Extracting PDF text from area

From time to time we have the need to extract text from PDF. We can do that with our DynaPDF plugin functions for a long time now.

The next prerelease has a new function to extract text from only a part of the page. So like in example you can define an area (e.g. column) for text extraction.
In our example app above, we extract each quarter of the page on its own. If you have to extract text from multi column pages regularly, you could define the rectangles for left/right columns and get text.

(this feature requires DynaPDF Pro and is available for FileMaker, Xojo and Real Studio)

MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 6.2pr6

New in this prerelease of the 6.2 plugins:
  • Added Window.Scrollbar.getHorizontalMaximum, Window.Scrollbar.getHorizontalPosition, Window.Scrollbar.getVerticalMaximum, Window.Scrollbar.getVerticalPosition and Window.Scrollbar.set.
  • Added Files.GetComment and Files.SetComment.
  • Fixed bug for SQL.SQLite3.SetKey.
  • Added RSA.PrivateDecrypt, RSA.PrivateEncrypt, RSA.PublicDecrypt and RSA.PublicEncrypt.
Download at monkeybreadsoftware.de/filemaker/files/Prerelease/ or ask for being added to the dropbox shared folder.

MBS Workshop in Austria

For our German speaking clients we have a workshop day:

In Zusammenarbeit mit der Putz EDV bieten wir eine Schulung zum MBS Plugin an. Am 9. Mai 2016 können Sie in Salzburg in Österreich an einer eintägigen Schulung teilnehmen. Lernen Sie die über 3500 Funktionen einmal näher kennen und wie Sie sie effektiv einsetzen. Sammeln Sie Ideen und verbessern Sie ihre FileMaker Lösungen durch den Einsatz unseres Plugins.

Das Monkeybread Software Plugin für FileMaker stellt eine vielseitige Erweiterung der eigenen Datenbank dar. Der Kurs bietet nicht nur einen tiefgreifenden Überblick in die Benutzung und Entwicklung, sondern bietet auch die Chance das Plugin günstiger zu erstehen.
  • Einführung in das MBS Plugin
  • Überblick über die Funktionsbereiche
  • Neues im MBS Plugin dieses Jahr
  • Rundgang durch ausgewählte Beispiele
  • Gemeinsames Implementieren von Plugin Funktionen in eine Datenbank:
  • Upload/Download mit CURL auf einen HTTP/FTP Server
  • Ausfüllen eines Formulares auf einer Webseite
  • Bilder bearbeiten
  • PDF Verarbeitung
  • Druckerfunktionen
  • Adressbuch und Kontakte abfragen bei Mac OS X.
  • Fragen und Antworten
Die Teilnahme kostet 99 Euro zuzügl. MWSt.
Wir beginnen gegen 9:00 Uhr und die Schulung geht bis 17 Uhr. Natürlich können Sie auch früher gehen.
Anmeldung hier.

FileMaker and Calendar (iCal)

If you need to add events or reminders to the local calendar database on a Mac, you can use our MBS Plugin to do so. We use the appropriate APIs from Apple to talk to the calendar database and read/write events and reminders. As far as Apple supports, we can even read and write calendar entries provided by servers like Exchange or CalDAV. And of course you can install software to sync the calendars to other services or servers.

Since plugin version 3.4 we have the Calendar functions in our plugin. They use the CalendarStore framework from Apple and work fine in FileMaker with 32-bit and 64-bit versions. But Apple deprecated it in OS X 10.8 and some functions don't work properly any more. For example due timestamp for an reminder can't include a time portion, just the calendar date.

Since OS X 10.8 and iOS 6.0 Apple offers a new framework called EventKit. This framework is on Mac for 64-bit only. So you can use it in FileMaker 14 client running in 64-bit mode. Or on FileMaker Server in version 12 and newer. If there will be ever some plugins for FileMaker Go, we may use the same functions there, too.

The new events functions in plugin version 6.2 allow you to use the EventKit framework and do more on calendars and reminders than ever before. Be aware that on first access of a calendar, the user is prompted for permissions.

You can create an event like this:

Set Variable [$c; Value:MBS("Events.NewEvent")]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.Item.SetTitle"; $c; CalendarTest::ItemTitle)]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.Item.SetNotes"; $c; CalendarTest::ItemNotes)]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.Item.SetURL"; $c; CalendarTest::ItemURL)]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.Item.SetLocation"; $c;CalendarTest::ItemLocation)]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.Event.SetStartDate"; $c; CalendarTest::ItemStartDate)]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.Event.SetEndDate"; $c; CalendarTest::ItemEndDate)]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.Event.SetAllDay"; $c;CalendarTest::ItemAllDay)]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.Event.SetAvailability"; $c; "busy")]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.Item.SetCalendar"; $c; CalendarTest::CalendarUID)]
Set Variable [$r; Value:MBS("Events.SaveEvent"; $c; "this"; 1 )]
Set Field [CalendarTest::ItemUID; MBS("Events.Item.CalendarItemIdentifier"; $c)]

This creates a new event, sets properties and stores the ID for the new extra in a text field. This way we can later modify it. We hope you enjoy writing scripts using our new plugin functions.

MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 6.2pr5

New in this prerelease of the 6.2 plugins:
  • Updated DynaPDF to version 3.0.51.155.
  • Updated SQLite to 3.12.2.
  • Fixed bug in FM.InsertRecordTSV for handling extra fields and more columns in some lines.
  • Improved XML.Import to better handle extra tables for attributes.
Download at monkeybreadsoftware.de/filemaker/files/Prerelease/ or ask for being added to the dropbox shared folder.

Arq 5

Online backup is important. We use Arq a lot for this as we are in control of our backup destination. If you have some webspace available or you have an amazon S3 account, you can route your backup there. You are in control and you have the account with storage provider, not some middle man.
Of course in addition to time machine or some other software. You never have enough backups!
Also good is to have an external disk where you clone internal disk to, so after a disaster you can boot from external disk and restore newer files.

See Arq Backup and Carbon Copy Cloner

MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 6.2pr4

New in this prerelease of the 6.2 plugins:
  • Fixed issue where plugin didn't load on Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.
  • Fixed bug with creating dataMatrix barcodes.
  • Updated DynaPDF to version 3.0.51.154.
  • Fixed bugs in RemoteControl.ClickMouse for Windows.
  • Updated SQLite to 3.12.1.
  • Added scale parameter for DynaPDF.ShowDifferences.
  • Improved DynaPDF.ShowDifference to better handle transparent areas.
  • The Menu code for Windows now better handles transparency.
  • The ProgressDialog image for Windows is now using transparency correctly.
  • Fixed bug in XML.Query to not return too many text when returning text lists.
  • Added delimiter parameter to QuickList.GetList.
  • Added WordFile.Parts function and Part options to WordFile functions. Now can replace placeholders in footer/header, too.
  • Added Dialog options to not have a designated cancel/default button.
Download at monkeybreadsoftware.de/filemaker/files/Prerelease/ or ask for being added to the dropbox shared folder.

MBS Xojo Conference 2016 in Koblenz, Germany

Our conference is coming closer. Next month we meet in historic Koblenz. We got another session about using Xojo with Git by Thomas Tempelmann. Be sure to also ask him about Arbed, his alternative Xojo editor and his Find Any File tool.

This is your chance to meet four Xojo engineers and talk about all the problems you have about Xojo and what you like to see in the future. You can chat with Jens Boschulte, the DynaPDF engineer and talk with Jérémie Leroy about custom controls.

Sign up to be part of the biggest Xojo developer meeting in Europe and get in touch with the Xojo community.

Our announcement for the MBS Xojo Conference:

Monkeybread Software is pleased to announce the 5th MBS Xojo Conference in beautiful Koblenz, Germany. Once again we meet in the lovely Contel hotel on the banks of the river Moselle. Beside our two conference days we have accompanying social programme with our dinner event and optional two training days. For the evenings we have casual get-together in the hotel bar or beer garden.

We are happy to have Xojo engineers join our conference. Norman Palardy from Canada and Stéphane Pinel from France will be there to talk about Xojo. Jens Boschulte, our PDF specialist and creator of the DynaPDF library will be available for questions. And of course we have a few other well known Xojo developers coming.

The schedule:

May 17th: Xojo Training in English
May 18th: Xojo Training in German
May 19th: Conference, first day with dinner event
May 20th: Conference, second day

Registration is open. Attending the conference costs regularly 299 Euro plus VAT, including food and beverage in the Contel Hotel on the banks of the river Moselle as well as an accompanying social programme.
The early bird offer available till 19th March 249 Euro plus VAT.

Sessions are to be held in English. Our conference is conceived as a networking event. The conference is an ideal opportunity for sharing your thoughts and your own development experience with fellow users and developers. If you like to hold a presentation, please contact us as soon as possible. Speaker receive discounted tickets.

Registration and more Information. Training days in German and English. For any questions, please contact me directly.


FileMaker Meeting Koblenz

We had a lovely evening here in the Hotel Winzerhaus Gärtner restaurant. Olaf presented how he moved a FileMaker solution for a client from FileMaker version 5.5 (15 years old!) over to FileMaker 14. Interesting what trouble he had with relations, consolidating all the database files and handling interaction with webviewer and external image files.



Next Martin showed how to print labels from FileMaker Go via the print assist app on iOS.

Finally we had a couple of misc topics including FileMaker 14 compared to older versions, complains about Windows 10 (FileMaker 5.5 run there!), wishes for future versions and interesting functions in MBS Plugin.

Six month till German FileMaker Conference in Salzburg, Austria

Nur noch 6 Monate bis zur FileMaker Konferenz:



Die Anmeldung für die FileMaker Konferenz 2016 läuft.
Vom 13. bis 15. Oktober 2016 treffen sich wieder ca. 200 Teilnehmer im Pitter in Salzburg.

Bitte bald anmelden um ein Ticket zu bekommen. Die Konferenzticket und die Zimmer im Hotel Crowne Plaza Salzburg waren in den vorherigen Jahren kurz vor der Konferenz ausverkauft.

Dieses Jahr gibt es neben meinem MBS Vortrag auch einen zum iOS SDK. Mal sehen, was bis zur Konferenz noch alles kommt von FileMaker. Man sieht sich!

Developer Meetings for Sweden and Denmark

In May I'll be in Sweden and after that also in Copenhagen. As you know I don't mind having party for evening, so how about doing a local meeting with developers?

Pick location and development tool and help us find the perfect date:

Xojo Meeting SwedenFileMaker Meeting Sweden
Xojo Meeting DenmarkFileMaker Meeting Denmark

Of course you can attend several meetings if you like.

The meeting will probably take place in a nice restaurant in or nearby those cities. You are welcome to join and chat with me and others about your favorite development tools, the latest versions and ask me all the plugin questions you like.

Joining is free of cost except for your own traveling, food and beverages.

FileMaker Stammtisch Koblenz

for our German speaking FileMaker developers in Koblenz and nearby:

Ein herzliches Hallo an alle FileMaker Freunde,

es ist wieder soweit! Am Donnerstag, 14. April 2016 , trifft sich derKoblenzer Stammtisch ab 19:00 Uhr bei Martin Gärtner.

Aktuelles Thema: FileMaker und MBS PlugIn - neue Möglichkeiten

Christian Schmitz von Monkey Bread Software und Christian Blaes von InterAct stellen sich euren Fragen und Ideen. Wir freuen uns auf regen Erfahrungsaustausch, eigene Ideen, Konzepte und Lösungen. Einsteiger sind herzlich willkommen! Genießen Sie den Abend und machen Sie mit!

Aktueller Ort: Hotel Winzerhaus Gärtner
An der Loreley 49
46329 St. Goar am Rhein
Telefon: 0 67 41 / 334
www.hotel-winzerhaus.de

Fragen sowie Anregungen einfach an filemaker@interact.de senden. Freunde und Kollegen sind wie immer gern gesehen und werden auf Wunsch in den Verteiler aufgenommen.


MBS Workshop in der Schweiz

For our German speaking clients we have a workshop day:

In Zusammenarbeit mit der Light + Byte AG bieten wir eine Schulung zum MBS Plugin an. Am 27. April 2016 können Sie in Zürich in der Schweiz an einer eintägigen Schulung teilnehmen. Lernen Sie die über 3500 Funktionen einmal näher kennen und wie Sie sie effektiv einsetzen. Sammeln Sie Ideen und verbessern Sie ihre FileMaker Lösungen durch den Einsatz unseres Plugins.

Das Monkeybread Software Plugin für FileMaker stellt eine vielseitige Erweiterung der eigenen Datenbank dar. Der Kurs bietet nicht nur einen tiefgreifenden Überblick in die Benutzung und Entwicklung, sondern bietet auch die Chance das Plugin günstiger zu erstehen.
  • Einführung in das MBS Plugin
  • Überblick über die Funktionsbereiche
  • Neues im MBS Plugin dieses Jahr
  • Rundgang durch ausgewählte Beispiele
  • Gemeinsames Implementieren von Plugin Funktionen in eine Datenbank:
  • Upload/Download mit CURL auf einen HTTP/FTP Server
  • Ausfüllen eines Formulares auf einer Webseite
  • Bilder bearbeiten
  • PDF Verarbeitung
  • Druckerfunktionen
  • Adressbuch und Kontakte abfragen bei Mac OS X.
  • Fragen und Antworten
Die Teilnahme kostet 149 Fr. inkl. MWSt.
Details und Anmeldung bei der Light + Byte AG.

MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 6.2pr3

New in this prerelease of the 6.2 plugins:
  • Fixed an issue with releasing objects on shutdown.
  • Added the possibility to add more parameters for FM.InsertRecordTSV.
  • Added FM.InsertSetUpdateProgressDialog to allow FM.InsertRecordQuery, FM.InsertRecordQueryIgnoreDuplicates and FM.InsertRecordTSV to show progress.
  • Dialog functions now set Parent window on Windows to make sure the dialog doesn't go behind your FileMaker window.
  • Added filename parameter for FM.QueryBaseTableNames, FM.QueryFieldsForBaseTableName, FM.QueryFieldsForTableName and FM.QueryTableNames.
  • Updated DynaPDF to version 3.0.51.153.
  • Added AVExport.ExportSessionMerge function.
Download at monkeybreadsoftware.de/filemaker/files/Prerelease/ or ask for being added to the dropbox shared folder.

FileMaker Meeting in Braunschweig

If you live near Braunschweig or Hannover area in Germany, you are welcome to join the FileMaker meeting in Braunschweig:

FileMaker Stammtisch im April
Am kommenden Mittwoch, 13. April um 19:00 Uhr findet der nächste FileMaker Stammtisch in Braunschweig statt.

Diesmal wird Christian Schmitz zu Gast sein, der Entwickler des bekannten MBS-Plugins. Das MBS-Plugin bietet mit über 3700 Funktionen eine umfangreiche Toolbox, um die Möglichkeiten von FileMaker unter Mac und Windows zu erweitern. Christian stellt u.a. die neuen Funktionen der Version 6 vor. Es bietet sich ausserdem die Gelegenheit, Fragen und Wünsche zum Plugin direkt mit dem Entwickler zu besprechen.
Wir freuen uns auf einen intensiven Austausch.

Alle Infos zur Veranstaltung gibt es auf der Event-Seite:
http://xing.to/FileMakerBS-2016-04

Bis nächste Woche, herzliche Grüße
Marcel Moré


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