Learn Filemaker Pro 7

by Stars, Jonathan

• ISBN13: 9781556220982
• ISBN10: 1556220987
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-01
• Publisher: Wordware

Summary

FileMaker Pro 7 is a radical update to this award winning database program. Essential not only to beginners but also intermediate users and professionals needing to get up to speed with all the changes, this book covers all of it.

Author Biography

Jonathan Stars is a professional FileMaker consultant in Michigan Janice Child uses FileMaker to manage her event-planning responsibilities for a multi-line insurance company Nonie Bernard is director of curriculum development for FMPTraining and an instructor with the Maricopa Community Colleges in Arizona

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xv
About the Authors	p. xvii
Acknowledgments	p. xviii
Introduction	p. xx
Learning the Basics
Getting Acquainted with FileMaker Pro	p. 2
Introduction	p. 2
What Is a Database?	p. 3
Using FileMaker Pro	p. 4
Database Concepts	p. 6
Saving a Copy of a FileMaker Pro File	p. 10
Closing a FileMaker Pro File	p. 11
Quitting FileMaker Pro	p. 11
Summary	p. 11
Menus and Modes	p. 13
Introduction	p. 13
Define Database	p. 14
Modes	p. 20
Menu Commands	p. 24
Summary	p. 27
Creating Your First Database	p. 29
Introduction	p. 29
Planning the Database	p. 30
Creating the File	p. 32
Cleaning Up the Layout	p. 35
Adding Some Data	p. 43
Adding a Script	p. 43
Assigning Scripts to Buttons	p. 46
Special Situations	p. 48
Summary	p. 50
Using FileMaker Pro
Creating a New Database	p. 54
Introduction	p. 54
Considerations	p. 54
What Are Fields?	p. 56
Formatting Your Fields in Japanese	p. 65
Field Formats on Layouts	p. 65
Summary	p. 67
Entering and Modifying Your Data	p. 69
Introduction	p. 69
Creating a New Record	p. 70
Adding Data	p. 73
Summary	p. 86
Working with Related Tables--Part 1	p. 88
Introduction	p. 88
One or Many Tables?	p. 89
Define Your Tables	p. 90
Summary	p. 112
Working with Related Tables--Part 2	p. 114
Introduction	p. 114
Planning Your Database	p. 115
Tricky Terms and Catchy Phrases	p. 115
Invoice System ER Diagram	p. 122
Create the Tables	p. 123
Create the Relationships	p. 125
The Invoice Layout	p. 129
Summary	p. 134
Finding and Sorting Your Data	p. 136
Introduction	p. 136
Finding Records	p. 137
Omitting Records	p. 148
Sorting Records	p. 149
Summary	p. 153
Creating New Layouts with the Layout Assistant	p. 155
Introduction	p. 155
Create a New Layout	p. 156
Summary	p. 165
Turning Your Data into Information
Keeping Your Data Clean and Neat	p. 168
Introduction	p. 168
Field Data Entry Options	p. 169
Auto-Enter Tab (Automatically Entering Values)	p. 169
Validation Tab (Checking Data for Accuracy)	p. 172
Storage Tab (Global Storage, Repeating, and Indexing)	p. 176
Furgiana Tab	p. 179
Summary	p. 179
Putting Your Data to Work for You	p. 181
Introduction	p. 181
Defining a Calculation Field	p. 182
Summary	p. 193
Real-World Calculations--Part 1	p. 195
Introduction	p. 195
FileMaker's Help Files	p. 196
What Are Functions?	p. 196
Commenting Calculations	p. 209
Summary	p. 210
Real-World Calculations--Part 2	p. 212
Introduction	p. 212
Aggregate Functions	p. 213
Summary Functions	p. 214
Repeating Functions	p. 215
Financial Functions	p. 218
Trigonometric Functions	p. 219
Logical Functions	p. 220
Get Functions	p. 223
Design Functions	p. 224
External Functions	p. 225
Text Formatting Functions	p. 226
Timestamp Functions	p. 226
Custom Functions	p. 226
Summary	p. 227
Creating a Real Solution
Automating Your Database with Scripts	p. 230
Introduction	p. 230
What Are Scripts?	p. 231
Planning Your Script	p. 233
Script Steps Overview	p. 235
Main Menu Script Example	p. 236
Print Invoices Example	p. 245
Debugging Scripts	p. 251
Import Scripts	p. 253
Other Features	p. 257
And Finally	p. 263
Summary	p. 263
Making Sense of Your Information with Layouts	p. 265
Introduction	p. 265
What Is a Layout?	p. 266
Layout Parts	p. 273
Working with Layout Parts	p. 276
Summary	p. 277
Designing Your Screen Layouts	p. 279
Introduction	p. 279
Basic Design	p. 280
Customizing the Appearance of Objects on a Layout	p. 288
Summary	p. 290
Designing Your Printed Report Layouts	p. 292
Introduction	p. 292
What Is a Report?	p. 292
Creating a Report	p. 294
Example Reports	p. 295
Summary	p. 307
Sharing Your Database
Personal Data Sharing	p. 310
Introduction	p. 310
What Is Personal Data Sharing?	p. 311
Using Personal File Sharing	p. 312
Summary	p. 319
Sharing Your Data on the Web	p. 321
Introduction	p. 321
Why Publish on the Web?	p. 322
FileMaker and Instant Web Publishing (IWP)	p. 322
Cool Web Sites Powered by FileMaker	p. 340
Summary	p. 340
Sharing Your Data with Other Applications	p. 343
Introduction	p. 343
Using FileMaker's Import and Export Commands	p. 344
ODBC Sharing	p. 344
Execute SQL Script Step	p. 360
Converting and Importing Data from Microsoft Excel	p. 361
Importing a Folder of Files in a Single Operation	p. 362
Summary	p. 364
Protecting Your Information
Keeping Your Data Secure	p. 368
Introduction	p. 368
Why Protect Your Data?	p. 368
FileMaker Security	p. 369
Accounts Tab	p. 369
Privilege Sets Tab	p. 373
Extended Privileges Tab	p. 386
Expand and/or Reduce Privileges	p. 388
Limiting Access through Scripting	p. 391
Limiting Access through Field Calculations	p. 392
Internet Considerations	p. 395
Conversion Issues	p. 395
Summary	p. 395
Backup and Recovery	p. 397
Introduction	p. 397
Why Back Up?	p. 398
Database Corruption	p. 400
Backup Routine	p. 402
Using Your Backups	p. 408
Summary	p. 413
Beyond FileMaker
FileMaker Mobile 2.1	p. 416
Introduction	p. 416
Installation Overview	p. 417
Going Mobile	p. 421
FileMaker Mobile vs. FileMaker Pro	p. 424
Summary	p. 425
FileMaker and XML	p. 426
Introduction	p. 426
What Is XML?	p. 426
Add in XSL	p. 427
What Can I Use It For?	p. 427
Examples: Exporting XML as HTML	p. 429
Profile of a FileMaker XML Web Request	p. 432
Import XML	p. 433
Open XML	p. 433
Summary	p. 434
File Conversion Issues and Answers	p. 436
Introduction	p. 436
Documentation	p. 436
Step By Step	p. 437
Summary	p. 444
Leftover, but Important Stuff	p. 447
Getting More Help	p. 453
Answers to Review Questions	p. 457
Glossary	p. 475
Index	p. 486
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