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Design functions

Design functions return information about the structure of open database files. For example, you could determine the names of all the layouts or fields in an open database file.

Note  FileMaker Pro limits the information returned by a design function, according to the privilege set in effect when the function evaluates a database file. See Creating and managing privilege sets for more information about granting access to database files.

Design function parameters can be any of the following:

•	filenames such as “Customer” or literal text such as "Jack"

•	layouts such as layoutName

•	other functions such as Left(text;number)

Important  Literal text parameters such as filenames and layout names must be enclosed in quotation marks. Use quotation marks around field names to indicate the literal string is the parameter (omit quotation marks to indicate the value stored in the field is the parameter). You can use spaces before or after the parentheses that enclose parameters, but spaces are not necessary. Use a semicolon between parameters when a function requires more than one parameter.

Click a function name for details.

 

This function	Returns
DatabaseNames	A list of the names of all database files open on the computer (including files opened as a client), separated by carriage returns.
FieldBounds	The location of each side of the specified field and its rotation in degrees.
FieldComment	The specified field’s comment.
FieldIDs	A list of all field IDs in the specified database file and layout, separated by carriage returns.
FieldNames	A list of the names of all fields on the specified layout, separated by carriage returns.
FieldRepetitions	The number of repetitions of the specified field as it is formatted on the specified layout (which could be different from the number of repetitions specified when the field was defined), and the orientation of the field repetitions (horizontal or vertical) on the layout.
FieldStyle	The formatting applied to the specified field on the specified layout.
FieldType	Information about the specified field.
GetNextSerialValue	The next serial number for the specified field in the specified database file.
LayoutIDs	A list of all layout IDs in the specified database file, separated by carriage returns.
LayoutNames	A list of the names of all layouts in the specified database file, separated by carriage returns.
LayoutObjectNames	A list of the names of all named layout objects, separated by carriage returns.
RelationInfo	A list of four values for each relationship directly related to the specified table.
ScriptIDs	A list of all script IDs in the specified database file, separated by carriage returns.
ScriptNames	A list of the names of all scripts in the specified database file, separated by carriage returns.
TableIDs	A list of all table IDs in the specified database file, separated by carriage returns.
TableNames	A list of the names of all defined tables in the specified database file, separated by carriage returns.
ValueListIDs	A list of all value list IDs in the specified database file, separated by carriage returns.
ValueListItems	A list of the values in the specified value list, separated by carriage returns.
ValueListNames	A list of the names of all value lists in the specified database file, separated by carriage returns.
WindowNames	A list of the names of open windows in the specified database file.

Related topics 

About functions

About formulas