Defining conditional formatting for layout objects

Editing objects, layout parts, and the layout background > Defining conditional formatting for layout objects

You can format layout objects to change automatically when they meet specified conditions. For example, you can use conditional formatting to automatically display balances that are over 30 days past due in bold, red text. Conditional formatting settings affect only the way data is displayed or printed, not how data is stored in the database.

To specify conditional formatting for objects:

1. In Layout mode, select one or more objects.

2. Choose Format menu > Conditional.

3. In the Conditional Formatting dialog box, click Add to define a new condition.

4. Specify the condition for formatting data in the selected objects.

•To specify a format based on common conditions, for Condition choose Value is. Then choose a condition and set the parameters.

•To specify a format based on a calculation, for Condition choose Formula is. Then click Specify to define the calculation. See Specify Calculation dialog box.

Tip Use the Self function to reference data for the selected object.

5. Specify the text and field fill format for data that meets the conditions you specified.

For example, select bold red text to appear in a yellow field, when data meets your criteria.

To apply a conditional fill color to icons in SVG format — such as those used in buttons, popover buttons, button bars, and drop-down lists — select Icon Color.

Tip Click More Formatting to see additional formatting options.

6. Click OK.

Notes

•Use conditional formatting in moderation, as it may affect performance.

•To see which fields have conditional formatting, choose View menu > Show > Conditional Formatting. You see

in fields or objects with conditional formatting.

•For buttons, popover buttons, and button bars, you can change the conditional fill color of the provided icons and custom icons in SVG format. However, for custom icons in SVG format, changing the fill color in FileMaker Pro affects only the elements that have no fill color already defined in the SVG file. See FileMaker Pro SVG Grammar for Button Icons.

•Moving, disabling, enabling, and deleting conditional format settings change the order in which conditional settings are applied to an object.

•Conditional formatting is not available for non-textual objects (such as a rectangular layout object) or placeholder text.

•To see the effects of conditional format settings while you work in Layout mode, choose View menu > Show > Sample Data. Note that your file must contain record data that meets the formatting criteria you have specified for conditional formatting to appear.

•When you set multiple formatting conditions on an object, all conditions are evaluated starting from the top of the list. Each condition that evaluates “true” is appended to the objects previous format settings.

•Conditional formatting is ignored when the display state of an object is set to In Focus. See Specifying the display state for an object.

•Number and date format settings (specified in the Data Formatting area in the Inspector) are applied after conditional formatting settings and are therefore preserved, even if data meets your conditional formatting criteria. However, sometimes number, date, and conditional format settings are combined. For example, if you set negative numbers to display in red and also set conditional formatting on the same field to display negative numbers in blue with the fill color yellow, the result will be a red number in a yellow field. System formats have no effect on conditional formatting settings.

•Conditional formatting settings are not transferred when records are copied within FileMaker Pro files or exported to other FileMaker Pro files.

•OS X: If you use Apple events to Get Text As Style, conditional formatting settings are not transferred.

•When you use the Value is option with the predefined conditions less than x days passed or less than x days ahead, the current date is included in the number of days you specify. Also, between is inclusive.

Examples


If the current day is	And the data value is	The condition evaluates
11/20/2014 when you specify less than 4 days passed	11/16/2014	false
	11/17/2014	true
	11/20/2014	true
	11/21/2014 (or any date in the future)	true
11/20/2014 when you specify less than 4 days ahead	11/24/2014	false
	11/23/2014	true
	11/20/2014	true
	11/19/2014 (or any date in the past)	true