layout is to switch to Layout mode and drag a field from the Field tool . See Placing and removing fields on a layout.

Related topics 

Defining fields in Table View

Changing field definitions