Sessions from FileMaker Summer Camp 2023
Wondering what topics were discussed? Here's a list of all the official sessions and their facilitators.
This year, we were fortunate to have more than 30 official sessions (plus the unofficial ones!) at PauseOnError: FileMaker Summer Camp. Here’s a list from A to Z! Or, if you prefer, see it on the calendar.
A Human Timeline: Container Data, Demystified
Facilitator: Sully, Mandelbrot LLC
Description: Updated Session! Containers have been around since FileMaker 2, but the binary data we put in those containers? That has been around far longer. How do all those bits and bytes fit in with the rest of your solution? And, more importantly, wouldn’t understanding raw data a little better help you feel more comfortable with containers, APIs, public hosting, web design, and more? Using a human timeline, Sully will guide us on a Socratic journey through computer science history as we talk about encoding, email, MIME types, FileMaker containers, HTTP, and more. Then, we’ll open discussion around how we get our data in and out of FileMaker and to where it best belongs.
AI in the FileMaker Ecosystem
Facilitator: Alo Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist
Description: Are you curious about what access to AI models means for the FileMaker community? We will review the basic concepts of AI models and the different ways in which they can be integrated into FM systems. Let's discuss potential use cases, personal experiences, risks, and safety around AI products.
Basketball
Facilitator: Mike Lee, Proof+Geist
Description: Casual basketball at the main court!
Board Games
Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist
Description: No experience necessary! Just come ready to have fun and you won't be disappointed!
Board Games, round 2
Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist
Description: Did you miss out on the fun last night? Or coming back for round 2? Either way, anyone is welcome!
Change management/tracking for Filemaker
Facilitator: Dale Miller, The Smart designer
Description: Do you ever wish you could use Github to track your FileMaker changes? Well, so do I, but I haven't figured out how yet. I have, however, built a rudimentary change tracking system which I would like to share and ask for input. Also, I would like to hear how you track changes and keep from going crazy.
Circlesinging (vocal improvisation)
Facilitator: Dina Torok, Data Maven Consulting
Description: Experience “shared flow” (thanks, Don!) as we sing loops and songs created on the fly. No experience necessary! You’ll sing parts given to you, and maybe we will try some games where anyone can have the chance to make some stuff up. Or just come and listen!
Consultant Counseling
Facilitator: Adam Aronson, Fullcity Consulting
Description: A place to discuss and get support for the challenges that our work presents that isn’t technical. The people part. The balance part. The laundry!
Exploring Personality Types - A simple model
Facilitator: Ann Kiser, SeedCode
Description: This will be a fun and interactive session exploring a simple but powerful model of understanding the different people in your life - team members, customers, family, and friends. Most importantly, this is about embracing our differences, without labels or shame, with the goal of building stronger relationships and more effective communication. Learn the negative words used to describe others, the strengths they bring, why some people are "hard" for you, and possible stress responses. (Please note that I am not formally trained in psychology or other related study. I first learned this model in 2005 - first as a student, and then teaching it to others over the years.)
Funny FileMaker Stories
Facilitator: Jonn Howell, DataExperience, Inc.
Description: Let's continue the story-telling hour in the Tree House, that Mark Baum had held last year. This year let’s dig up all our funny FileMaker stories! Maybe it can become a tradition! That was so fun, and it helped us get to know other attendees, like we might not, otherwise. Bring your good (short, like 10 minutes or less) story, and express yourself with something, whether true, folklore, or personal. This should be playful and get some belly laughs!
Getting Started with JS in FM
Facilitator: Jeremy Brown, Integrating Magic
Description: Get your computer set up to start using JS in FM. Download some tools and, most importantly, learn how the JS Dev Environment is most efficient to build JS widgets to solve client problems.
Half-baked: Delivering Unfinished Code to Production with Feature Flags
Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist
Description: Come learn how we use feature flags in our FileMaker workflow to enable continuous deployment, test features secretly in production, and even release (or un-release) features without any migration or downtime!
How Many Developers Does It Take...
Facilitator: Lisette Wilson & Will Mercer, Informing Designs LLC
Description: How many devs does it take to screw up a file? But seriously, how many devs can be building a solution at once? How do you schedule the work? How do you manage the work? How do you keep everyone from running over everyone? How do you deal with different levels of skill in the same file? Where we are coming from: We've had 3 devs or so in a solution at once, but all in silos, pretty much. Now, we have up to 6 at a time, with significant cross-over and dependencies. We wouldn't normally do this, but we have a client with urgent need, communicated with a short delivery window, and need all hands on deck. We are making this up as we go along, and would love to hear your stories, lessons learned, expertise, or at least share the pain.
Interactive 3D Graphics for FileMaker Developers
Facilitator: Joseph Simpson, Radical Application Development
Description: A conversation about 3D graphics and how FileMaker developers can use them in a web viewer. A quick primer on 3D graphics, WebGL graphics frameworks, interactive demos in a web viewer. My main goal for this session is to spark some excitement about working with 3D in FMP. (This session is now available as a blog post!)
Intuitive Consciousness
Facilitator: Kimberly Carlson, Beezwax Datatools Inc
Description: A philosophical conversation around consciousness with a reminder to listen to our intuition and balance our heavily coded world with our internal creativity; highlighting the benefits of doing so as a business owner/freelancer/manager as well as a developer and a human. Potential questions: Do you know the difference between your intuition and your ego? Do you bring enough creativity into your work? Does AI have a place here?
JSON skills workshop
Facilitator: Micah Woods, Scodigo
Description: I will provide a sandbox file with 30-40 examples, starting with some of the basics but quickly moving on to more advanced topics like using JSON schema to validate script parameters and some of the more advanced custom functions like array sorting, JSON filtering, JSON to variables, JSON to expression (very handy when you’re calling an API and have a JSON example), etc. Come and learn some new JSON skills, get access to a nice suite of JSON custom functions, and share your own JSON kung fu.
Learning to Learn
Facilitator: Norm Bartlett, Soliant Consulting
Description: I’ve been at Soliant for just over ten years. I lead projects, they go well, my clients are happy. The only downside is that I don’t have a lot of time to work on new technical skills. How do you keep up with learning? Are my future weekends just going to be filled with training time? How do you make it / keep it fun?
Let's go running
Facilitator: Julien Lafleur
Description: Easy running, about 4-5 miles at a moderate pace (to be determined by whoever shows up). Shortened to get everyone back with time for a quick breakfast. Starting at 7:30 sharp!
Let's talk about MBS Plugin
Facilitator: Christian Schmitz, Monkeybread Software
Description: Let me show you something, ask questions, bring your wishes and ideas and see how the MBS Plugin can help you.
Pause on Transition
Facilitator: Jonn Howell, DataExperience, Inc.
Description: Have you ever completed a project, and then wish that you had a stronger connection to the people on the project and a better sense of empowerment after you left? We all transition between projects, gigs, jobs and teams. Projects succeed, projects fail, and some get canceled. Regardless of the outcome, there is good to be had, concepts to be learned, mistakes to recognize, friendships to honor, relationships to preserve, gratitude to be expressed, and bridges to be built. There is always need for both celebration and grief. Let’s discuss how to gracefully handle closure when things end.
Product Roadmap and Custom Connector Workshop
Facilitators: Andrew LeCates, Ronnie Rios, and Lui de la Parra, Claris
Description: Brief product roadmap and release plan updates from Andrew LeCates This will be a quick review of the August update with a look toward what to expect from Claris for the rest of 2023. Custom connector workshop with Ronnie Rios and Lui de la Parra This workshop will deliver practical instruction on the integration of third-party APIs, equipping you with the tools you need to link crucial applications and services more effectively. By crafting your own connectors, you can accelerate the integration process without waiting for connector availability. This also affords you the flexibility to go beyond the standard actions offered by existing connectors and establish reusable methods for integrating with internal, custom, or niche systems.
Rinse & Dry
Facilitator: PauseOnError
Description: It's literally laundry time! Stop by the basketball court to rinse out your t-shirt and hang it up to dry.
SaaS Billing & Customer Support
Facilitator: Kait Keller, SeedCode
Description: An open conversation about SaaS billing (specifically remittance or invoiced billing), and customer support.
Say Farewell to Julie Sigfrinius
Facilitator: Adam Aronson, Fullcity Consulting
Description: A chance to say thank you and best wishes to our friend and colleague.
Sharing Your App with FileMaker Server: What to Know
Facilitators: Mike Duncan and Danielle Hieronimi, Soliant Consulting and Proof+Geist
Description: Do you use FileMaker Server? Server is often overlooked or taken for granted in the FileMaker Platform. Join us for an open-ended discussion of how FileMaker Server is utilized, best practices, and how to get the most out of FileMaker Server in your deployments. We have plenty of questions to frame talking points, with insights to share from people who work for two of the most popular hosting options available today for FileMaker. We look forward to sharing our own insights and gathering feedback from others, whether you are new to FileMaker Server or are an expert.
Stargazing
Facilitator: April Barman, SeedCode
Description: Do you like stars, planets, or the moon perhaps? Stop by during the jam session and check some out with me. I have a telescope so I think that makes me an expert.
Tell Me What You’re Proud Of!
Facilitator: Sara Severson, Soliant Consulting
Description: Meet me at lunch, and let’s talk about something you built that you like! I’ll share about a recent solution that speeds up performance on a large table and most importantly makes it easy for us to maintain and my client to adjust in the future.
TileMaker™ Pro — Physical Tools for Digital Productivity
Facilitator: Peter Vinogradov, Proof+Geist
Description: Digital tools like ClickUp, Google Calendar, etc. are brilliant for managing our tasks and time, but exist in a purely digital space which mostly engages our visual sense. Physical tools and paper appeal to more senses but don't integrate cleanly with the kind of digital work we do every day. TileMaker™ Pro is a collection of tools and approaches for smoothing the boundaries between digital and physical space. Fundamentally, it uses blank plastic dominoes as a tactile day planner but also leverages NFC and FileMaker to help you switch between tasks in a low-effort, satisfying way. We'll take a look at these tools, but this is mostly an opportunity to share our workspace and productivity hacks.
Transactions: Best Practices
Facilitator: Alo Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist
Description: Join Alo Torres-Navarro for an insightful session on the best practices surrounding transactions. Get ready to delve into the world of transactions!
Yoga by the Lake: Gentle Flow
Facilitator: Alondra Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist
Description: Take a break and join Alondra Torres-Navarro for a calming yoga session by the lake. Let the gentle flow help you decompress and rejuvenate.
Yoga by the Lake: Gentle Yoga Flow
Facilitator: Alondra Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist
Description: Join Alondra Torres-Navarro for another session of gentle yoga by the lake. This time, experience a soothing yoga flow to help you decompress and find balance.
And more…
What happened outside of the official sessions? 🤷 Only time will tell…
