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Formatting and setting up field objects in Layout mode

Use FileMaker Pro field formats to control how data appears on a layout. The formats you specify don't change the data as it's stored in the database, and you can specify a different format for each time you place a field on a layout (whether it's on the same layout or a different layout). For example, if you enter -5123 into a number field, you can format it in one place to display as -$5,123.00 and in another place as <5123>.

You can also have field formats change automatically when data meets criteria you specify. For information, see Defining conditional formatting for layout objects.

FileMaker Pro applies field formatting in the following precedence:

•	If you don't specify formats, FileMaker Pro displays numbers, dates, and times based on the system formats set in the Regional and Language Options control panel (Windows) or the International pane in the System Preferences (Mac OS) when the file was created.

•	You can specify display formats for fields with no objects selected. FileMaker Pro applies these default formats to fields you place on layouts later.

•	Once you place fields, you can select one or more fields and specify formats.

Notes

•	You can set up a field as a pop-up menu, a drop-down list, or as a series of checkboxes or radio buttons. For more information, see Defining a value list for data entry.

•	You can set up a field to auto-complete during data entry. For more information, see Setting up a field to auto-complete during data entry.

•	You can set up a field to display as a drop-down calendar. For more information, see Setting up a field to display a drop-down calendar.

•	You can set specific formats for number, date, time and timestamp fields, but users can still enter data with extraneous characters (like “per pound”). To control the type of data users enter in a field, specify validation options. For more information, see Defining field validation.

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If no fields are selected and you specify field formatting (text, number, date, time, or graphic), you set default field formats for that field and all fields of that type that you add later. Similarly, if you've just created a field and it's still selected, and you specify formatting for the field, you also change the default field formats.

•	To quickly display the format dialog box for the type of field you're working with, press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you double-click the field. Or, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the field and choose a command from the shortcut menu.

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In Layout mode, to set default field attributes from the attributes of an existing field (for example, to specify that all new text fields you place have text attributes that match an existing field or all new number fields you place have number formats that match an existing field), Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the existing field. Then create the new fields that you want.

•	To display sample data in fields formatted with the specified field formats, in Layout mode, choose View menu > Show > Sample Data. FileMaker Pro replaces the field names with sample data from the record currently being browsed.

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Files created with different system formats for numbers, dates, and times can affect the appearance of data. For example, if you're in the United States and you open a database created in Australia, the database may have different system formats than those currently on your computer. For more information see, Opening files with foreign system formats.

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Number and date format settings 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.

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Adding tooltips on layouts