User Manual (978-0-471-78648-1)Table of ContentsIntroduction1Introduction1About This Book1Foolish Assumptions2How This Book Is Organized2Part I: Getting to Know FileMaker Pro2Part II: Building the Perfect Beast3Part III: Taking Control with FileMaker Programming3Your Database3Part V: The Part of Tens4Appendix: Scripting Reference4Icons Used in This Book4Downloads for This Book4Where to Go from Here5Part I: Getting to Know FileMaker Pro7Part I: Getting to Know FileMaker Pro7Chapter 1: Introducing FileMaker Pro9Why Use FileMaker?9Common uses for FileMaker10Picking the Version That’s Best for You11The Happy Modes of FileMaker12Dealing with data in Browse mode13Searching in Find mode14Taking a look in Preview mode15Laying out the layouts in Layout mode15What’s on the Menu?18The Right Toolbar for the Job21The Standard toolbar22The Text Formatting toolbar22The Arrange toolbar23The Tools toolbar23Configuring Your FileMaker Installation24Setting general preferences24Choosing your layout preferences25Practicing memory control26Plugging (and unplugging) plug-ins27Fiddling with fonts27Chapter 2: Creating a Database29Starting a Custom Database from Scratch30Adding and Renaming a Table31Playing the Field: Adding Fields to the Table33Adding an identifier field33Adding the fields that hold the data35Robotic table field data entry38Automatic garbage detector40The bit bucket: Setting Storage options43Connecting Tables with Parent/Child Relationships45Setting up a child table46Defining the table relationships48Exploring your options in the relationships graph50Chapter 3: Calculation Programming: You Have the Power!55Introducing the Calculation Editor55Understanding the basic syntax57Operator, could you please connect these values?58Deciding Where to Put a Calculation60Embedding calculations in your database60Building calculations and scripts in ScriptMaker63Getting Crazy with the Calculation Functions68Adding a database status dialog box68Formatting a phone number by calculation72Part II: Building the Perfect Beast77Part II: Building the Perfect Beast77Chapter 4: Designing a Good FileMaker Application79Analysis Isn’t Just for Doctors80Asking the initial questions80Turning your answers into requirements82Data In: Creating a Well-Designed Database84Identifying the fields84Organizing fields into tables for efficiency86Building good relationships (between tables)87Data Out: Designing an Effective Layout88Adding a layout to a database91Setting options for a layout93Organizing Data within FileMaker’s Layout Parts96Adding basic objects to a layout99Saving and Previewing a Layout103Chapter 5: Whipping the Layout into Shape105Aligning Objects the Easy Way106Inserting the Current Date on the Layout107Simplifying Life with the Format Painter107Adding Pretty Pictures to the Layout108Inserting a background image109Using pictures for buttons109Make Those Fields Behave111Setting field options111Setting the tab order for layout fields112I Need a Tooltip!113Organizing the Layout into Tabs114It’s Mini-Me! — Adding Subtables117Adding a Grand Summary120Chapter 6: Finding and Sorting Your Data125Searching for Data125Doing a simple search126Narrowing a search criteria127Omitting a record from the search128Viewing omitted records128Creating a button to do your search automatically129Putting Your Jobs in Order (By Sorting)132Sorting A to Z and 1, 2, 3132Setting up a custom sort order134Adding a button to sort columns136Chapter 7: Making FileMaker Do Tricks139Buttoning Up the Layout139Putting a Data Field to Work143Using Those Wonderful Drop-Down Lists144Popping Up Menus146Presenting Choices with Check Boxes and Radio Buttons147in a Container Field149Creating a Container field149Adding stuff to the Container field150Customizing the Menus151Chapter 8: It’s All in the Script!157Saving Time with FileMaker Scripts158Checking Out the Parts in a Script159Creating a Script in ScriptMaker160Creating a script160Defining and editing scripts164Adding conditionals and other logic to a script166Assigning a script to a layout object171Playing with Animation: The ShipMover Database174Laying the groundwork for ShipMover174Managing a global variable with several scripts175Designing the ship-movement script176Chapter 9: Your Programming Toolbox179Good Commenting Practices180Adding a comment181Adding header comments182Keeping application notes183Structuring your script listing184Auto-Centering a Layout185Using External Scripts and Value Lists186Linking to an external file186Using linked scripts187Using linked value lists188Calling Up an Address with Google Maps189Automated Error E-Mails190Your Database193Your Database193Chapter 10: Share (Data) and Share Alike195Sharing a Database over a Network196Enabling sharing for the database199Connecting to a hosted FileMaker database200Exporting Your Data to Other Formats202Understanding your options202Exporting to Microsoft Excel204Exporting to HTML207Importing Data from Other Sources207Excellent data from Excel208Getting text into your database211Taming the dreaded comma-separated variable file211Importing from SQL via ODBC, and other strange acronyms212Importing XML data217Linking to Other FileMaker Databases219Setting up a file reference219Using a file reference220Sharing Data with Another Database System via ODBC/JDBC222Generating the Ultimate Database Report224Chapter 11: Batten Down the Hatches! Keeping Your Data Safe227Introducing FileMaker Security Methods228Defining User Accounts228Creating a user account229Enabling logins for the database231Changing the admin password231Using Privilege Sets232Creating a privilege set232Using the Custom Privilege feature236Managing Extended Privileges237Adding an extended privilege to a privilege set238Adding a new extended privilege239FileMaker Security Guidelines240Chapter 12: Putting Your Databases on the Web241Designing Layouts for the Web241Keeping a layout Web friendly242Checking out the browser interface243Script Writing for the Web246Choosing Web-compatible features247Considering scripts for the Web application248Handling the two-faced script statements249Putting Your Database on the Web250Part V: The Part of Tens255Part V: The Part of Tens255Chapter 13: Ten Cool Things You Can Do with FileMaker257Making Hidden Buttons257Giving Your Layouts Pizazz with Graphics259Making Layout Titles and Text Dynamic262Reusable Layouts264Showing Movies in FileMaker266Using Auto Start & End Script Code268Sending E-Mail from FileMaker269Launching a Web Site with FileMaker270Changing a Field Background Color271Running Another Application274Chapter 14: Ten (Or So) Items to Aid Your FileMaker Development275Checking Out Online Resources for FileMaker Pro276FileMaker Pro mailing lists and newsgroups276FMNewswire276FileMaker Magazine276comp.databases.filemaker277Plugging into FileMaker Pro277Troi Automatisering27824U Software278WorldSync278Expanding Your Themes278Not Just Scripting, but AppleScripting279Appendix: Scripting Reference281Appendix: Scripting Reference281Index343Index343Size: 83.8 KBPages: 8Language: EnglishOpen manual
