Filemaker Pro 8

by Coffey, Geoff

• ISBN13: 9780596005795
• ISBN10: 0596005792
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-11-30
• Publisher: Oreilly & Associates Inc

Summary

FileMaker Pro Version 7 has significant changes in nearly every feature, and at every level. It has grown significantly in power, shed some confusing paradigms, and is able to integrate more easily with other systems. There's millions of existing FileMaker users who will need expert guidance as they orient themselves with this new product and a whole host of new customers that will be attracted to its new feature set. This book, true to the Missing Manual series tag line, is "The book that should have been in the box". FileMaker Pro 7: The Missing Manual, completely written from the ground up for version 7, is an authoritative, jargon-free guide to this powerful and pliable software. Version 7 represents a complete paradigm shift from version 6 and this book takes a reader through all the features of Filemaker Pro 7 while paying special attention to version 7's new way of doing things. The book is designed to empower ordinary people to unlock FileMaker's capabilities and make the software work for them.

Author Biography

Geoff Coffey has been helping people solve problems with FileMaker Pro for over 10 years. He is a partner at Six Fried Rice (http://sixfriedrice.com/), a FileMaker Pro consulting and training firm based in Phoenix, Arizona. Six Fried Rice brings the power and simplicity of FileMaker Pro to individuals, workgroups, enterprise, and the web through world-class training, expert advice, and custom development. He lives in downtown Phoenix with his wife of 14 years and his two daughters, Isabel (9) and Sophia (5). If you're a FileMaker fan, you can reach Geoff any time at [e-mail].

Susan Prosser is a reformed journalist who's stopped trying to bring information to the people and now helps them manage the data they already have. Susan is a FileMaker Certified Developer and has developed FileMaker databases for 12 years, but returns to her roots by training and writing curriculum for other developers.

Table of Contents

The Missing Credits	xi
Introduction	xv
Part One: Introduction to FileMaker Pro
Your First Database	3	(30)
An Very Quick Database Tour	3	(5)
Creating a New Database	8	(2)
Opening and Closing Database Files	10	(2)
Saving Your Databases	12	(2)
Adding Records to Your Database	14	(7)
Navigating Your Database	21	(6)
Same Database, Multiple Windows	27	(6)
Organizing and Editing Records	33	(48)
Views	33	(3)
Advanced Find Mode	36	(10)
Changing Multiple Records	46	(1)
Sorting Records	47	(4)
Editing What's in Your Fields	51	(11)
Paragraph Formatting	62	(6)
Beyond Text: Container Fields	68	(7)
Checking Spelling	75	(4)
Printing and Preview Mode	79	(2)
Building a New Database	81	(38)
Tables and Fields	81	(3)
Defining Fields	84	(11)
Advanced Field Options	95	(18)
Bringing It All Together	113	(6)
Part Two: Layout Basics
Layout Basics	119	(48)
What Is a Layout?	120	(2)
Switching Between Layouts	122	(1)
What Makes a Layout	123	(7)
Layout Mode	130	(37)
Creating Layouts	167	(38)
The Lowdown on Layouts	167	(3)
Creating a Layout from Scratch	170	(15)
Creating Layout for Reports	185	(20)
Advanced Layouts and Reports	205	(74)
Setting up Field Controls	205	(8)
Adding Field Controls to Layouts	213	(12)
Field Behavior	225	(3)
Tab Order	228	(3)
Print-Related Layout Options	231	(2)
Format the Number/Date/Time/Graphic	233	(13)
Adding Buttons	246	(5)
Button Actions	251	(7)
Tab Panels	258	(4)
Reports and Summary Fields	262	(17)
Part Three: Multiple Tables and Relationships
Multiple Tables and Relationships	279	(48)
Relational Databases Explained	279	(2)
Modeling Your Database	281	(19)
Creating a Relational Database	300	(17)
Relational Databases	317	(10)
Advanced Relationship Techniques	327	(52)
Creating Related Records	327	(13)
Table Occurrences	340	(8)
Managing Data with Data Tunneling	348	(4)
Building a Data Tunneling Interface	352	(6)
Connecting Databases	358	(5)
Lookups	363	(6)
Advanced Relationships	369	(10)
Part Four: Calculations
Introduction to Calculations	379	(32)
Understanding Calculations	379	(3)
The Structure of a Calculation	382	(13)
Creating a Calculation Field	395	(7)
Auto-Enter Calculations	402	(1)
Validate Data Entry with a Calculation	403	(3)
Replacing Data Using a Calculation	406	(2)
Comments	408	(3)
Calculations and Data Types	411	(28)
Number Crunching Calculations	411	(2)
Going Beyond Basic Calculations	413	(3)
Text Parsing Calculations	416	(14)
Date and Time Calculations	430	(6)
Containers in Calculations	436	(3)
Advanced Calculations	439	(18)
Stored, Unstored, and Global Fields	439	(5)
Logical Functions	444	(7)
The Let Function and Variables	451	(6)
Extending Calculations	457	(12)
Custom Functions	458	(6)
Plug-ins	464	(5)
Part Five: Scripting
Scripting Basics	469	(22)
Your First Script	469	(9)
The Importance of the Layout	478	(2)
Running Scripts	480	(3)
Branching and Looping in Scripts	483	(8)
Script Steps	491	(44)
Go to Layout	491	(1)
Scripting for Fields	492	(13)
Working with Records	505	(10)
Finding Records	515	(9)
Sorting Records	524	(1)
Working with Windows	524	(6)
Working with Files	530	(1)
Printing	531	(1)
Other Script Steps	532	(3)
Advanced Scripting	535	(48)
Commenting Scripts	535	(1)
Asking and Telling the User	535	(6)
Organizing Complex Scripts	541	(8)
Handling Errors	549	(5)
Putting a Complex Script Together	554	(29)
Part Six: Security and Integration
Security	583	(30)
How Security Works	583	(2)
Privilege Sets	585	(15)
Managing Accounts	600	(4)
Extended Privileges	604	(4)
Scripts and Security	608	(5)
Exporting and Importing	613	(28)
Exporting a File	613	(4)
Export Formats	617	(6)
Importing Data	623	(7)
Import Data Sources	630	(9)
Importing and Exporting in a Script	639	(2)
Sharing Your Database	641	(26)
FileMaker Network Sharing	642	(2)
Sharing Over the Internet	644	(7)
FileMaker Server	651	(14)
Server Hardware	665	(2)
Developer Utilities	667	(52)
Script Debugger	668	(7)
Disable Script Steps	675	(1)
The Database Design Report	676	(6)
Tooltips	682	(1)
Copying Database Structure	682	(4)
Custom Menus	686	(7)
Developer Utilities	693	(6)
File Maintenance	699	(4)
Part Seven: Appendixes
Appendix A: Getting Help	703	(8)
Appendix B: FileMaker Error Codes	711	(8)
Index	719