VISUAL QUICKPRO GUIDE FileMaker Pro 7 Advanced FOR WINDOWS AND MACINTOSH [Electronic resources]

Using Format Painter

FileMaker Pro 7 provides a wonderful tool that copies the format of one layout element to one or many others. If you've created text with a particular format, you can apply that formatting to other text blocks (or fields). Not only is this tool a time-saver in creating new layouts, it's a winner for layouts that weren't originally designed for cross-platform uses. Change one instance of an object or piece of text to your desired cross-platform color or font, and you're a few clicks away from reconfiguring all the layouts in a database.

Format Painter copies different formatting depending on the element you chose:

Text. Font, size, alignment, color

Fields. Font, size, alignment, border thickness, fill pattern and color

Graphics. Fill pattern and color, line thickness

To copy a format to another element

1. Choose View > Layout Mode (Control+L in Windows, Command+L on the Mac).

2 .Click the element whose formatting you want to copy.

3. Choose Format > Format Painter or click the Format Painter tool (Figure 3.6).

4. Click the element to which you want to copy the format (Figure 3.7).

To copy a format to multiple elements

1. Choose View > Layout Mode (Control+L/Command+L).

2. Click the element whose formatting you want to copy.

3. Double-click the Format Painter tool to lock it (Figure 3.8).

4. Click the elements to which you want to copy the format or click and drag around them.

5 .When you're finished changing the formats, click a layout tool or press the Esc key.

Tip

You can copy formatting from a layout part to a field, but you can't copy formatting from a field to a layout part.