The following is a list of suggested external editors for editing FileMaker code.

Macintosh

TextMate can be used to gain the advantage of syntax highlighting, function expansion and other beneficial features. You will need both the core editor and the extension (known as a bundle) to gain the advantages. Each editor has a specific location where the extension needs to be located.

For a super enhanced version of the TextMate bundle you should get the one updated by Donovan Chandler

Windows

Notepad++ provides syntax highlighting and similar features to most other code editors. For FileMaker specific highlighting use the file provided by Dan Smith.

UltraEdit has long been a popular code editor on Windows. Providing support for many commonly requested features.

Cross-Platform

Sublime Text 2 is a powerful cross-platform editor which has many extensions to empower the calculation writer. Many TextMate bundles will work with Sublime Text 2. (as of the last edit date on this page no testing has been done with regards to the FileMaker bundles listed above)

Calculation editing

The above listed editors, and their supported addons, modules or bundles (all different words to simply describe extensions of the core editors) are of little use when you consider that having to copy and paste calculation code is a manual process. The goal is to send the code from the FileMaker calculation dialog box into the editor where more power is offered. The following are methods for performing such a task.

Macintosh

When using FileMaker 11 or greater, you can use the QuickCursor application to send any text within a FileMaker dialog box editing field to a designated editing application. You can purchase this menu bar application from the App Store found under the Apple menu.

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20 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    Text Mate with the FileMaker add on is one of the best tools I have, and I thank you for introducing it in your video (IIRC) in Developer Tips.  This new utility QuickCursor added some additional features. Thank you.

  2. Anonymous

    Spellcatcher also on the Mac to speed up entry of functions, calcs and boilerplate items

    john renfrew

    1. Matt Petrowsky

      Thanks John, I linked these in Keyword expansion tools

  3. Anonymous

    Quick Cursor is currently unavailable as a new version is going to be sold in the MacApp store (apparently)

    As I know you are a big fan of Scriptmaster there is also a Textmate bundle for it - really speeds things up

    http://groovy.codehaus.org/TextMate

    John Renfrew

    1. Anonymous

      When I try to iantsll the bundle, i get an error saying that the info.plist is corrupt/missing. I checked inside the package and it's still there, so there might be a problem w/ the prebuilt package

  4. Anonymous

    I noticed in TextMate the default bundle is plain text. Is there a way to make the Filemaker bundle default or at least give it a hot key?

  5. Anonymous

    I use Notepad++ on Windows for editing calculations.  I created a syntax highlighting file, which I can share; where is the best place for it? github?

    1. Matt Petrowsky

      Yes, github is great. If you can, please put it up there. Create your own repo for it, then I will fork that repo and put it within https://github.com/filemakerstandards/

      1. Anonymous

        https://github.com/dansmith65/FileMaker-Notepad-plus-plus

  6. Anonymous

    Dan

    The Notepad++ file is great.. Thank you

    You need to make sure the things like " have explicit spaces before them to that they 'read' correctly and turn green

    ["A";"B"] will not work properly but [ "A" ; "B" ] will

    Might have implications for some of the best practice things on here...

    John Renfrew

  7. Anonymous

    Update of quick cursor seems to not play too nicely with latest version of clip manager. I have had some success turning the plugin to OFF and starting quick cursor then turning clip manager back on.

    John Renfrew

  8. Anonymous

    I have created a first pass at a syntax highlight file for ultraedit.  Let me know if interested in posting for others.

    1. Anonymous

      https://github.com/rjkantor/FM-UE-Syntax

      1. Matt Petrowsky

        Thanks for the contribution. I've added it into the main topic. I'll have to give it a peek on my windows box.

        1. Anonymous

          FWIW, UltraEdit is on mac too.

  9. Anonymous

    Um, "This is not the page you are looking for?"

  10. Anonymous

    I meant the TextMate bundle links are broken. (It appears.)

    --jonathan fletcher

  11. Anonymous

    BBEdit Filemaker Syntax Highlighting, https://github.com/rjkantor/FM-BB-Syntax.git

  12. Anonymous

    For Windows, you can use AutoHotKey in lieu of QuickCursor.

    Here are two example scripts for AutoHotKey using Ultra-Edit.

    Alt-e to activate editor from FM

    Ctrl-Shift-f from editor to send back to FM

    (Paths will need to be changed to match your environment)

    !e::
    Clip = %Clipboard%
    Clipboard =
    FName = FMPro_Clip_001.fmfn
    FileDelete, C:\Users\rkantor\Documents\RJK%FName%
    Send, ^a
    KeyWait, a
    Send, ^c
    ClipWait
    Loop, parse, clipboard, `n, `r  ; Specifying `n prior to `r allows both Windows and Unix files to be parsed.
    {
        FileAppend, %A_LoopField% `n, C:\Users\rkantor\Documents\RJK%FName%
        
    }

    Run, C:\Program Files (x86)\IDM Computer Solutions\UltraEdit\Uedit32.exe C:\Users\rkantor\Documents\RJK%FName%
    Clipboard = %Clip%
    return

    ^+f::
    Clip = %Clipboard%
    Clipboard =
    Send, ^s
    Send, ^a
    KeyWait, a
    Send, ^c
    ClipWait
    Send, !x                             ; Exit UltraEdit
    WinActivate, Edit Custom Function
    {
      ControlFocus, Edit3          ; Custom Function Edit Dialog
      Send, ^a
      Keywait, a
      Send, ^v
      Sleep 100
    }
    Clipboard = %Clip%
    return

  13. Anonymous

    https://github.com/rjkantor/FM-HK-WinAutomation