Defining conditional formatting for layout objects

Contents > Editing objects on layouts > Selecting and working with objects on a layout > Defining conditional formatting for layout objects

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.

For more information, see Selecting objects.

2.	Choose Format menu > Conditional.

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

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

To specify a format based on common conditions, under Condition choose Value is. Then choose one of the following conditions and set the parameters.

Choose

To format

between

Data that falls between and includes the values specified

not between

Data that does not fall between and does not include the values specified

equal to

Data that is equal to the values specified

not equal to

Data that is not equal to the values specified

greater than

Data that is greater than the values specified

less than

Data that is less than the values specified

greater than or equal to

Data that is greater than or equal to the values specified

less than or equal to

Data that is less than or equal to the values specified

containing

Data that contains the value specified

not containing

Data that does not contain the value specified

beginning with

Data that begins with the value specified

ending with

Data that ends with the value specified

empty

An empty field

before today

Date data before the current day

today

Date data on the current day

after today

Date data after the current day

more than x days passed

Date data more than the specified number of days in the past

more than x days ahead

Date data more than the specified number of days in the future

less than x days passed

Date data less than the specified number of days in the past, including the current day and any future days. See notes below.

less than x days ahead

Date data less than the specified number of days in the future, including the current day and any past days. See notes below.

To specify a format based on a calculation, for Condition choose Formula is. Then click Specify to define the calculation. For more information, see Specify Calculation dialog box.

Tip Use the Self function to reference data for the selected object. For more information, see Self.

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

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

Tip Click More Formatting to see additional formatting options.

6.

Click OK.

Changing conditional format settings

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

To

Do this

Edit a condition setting

Double click the condition, change settings, then click OK.

Change the order of conditions in the list

Use the double arrow ( arrow icon

) to drag the condition to a new location.

Disable a condition

Clear the condition checkbox for the setting.

Enable a condition

Select the checkbox for the condition.

Delete a condition

Select the condition, then click Delete.

Notes

You can set conditional formatting on the following layout objects: text, fields (including fields from external ODBC data sources), merge fields, layout symbols (date, time, page number, record number, and so on), text-based buttons, and web viewers. Conditional formatting is not available for non-textual objects (such as a rectangular layout object).

Conditional formatting can be set on single, multiple, and grouped layout objects.

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.

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.

Examples

If the current day is 11/20/2009 when you specify less than 4 days passed:

If the data value is 11/16/2009, the condition evaluates false

If the data value is 11/17/2009, the condition evaluates true

If the data value is 11/20/2009, the condition evaluates true

If the data value is 11/21/2009 (or any date in the future), the condition evaluates true

If the current day is 11/20/2009 when you specify less than 4 days ahead:

If the data value is 11/24/2009, the condition evaluates false

If the data value is 11/23/2009, the condition evaluates true

If the data value is 11/20/2009, the condition evaluates true

If the data value is 11/19/2009 (or any date in the past), the condition evaluates true

Number and date format settings (specified in the Number Format and Date Format dialog boxes) 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 in the Number Format dialog box 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 affect 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.

If you use Apple events to Get Text As Style, conditional formatting settings are not transferred. (Mac OS).

Related topics

Creating and managing layouts

Selecting and working with objects on a layout

Formatting text

Specifying formats for fields containing numbers

Specifying formats for date fields

Contents > Editing objects on layouts > Selecting and working with objects on a layout > Defining conditional formatting for layout objects