Setting file options

You can set preferences for the current file's default login information, layout, representative icon, spell checking, text handling, and scripts for opening and closing the file. To set preferences for all files, see Setting preferences.

Note You must log in using the Full Access privilege set to edit items in any tab except the Spelling tab.

To set options for opening and closing the current file:

1. Choose File menu > File Options, and click the Open tab if it is not already selected.

Select	To
Minimum version allowed to open this file, then choose a version from the list	Prevent a file from being opened with versions of FileMaker clients or hosts that are earlier than the specified version. The file must be local and not shared when the option is set. However, once the option is set, the file can be hosted remotely. All files will appear in the Hosts dialog box, but only qualifying files can be opened. You need exclusive access to the file in order to set this option, so make sure no one else is using the file.
Log in using, then Account Name and Password, and type an account and password	This is the default selection. The default is Log in using selected with the Account Name and Password option set to Admin and a blank password. Automatically log in using a specific account and password when you open the database. If the default account is valid but the password is invalid, you will be prompted to enter another password. To temporarily bypass the default password and enter a different one, press Shift (Windows) or Option (macOS) while opening the file. Note Only FileMaker file or external server accounts are supported (see Creating and editing account access). If the file is hosted by FileMaker Cloud or authenticates via an OAuth identity provider, the Log in using option is ignored.
Log in using, then Guest Account	Automatically log in using a guest account.
Allow Credential Manager to save password (Windows) or Allow Keychain Access to save password (macOS)	Allow saving your password for the current file in your Credential Manager (Windows) or keychain (macOS and iOS). If this option is not selected, users will not be able to save the password.
Require iOS passcode	Require users to authenticate with iOS before FileMaker Go can access its keychain.
Switch to layout, then choose a layout from the list in the Specify Layout dialog box	Display the specified layout whenever you open the file. If you don't select this option, FileMaker Pro Advanced opens the layout you displayed when you worked in the file, or opens a layout you specify in a startup script. (See the script trigger options below.) If a layout has been selected, its name appears to the right of the Specify button of this option. To change the layout to use, click Specify, then choose a layout from the list. Note FileMaker Pro Advanced saves your current layout only if the file has been modified in a significant way, such as editing a record or modifying database schema.
Hide all toolbars	Hide all toolbars when you open the file. Toolbars hide as if you ran the Show/Hide Toolbars script step and the Show/Hide Menubar script step.

2. Click OK to save your changes, or click another tab to set additional file options.

To select an icon for the current file:

2. Choose or create an icon to represent the current file in the My Apps, Favorites, and Recent windows in FileMaker Pro Advanced, and in the Launch Center in FileMaker Go and FileMaker WebDirect.

To	Do this
Display the default FileMaker Pro Advanced file icon or another pre-designed icon	Choose an icon from the list.
Specify a custom image	Click Custom, then select an image file and click Open (Windows) or Insert (macOS). Supported formats are PNG and JPEG. FileMaker Pro Advanced scales the image as needed. For best results on high-resolution displays, select an image that is 288 by 288 pixels. Note The selected icon is not displayed on your desktop.
Scale a custom image proportionately to its largest size	Select Scale to Fit, so the image's width and height fit inside the area.
Scale a custom image proportionately to its smallest size	Select Scale to Fill, so the image's width and height completely cover the area.

3. Click OK to save your changes, or click another tab to set additional file options.

Note If you open an encrypted database file, you might see the default FileMaker Pro Advanced icon unless the file was previously opened.

To set spelling options for the current file:

Select	To
Indicate questionable words with special underline	Mark possible misspelled words with a red dotted underline (in Browse, Find, and Layout modes). Note When a file is shared, clients can each change this option independently, but the setting lasts only until the client closes the file. To change this option for all clients, the host must close the shared file, open the file locally with FileMaker Pro Advanced, change the setting, and share the file again.
Off	Type without receiving any cues that you might have made a spelling error.
Beep on questionable spellings	Receive an audio cue that you might have made a spelling error.

2. Click OK to save your changes, or click another tab to set additional file options.

Checking spelling as you type can be slower than using the other spelling options if a large amount of text is visible in the active field. See Checking spelling.

To set text handling and data entry options for the current file:

Note You must log in using the Full Access privilege set to edit items in the Text tab.

Select	To
Use smart quotes	Use curly quotation marks and curly apostrophes. If this option is deselected or you use a font that doesn't have curly quotes, FileMaker Pro Advanced uses plain (straight) quotes and apostrophes. Changes affect new typing only; they do not affect existing data.
Use Asian language line-breaking	Control Asian language line-breaking. This option is enabled by default. If this option is disabled, standard Asian language rules concerning which characters can start or end a line of text are ignored.
Use Roman language line-breaking	Control standard roman language line-breaking, including word wrapping. This option is enabled by default. If this option is disabled, letters and spaces are treated equally as symbols, and roman language words are not treated as units. Instead, a word will wrap to the next line when it exceeds the width of the field or text block, which could occur in mid-word.
Overwrite input when an Asian IME is on (Windows)	Overwrite existing characters at the cursor location with new characters entered by the user when an Asian input method editor (IME) is running. This option is off by default.

Select	To
Always use current system settings	Use the current system settings for data entry of numbers, dates, and times. This option is on by default.
Always use file's saved settings	Use the system settings saved with the file for display and data entry of numbers, dates, and times.
Ask whenever settings are different	Prompt the user to choose which system settings to use when entering data in a number, date, time, or timestamp field that was created using system settings that are different from the current system settings.

4. Click OK to save your changes, or click another tab to set additional file options.

To add, change, or delete a script trigger for a file:

1. Choose File menu > File Options, and click the Script Triggers tab.

Select	To
OnFirstWindowOpen	Run a script each time you open a window of a database file when no other windows for the file are currently open. See OnFirstWindowOpen script trigger.
OnLastWindowClose	Run a script each time you close the last open window of a database file. See OnLastWindowClose script trigger.
OnWindowOpen	Run a script each time you open a window of a database file. See OnWindowOpen script trigger.
OnWindowClose	Run a script each time you close a window of a database file. See OnWindowClose script trigger.
OnFileAVPlayerChange	Run a script if a media file is playing from a field or URL, and a user or a script step setting changes the playback state. See OnFileAVPlayerChange script trigger.