FileMaker OnTimer Progress Bar
Starting with FileMaker 10, a new script step was added called “Install OnTimer Script” which allows you to trigger a script on a repeating interval of time. It can be used for things like performing database synchronization or other tasks on a regular schedule. While I’ve found this script step to be quite useful, I’ve also found it difficult to monitor its status or progress.
I’m hoping that the next version of FileMaker will include something like a Get (OnTimerStatus) function to help us monitor what scripts are set to run in which windows and when, but until that time, I created my own solution using a Web Viewer. It acts as a progress bar that can be customized to display any color you specify, and set to advance over a specified period of time.
The solution uses 4 global fields, 3 scripts, and a Web Viewer. The Web Viewer can be set to any width and height (up to 100px high). It has to be given an Object Name, “ProgressBar” in my example, so the StartTimer script can target the Web Viewer to display a web page. The web page uses javascript and css to display the progress bar. I invite you to download my sample file and hope you can find a use for it in your next OnTimer solution.
