FileMaker stores scripts, layouts, fields and tables as XML — but Claris has never published the format, and FileMaker's paste handler silently drops anything it doesn't like. No error. The object just never appears.
I reverse engineered these formats to build a reference layer for agentic development.
This work now powers two kinds of tool: skills that let AI generate FileMaker objects which actually paste, and standalone tools that analyse Save as XML exports and clean XML directly with no AI required.
Generation — paste-ready FileMaker XML
Script XML Skill (XMSS, XMSC, XMFN) The full script step ID dictionary, plus the hidden paste-handler rules that decide whether your XML survives the trip into FileMaker.
Layout XML Skill (XML2) All 18 layout object types mapped, every flag decoded, element order confirmed against native output. Verified across 45+ layouts in 10 production files.
Field, Table & Value List Definitions (XMFD, XMTB, XMVL) — this repo Field, table and value list definition XML — auto-enter, validation, storage, calculation options, and the three value list source arms — verified down to the individual option level.
Analysis — read, audit and clean existing XML
XML Inspector (SaXML) Full-catalog dependency analysis of a Save as XML export, entirely in the browser. Finds unreferenced fields, silent-failure risks, broken references, and diffs two versions of a solution against each other.
XML Scrubber (SaXML + others) Strips API keys, passwords and internal hostnames out of FileMaker XML before you hand it to an AI tool.
Verified, not guessed
Every finding here is marked so you know exactly how sure I am: ✓ round-trip tested · ◎ observed in native exports · ○ inferred
All CC BY 4.0.
Andrew Kear · Claris Partner · Claris MVP · clockworkct.co.uk