Inspector Deep Dive

Intermediate

Master every tab of the FileMaker Inspector -- Position, Appearance, Data, and Behavior -- to configure objects precisely and build consistent, polished layouts.

What you'll learn

  • Every important setting on each of the four Inspector tabs
  • How to use Position tab for precise pixel-perfect alignment
  • Appearance tab: fills, borders, font, paragraph, and state styles
  • Data and Behavior tab for field control and interaction settings

The Inspector panel is the control center for every layout object in FileMaker. Four tabs -- Position, Appearance, Data, and Behavior -- expose every configurable attribute. Developers who know Inspector deeply can build precision layouts without trial-and-error, set consistent styles programmatically, and diagnose display issues by reading the exact property values.

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Position tab: precise placement and sizing

The Position tab gives exact control over object location and size. Use it to align multiple objects precisely -- set equal positions/sizes by selecting multiple objects and entering a shared value.

TEXT
// Position tab settings:
// Left, Top: coordinates from the layout's top-left origin (in points/pixels)
// Width, Height: object dimensions
// Right/Bottom: automatically computed from Left+Width, Top+Height

// Alignment:
// Select multiple objects -> use the alignment buttons (align left edges, center, etc.)
// OR: select multiple and enter the same Left value -> all snap to that position

// Object Name: the layout object name (used by Go to Object, GetLayoutObjectAttribute)
// Anchor: which edges/corners are anchored when the window resizes (for responsive layouts)

// Sliding & Visibility: controls whether the object slides up/left in Print/Preview mode
Custom Dialog DesignLayout Object Tips and Tricks

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