Change existing layout objects
Genie changes an object that is already on your layout, in place. It is the same object afterward, with the same name, place in the stacking order, triggers and formatting, except for what you asked to change. Genie does not delete it and add a copy.
This works on macOS in FileMaker Pro 19, 20, 21, 22 and 26, in the Genie tab in Layout mode, in the Genie window, and for external agents connected through Local MCP. Editing layouts requires a paid plan. On the Free plan, Genie can still inspect and explain your layouts.
Ask for the change
Section titled “Ask for the change”Select the objects, or name them in your request, and describe the result you want. Genie reads the layout first, then shows the change for your confirmation. With Auto apply on, it applies the change directly. After saving, Genie reads the layout again and tells you if anything does not match what you asked.
Examples
Section titled “Examples”- Dates. “Change all dates on the Certificate layout to the long date style.” Genie changes the date format of the date fields and of the text objects that hold a date merge field. Nothing else on those objects changes.
- Hide a button. “Hide the Send button when Email is empty.” Genie sets the button’s hide condition to a calculation such as
IsEmpty ( Contact::Email ). - Portal rows. “Set the Line items portal to show 5 rows.” Add “and a vertical scroll bar” or “and allow deleting portal records” in the same request.
- Appearance. “Center the titles, make them uppercase, give the cards 8 points of padding and a light shadow.”
- Script trigger. “Run the script Check bill date when I leave the Bill date field.”
What you can change
Section titled “What you can change”Formats and appearance
- Date, number and time formats of field objects, and of text objects that hold merge fields. A text object has one format of each kind for all the merge fields in it. Container fields are not included.
- Text alignment, text case, padding, line height, and spacing before and after paragraphs.
- Fill and border colors, border width, corner radius, and see-through (translucent) fills and borders.
- One drop shadow, gradient fills, line style (dashed, dotted, double and more), underline and strikethrough.
Name, position and content
- Object name, rotation (90, 180 or 270 degrees), stacking order (front, back, forward, backward), and the text of a text object.
- Layout calculations inside a text object: Genie changes the formula and keeps the rest of the text.
- Anchors (autoresizing).
Behavior
- Hide condition, tooltip, accessibility title, field placeholder text, tab labels and popover titles. Genie writes these as calculations.
- Script triggers on objects and on the layout itself (for example OnObjectValidate, OnLayoutEnter), set or removed by script name.
- Layout width.
- Tab order for field objects and buttons.
Fields and portals
- Point a field object at another field, keeping everything else on it.
- Change the control style of a field that already shows a value list (drop-down list, pop-up menu, checkbox set, radio button set).
- Portal setup: number of rows, vertical scroll bar, allow deletion, filter and sort.
Requirements
Section titled “Requirements”- Layout calculations: FileMaker Pro 21 or later.
- Popover titles: FileMaker Pro 22 or later.
- Portal filter and sort: FileMaker Pro 26. Row count, scroll bar and allow deletion work in 19 to 26.
- Everything else above works in FileMaker Pro 19, 20, 21, 22 and 26.
What Genie does not change in place
Section titled “What Genie does not change in place”Button actions and button label text, portal alternate rows and initial row, assigning or changing a value list, conditional formatting, grouping and ungrouping, replacing an image with an external file, layout margins, theme and background, and the background of a part. Make these changes in Layout mode, or ask Genie to replace the object with a new one.
Good to know
Section titled “Good to know”- If the layout has unsaved changes in Layout mode, FileMaker reports it in use. Genie changes nothing. Save or revert the layout, then ask again.
- Keep a rotated object inside its layout part. If it crosses into another part, FileMaker moves it and Genie reports the change as unverified.
- Write field references in calculations with their table occurrence, for example
Contact::Email. Genie checks each calculation before it writes, and FileMaker has the last word. If FileMaker refuses a formula, nothing changes. - Privacy Mode blocks layout reads, so Genie cannot read the layout it would edit while it is on.