A Bridge among two incredible technologies.
FileMaker WebDirect is an incredible deployment tool that has revolutionized how we deliver apps. However, one common request we hear from clients is the need for “Rich Text Editing” that also prints perfectly on reports—something that has traditionally been challenging in a web environment.
Rather than seeing this as a limitation, we saw it as an opportunity to leverage the power of the FileMaker Script Engine.
Introducing: The WebDirect Rich Text Editor Bridge
We have developed an open-source module that enables robust Rich Text editing in WebDirect while maintaining the data integrity and print fidelity that FileMaker is known for.
How it helps the ecosystem: This project isn’t a workaround; it’s a translation engine. It uses a modern web interface (Quill.js) for the user experience, but crucially, it respects the FileMaker database by converting that input into Native FileMaker Styled Text.
Why This Matters for Your Solution
- Maintains Data Purity: By storing data as native text (not HTML), your database remains clean, searchable, and fast.
- Report Quality: Because the data is native, your printed PDFs leverage FileMaker’s powerful vector rendering engine, ensuring your invoices and reports look razor-sharp.
- Seamless Integration: It works alongside your existing layouts and respects your Theme’s “Dark Mode” or styling automatically.
A Note on the WebDirect Experience
What makes this solution special is the seamless hand-off between technologies. When a user edits text in WebDirect, the solution instantly updates the native FileMaker field in the background. While the WebDirect browser engine may display that native field with the standard web limitations, the data itself is saved with full rich text fidelity.
This means that while your web user inputs the data, your back-office staff using FileMaker Pro, your mobile workforce on FileMaker Go, and your automated PDF robot all see the perfect, fully styled vector text immediately.
A Victory for the Platform
This project proves the incredible flexibility of Claris FileMaker. By combining a WebViewer for UI and native Scripting for logic, we can solve complex challenges without external plugins or dependencies.
Access the Repository
We are sharing this not just as a file, but as a fully documented open-source project (MIT License).
The repository includes the .fmp12 example file, architectural diagrams, installation guides, and a full changelog. We want this to be a reliable resource you can trust in production environments.
Explore the GitHub Repository: https://github.com/DimitrisKok/WebDirect-Rich-Text-Editor
