Jan

15

PDF Archive Option!

Filed Under Bento Tips | Leave a Comment

We already talked about archiving your Bento data by creating sub-sets of the database file. Now I would like to give you another wonderful option:

In the Bento print dialog, you can create a PDF of your database. On the bottom left just select “open PDF in Preview” to check it out. You can then save the file from the Preview application. I’m using a 15″ MacBook Pro and I design most of my templates to fit on that screen without scrollbars, even leaving the Library pane visible. With that set-up you can fit two Records on one (letter, portrait) page. Looks great, and you can leaf through your Libraries like they are picture books!  This is a safe way of creating an extra back-up as well.

Feel free to play with all the print dialog settings. Of course, you have to create a PDF from each form. But in Preview, you can combine two or more PDFs into one, so you have many additional options to create a “custom” database view, including mixing different Form views. If you use Landscape orientation you can get a full screen view of a single record, especially if you create a custom page size in the print dialog.

Enjoy!

Jan

14

How To – Template Sharing Part One

Filed Under Bento Basics, Bento Tips | Leave a Comment

Bento Template sharing is a wonderful way of learning and teaching the many possible uses of Bento. But it is not always easy to create a “clean” Template for sharing, especially when Address Book and iCal Libraries are involved. So I’ll share some tips today.
I haven’t played with Templates including Related Data from iPhoto. That will be an interesting addition for a future post.

Recently I received a Template for evaluation that included a Smart Collection from Address Book. The author chose to include Address Book as a Related Library. To do that you just have to click a check box in the “export Template” dialog. The result was that I got all of his 39 Address Book Collections in the bargain! That also means that 39 new groups were created in Mac Address Book!
As described in my article Unexpected Template Behavior Bento can’t make the distinction if you just have a Related Data field of one Address Book Collection in your Template. It includes all Forms and Collections!
Read more

Jan

10

Template Exchange Problems!

Filed Under Bento Basics, Bento Tips | Leave a Comment

First off I want to apologize for all those recent negative posts. We’ll hopefully tip the scale soon. I’m just trying to make users aware of the problems. It’s not my fault that there are so many of them piling up. I’m just not the person who will ignore bad issues.

More bad news today…

Be careful when downloading templates from the Bento Template Exchange at Filemaker. Apparently, they accept most templates without checking them out first. Many are designed very poorly, some are even corrupt. Also, inexperienced users in the forums complain, because they don’t even know how to use the templates without instructions.

We don’t have that many templates here on our site, but our quality control and service is included:
I will not publish a template without testing it first and improving it, if necessary.
Secondly, every template will be described as to its features and usage and will include original-size screen shots.
Finally, you can always leave comments, especially useful for any open questions.

Tip: remember, a template is only a starting point. Your exact personal needs might be different. So read the user’s guide to help you modifying a template.

Nov

17

Saving Space On Forms

Filed Under Bento Tips | Leave a Comment

This little tip is for people like me who like to design the form layout pleasingly for the eye.

Sometimes I like to insert a spacer on the very left of a form so the fields don’t get so close to the edge. But the minimum width of a spacer isn’t very small. There is a different way that uses a little less space:

Add any field to an empty form. Then insert a column divider. Next add any field to the right of the new divider. Now remove the first field you added initially. Voila! The column divider moved to the left edge of the form, acting as a spacer which is narrower than a real Bento spacer.

Nov

17

User Finds Bento 3 Easter Egg

Filed Under Bento News, Bento Tips | 7 Comments

Bento user Mark found a Bento 3 easter egg (a hidden, undocumented feature): when you hold down the Option key upon launching Bento, a dialog box pops up which lets you choose any database file, set a default file, and more.

I tried it out and it displayed some strange behavior. Luckily, I had copied the database file I tested the feature with. Bento moved the file (removing it from my back-up folder where it resided). Since I didn’t specify that file as the default database, it later automatically reverted to the previous file, and the other file was gone, I couldn’t find it anywhere! I had to move the copy back into its old location by hand. Sounds a bit dangerous and complicated, right?

I recommend to use this hidden feature with big caution! So far, the documentation never mentioned the possible use of more than one database file, even though many users are using them, including myself. This would be another reason for the release of an updated version of Bento 3 that includes a new users guide! The users guide would need to include instructions on how to create additional database files.

← Previous Page — Next Page →