Que using filemaker 8 special edition may 2006 ISBN 0789735121

Troubleshooting FileMaker Extra: About the Custom Web Publishing Tools Part V: Deploying a FileMaker Solution... He has written for FileMaker Advisor magazine and co-authored two other b

By Steve Lane, Scott Love, Bob Bowers

Publisher: Que Pub Date: May 12, 2006 Print ISBN-10: 0-7897-3512-1 Print ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-3512-6 Pages: 912

By Steve Lane, Scott Love, Bob Bowers

Publisher: Que Pub Date: May 12, 2006 Print ISBN-10: 0-7897-3512-1 Print ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-3512-6 Pages: 912

Understanding How and Where Calculations Are Used Exploring the Calculation Dialog Box

Troubleshooting

FileMaker Extra: About the Custom Web Publishing Tools Part V: Deploying a FileMaker Solution

Chapter 27 Documenting Your FileMaker Solutions Why Is Documentation Important?

FileMaker Extra: Soliant Development Standards Index

SPECIAL EDITION USING FILEMAKER® 8

Copyright © 2006 by Que Publishing

All rights reserved No part of this book shall be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means,

electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,without written permission from the publisher No patent

liability is assumed with respect to the use of the informationcontained herein Although every precaution has been taken inthe preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume

no responsibility for errors or omissions Nor is any liabilityassumed for damages resulting from the use of the informationcontained herein

as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark

FileMaker is a registered trademark of FileMaker, Inc

Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and

as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is implied.The information provided is on an "as is" basis The authors andthe publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to anyperson or entity with respect to any loss or damages arisingfrom the information contained in this book or from the use ofthe DVD or programs accompanying it

Bulk Sales

Que Publishing offers excellent discounts on this book whenordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales For

To Signe, Erlend, and Rona: I guess this doesn't quite count as "never again"?

Steve Lane

To Eleanor, my new project management challenge.

Bob Bowers

Steve Lane has worked with relational databases for 16 years.

He has written for FileMaker Advisor magazine and co-authored two other books, Advanced FileMaker Pro 6 Web Development and Special Edition Using FileMaker 7, as well as this book's companion volume, FileMaker 8 Functions and Scripts Desk

Reference He is a founding partner with Soliant Consulting and

has led training classes in FileMaker technologies all over thecountry, both in open sessions and in onsite client

engagements He regularly speaks at the annual FileMaker

Developer's Conference, where in 2003 he was awarded theFileMaker Fellowship Award for "pushing the boundaries of

contributing editor for FileMaker Advisor magazine and has co-Techniques for Developers, Advanced FileMaker Pro 6 Web

Development, and Special Edition Using FileMaker Pro 7 At the

2002 FileMaker Developer's Conference, where he is a perennial

"developing outstanding technical and educational resources forFileMaker."

This book could not exist were it not for the hard work andsupport of our colleagues and friends Writing it would havebeen impossible otherwise, and we'd like to share our gratitudewith those who have toiled with us

First off, Stephanie McComb at Que Publishing gave us an

impossible task some months ago: She asked that we update

Special Edition Using FileMaker 7 for the upcoming release of

FileMaker 8and that we cut its length by 10% Full of pluck, wesuggested an alternative: Allow us to add 50% and create twobooks instead The result was this (slimmer) book, along with

the companion FileMaker 8 Functions and Scripts Desk

Reference We're deeply grateful to Stephanie for turning what

started as a long shot into reality

The rest of the team at Que Publishing is no less deserving ofthanks It's our deep pleasure to work with development editorLaura Norman again; her good humor and steady wisdom

provide a strength of support that cannot be overstated TonyaSimpson, our project editor, and Cheri Clark, our copy editor,have worked through our dense material diligently, and

contributed countless improvements to our work It's an

immeasurable relief that they've been by our side through thiswhole process

Taking a page from our own work in software development,Mickey Burns joined our team as a project manager who found

a perfect blend between bullying and babying as he helped usthrough (and at times past) each deadline Liz Kinsella, JulyBelber, and Will Danford put in tireless hours pulling togetherdemo files, screenshots, facts, and figures Jan Jung lent hertremendous design skills Carlos Ramirez made vital technicalcontributions, especially to the Mobile chapter

FileMaker platform shows

Finally, we'd like to thank some of the folks at FileMaker fromwhom we've learned a great deal, and whom it's our pleasure toknow and work with: Jay Welshofer, our technical editor, alongwith Andy Lecates, Bill Heizer, and Tony Millerall have

contributed to this work and to our understanding of FileMaker,

in ways large and small, and it's our pleasure to have their

support and advice

As the reader of this book, you are our most important criticand commentator We value your opinion and want to know

what we're doing right, what we could do better, what areasyou'd like to see us publish in, and any other words of wisdomyou're willing to pass our way

As an associate publisher for Que Publishing, I welcome yourcomments You can email or write me directly to let me knowwhat you did or didn't like about this bookas well as what wecan do to make our books better

Please note that I cannot help you with technical problems

related to the topic of this book We do have a User Services group, however, where I will forward specific technical

questions related to the book.

When you write, please be sure to include this book's title andauthor as well as your name, email address, and phone number

I will carefully review your comments and share them with theauthor and editors who worked on the book

Visit our website and register this book at

www.quepublishing.com/register for convenient access to anyupdates, downloads, or errata that might be available for thisbook

Microsoft Excel or Intuit's Quicken); and it's also a robust rapidapplication software development platform

When you hear someone speak about FileMaker, keep in mindthey may be viewing it from any one of these different

perspectives An IT professional likely sees FileMaker as a

database engine that fits into a larger security and networkinfrastructure An end user is probably thinking about a specificsolution built in FileMaker Pro and how that solution helps (ordoesn't help) make her work more efficient A software

developer may see FileMaker as one of many tools he employs

in building a wide range of applications

Our previous book, Special Edition Using FileMaker 7, was well

received, but we did hear one consistent concern; namely, thatthe book was felt to be too advanced by some readers So we'lltry to be clear on our aims up front This book was written with

an eye toward the FileMaker developer community If you're an

IT professional who supports FileMaker applications, you'll

probably find a few chapters (such as the one on FileMaker

Server) to be of interest If you're mostly interested in learninghow to use the essential features of the FileMaker application,though, this book may not be for you Although we've includedsome introductory chapters in order to be as comprehensive as

is largely familiar with the essential operations of FileMakeralready, and is interested mostly in topics for the beginning toadvanced developer

We have also written a companion work, FileMaker 8 Functions

and Scripts Desk Reference As a reference, it is meant to be

used daily as developers look up function syntax, refresh theirmemories on how specific script steps work, peruse useful

custom functions, or uncover what a specific error code means.Each book is intended to complement the other, but the two arenot interdependent Some of the feedback we received for

Subsequent parts branch out from this base Part III,

"Developer Techniques," focuses on using FileMaker's features

to develop complete, robust database applications Part IV,

"Data Integration and Publishing," covers getting data into andout of FileMaker And Part V, "Deploying a FileMaker Solution,"covers options for making a FileMaker solution accessible toothers

Chapter 1, "FileMaker Overview," situates FileMaker Pro

within the wider world of database and productivity

software It provides an overview of the new FileMaker 8product line, and mentions the most important new features

in FileMaker 8 This chapter is appropriate both for thosewho are new to FileMaker Pro and for those who have used

groundwork for talking about database development, and toserve as a thorough reference on FileMaker field types andoptions

Chapter 4, "Working with Layouts," covers all of FileMaker'slayout-building options in detail We cover all aspects oflayout building, and offer guidelines for quicker and moreefficient layout work

Part II : "Developing Solutions with FileMaker"

Part II is intended to introduce you to the fundamental

techniques of database application development using FileMakerPro and FileMaker Pro Advanced Chapters 5 through 7 coverthe theory and practice of designing and building database

systems with multiple data tables Chapters 8 through 10

introduce you to foundational concepts in application and

reporting logic

types in FileMaker using multiple data tables, and how tocreate fields that function effectively as relational keys

Chapter 7, "Working with Relationships," builds on the

concepts of Chapter 6 Rather than focusing on FileMaker'srelationships from the standpoint of database design, wefocus on their practical implementation in FileMaker

programming We look in detail at the new capabilities ofFileMaker 8, and discuss nonequality join conditions, filereferences, and some strategies for organizing a multitablesystem

Chapter 8, "Getting Started with Calculations," introducesFileMaker's calculation engine The chapter delves into themajor types of FileMaker calculations We cover a number ofthe most important functions, and discuss general

strategies and techniques for writing calculations

Chapter 9, "Getting Started with Scripting," introduces

FileMaker's scripting engine Like the preceding chapter, thisone covers the fundamentals of an important skill for

FileMaker developers We cover some common scriptingtechniques and show how to use event-driven scripts to add

Chapter 10, "Getting Started with Reporting," illustrates thefundamental techniques of FileMaker Pro reporting, such aslist views and subsummary reports, as well as some moreadvanced subsummary techniques, and some design

we examine the still-important issue of conversion from

previous versions

Chapter 11, "Developing for Multiuser Deployment,"

explores the issues and challenges of designing FileMakersystems that will be used by several or many people at

once We discuss how FileMaker handles concurrent access

to data and discuss the concept of user sessions

Chapter 12, "Implementing Security," is a thorough

overview of the FileMaker 8 security model We cover therole-based Accounts feature, Extended Privileges, and many

of the complexities of server-based external authentication(against Windows or Mac OS user directories, for example)

Chapter 13, "Advanced Interface Techniques," provides

detailed explanations of a number of more complex, appliedtechniques for working with layouts and data presentation

Chapter 15, "Advanced Scripting Techniques," like the

preceding chapter, is full of information specific to features

of FileMaker 8 scripting Here we cover programming withscript parameters, the significant new FileMaker 8 feature ofscript variables, programming in a multiwindow system, andthe complexities of scripted navigation among multiple

tables and recordsets

Chapter 16, "Advanced Portal Techniques," looks at

FileMaker's portal elements from two perspectives First, weexamine more advanced uses of portals for creating andviewing database records Second, we examine the ways inwhich portals can be used to create new types of interfaceelements, such as filtered record browsers or pick lists

Chapter 17, "Troubleshooting," is a broad look at how tofind, diagnose, and cure trouble in FileMaker systemsbutalso how to prevent it We look at some software

engineering principles that can help make systems morerobust, and can reduce the incidence and severity of errors.The chapter also includes detailed discussions of how totroubleshoot difficulties in various areas, from multiuserrecord lock issues to performance difficulties over large

Chapter 18, "Converting Systems from Previous Versions ofFileMaker Pro," explores the complex issues involved in

moving to FileMaker 8 from versions prior to FileMaker 7

We begin by discussing migration scenarios that help youdecide how much you stand to benefit from moving to 8.For certain systems the choice to move to 8 will be clear;for others it may be less so We then discuss the mechanics

Chapter 19, "Importing Data into FileMaker," looks at all themeans by which you can import data into FileMaker It

covers how to import data from flat files, how to batch

imports of images and text, how to import images from adigital camera, and how to import data from ODBC and XMLdata sources (The full treatment of XML importing is

reserved for Chapter 22.)

Chapter 20, "Exporting Data from FileMaker," is in somerespects the inverse of Chapter 19 It covers almost all theways by which you can extract or publish data from

FileMaker, including simple export, XML export, and pushingdata into SQL databases via ODBC, as well as means bywhich others can query FileMaker data over ODBC

of the FileMaker 8 Instant Web Publishing model Anyoneinterested in making FileMaker data available over the Webshould begin with this chapter

Chapter 23, "Custom Web Publishing," covers FileMaker 8'sAdvanced Web Publishing technology This chapter

discusses how to configure the FileMaker Web PublishingEngine (WPE), and how to write XSLT stylesheets that

exploit the WPE's capabilities to build FileMaker-backed webapplications

Part V : "Deploying a FileMaker Solution"

Part V delves into the choices you have for how to deploy aFileMaker database, including deployment via FileMaker Serverand via kiosk or runtime mode using FileMaker Developer

Chapter 24, "Deploying and Extending FileMaker," provides

an overview of the ways you can deploy a FileMaker

database to one or more users, reviews plug-ins, and

explores means of distributing standalone databases Readthis chapter for a quick orientation toward your differentdeployment choices

explores in depth setting up and working with FileMakerServer and FileMaker Server Advanced The chapter coverssetup, configuration, and tuning of Server, as well as

managing server-side plug-ins and authentication

Chapter 26, "FileMaker Mobile," reviews how to work withmobile computing devices and use FileMaker Mobile to bothsynchronize with and create databases on handheld

organizers

Chapter 27, "Documenting Your FileMaker Solutions," covershow to put the final touches on a solution: It reviews someindustrywide coding conventions, makes commenting

recommendations, and explores how to extract informationabout a solution using the FileMaker Advanced feature

these problems are placed in the context of relevant text inthe chapter as Troubleshooting Notes to make them easy tolocate

containing extra information that will help you make themost of FileMaker Pro In some cases we offer expanded,fully worked examples of tricky database design problems;

in others we offer shortcuts and maintenance techniquesgleaned from our collective experience with developing

production FileMaker systems (creating custom functionlibraries, or getting the most out of team development);and in others we delve all the way to the bottom of trickybut vital FileMaker features such as the process of importingrecords

Notes Notes provide additional commentary or explanation

that doesn't fit neatly into the surrounding text You will finddetailed explanations of how something works, alternativeways of performing a task, and other tidbits to get you onyour way

Like FileMaker itself, this book has several audiences If youwork with structured data a lot (Excel spreadsheets, for

example) but are new to databases, this book will provide youwith a solid foundation in the world of databases, in the basics

of database theory, and in the practical skills you need to

become a productive database user or developer The book'smore introductory chapters tell you what you need to know toget started building basic databases for your own use Laterchapters introduce you to the world of multiuser database

design, and to some of FileMaker's more advanced applicationdesign features

If you've worked with other database systemseither server-siderelational database engines based on SQL, or desktop

development environments such as Accessthis book will helpyou see how FileMaker Pro fits into the universe of databasesoftware Look over the section in this introduction titled "HowThis Book Is Organized" to get a sense of which chapters willget you started quickly with FileMaker

If you're a web developer wondering how FileMaker might fitinto your toolkit, note that we have extensive coverage of thenew FileMaker web technologies in Chapters 21, 22, and 23

And in case you're an old hand with FileMaker, we've provided agood bit of in-depth discussion of advanced techniques and

have called out new FileMaker 8 features throughout the book.

However you approach FileMaker Pro, some core strengths ofthe platform are important for all types of users:

Flexibility Working with FileMaker Pro is inherently open-ended It is simple to create ad hoc data queries, quicklymanage data entry, add functionality to a live system, ordeploy to the Web in minutes

Ease of Use The folks at FileMaker, Inc have labored hard

to make FileMaker as approachable as humanly possible.Day-to-day users can easily learn how to add fields to adatabase, create reports, add form layouts, and more WithFileMaker Pro, organizations can be less dependent on

specialized software engineers

Interoperability FileMaker Pro supports many common,

open standards for data exchange (SQL, ODBC, JDBC, XML)and allows users to connect their database solutions to thegreater world of standards-based applicationsboth withintheir organizations and online on the Web

Modern Data Architecture FileMaker Pro, despite being

"just" a productivity application that lives on your computeralong with Microsoft Word and Solitaire, allows users tocreate fully relational data structures and to properly buildarchitectures that correctly manage real-world data

Ultimately, FileMaker exists between the world of desktop

applications and high-end, enterprise-level server systems It isthe third option: a flexible, robust workgroup application thatcan quickly come together, evolve over time, and be

dramatically cost-effective

In the world of software development, flexibility and speed arecritical We live in the world of Internet time, and usually

businesses embark on a development project only when theyneed something yesterday

The practices and experiences of the past two decades haveproven software development to be a risky, unpredictable

development platform, it is possible to build a system in

FileMaker Pro in a fraction of the time it takes to build the samesystem in more classic, compiled software languages or by

using enterprise-level systems

Low Total Cost of Ownership

FileMaker Pro is focused around offering a low total cost of

ownership for organizations In October 2001, the AberdeenGroup, an independent research firm in Boston, found that

"under conservative assumptions, FileMaker Pro was superior,with an average ratio of 5:1 in [cost of ownership] over the

industry average database" (quote taken from the AberdeenGroup Executive White Paper "FileMaker Low-IT Database Cost-of-Ownership Study," October 2001)

FileMaker Is a Seasoned Platform

FileMaker Pro is now 20 years old In the mid-1980s, NashobaSystems created an initial version that was acquired and

published by Forethought, Inc., in April of 1985 Nashoba thenreacquired the rights to the software and published FileMakerPlus in 1986 and FileMaker 4 in 1988

Claris Corp., which was then being formed by Apple Computerand was to become FileMaker's guiding parent, purchased

Nashoba and published FileMaker II in 1988 and 1989 Finally inOctober 1990, FileMaker Pro 1.0 made its debut and set theproduct line on the course it has largely followed to this day InDecember of 1995, Claris shipped FileMaker Pro 3.0, which sawthe introduction of relational data modeling to the platform and,even more important, a completely seamless cross-platformapplication that's virtually identical between the Mac OS andMicrosoft Windows Today a majority of FileMaker's audiencelives on the Windows side

In 1998, at the time of version 4.1, Claris Corp rechristeneditself FileMaker, Inc and focused all its energy around its

flagship product

FileMaker has been profitable every quarter since (an

extraordinary feat considering the climate in Silicon Valley forthe previous few years) and continues to enjoy the backing (as

a subsidiary) of a cash-flush Apple Computer, Inc

Other major innovations have occurred along the way, but

nearly everyone in the community recognizes that it was thewatershed version 3.0 that broke open the gates for FileMaker

version 6.0 offered significant support for XML-based data

interchange

In 2004, FileMaker Pro 7.0 was released This major releasefeatured a reengineered architecture from the ground up, a newmodel for working with relationships, modern security

capabilities, and the capability to hold multiple data tables

within a single file

FileMaker Pro 8, launched in August of 2005, is the next releasebuilt on the new architecture of 7; it is a testament to that

There are some trends: FileMaker Pro is widely used in the

world of both K12 and higher education All 50 of the top

universities in the United States use FileMaker Pro The

nonprofit industry is also a key focal point for FileMaker, as isthe creative-professionals industry

At its heart, FileMaker Pro is database software; databases areuseful for keeping track of contacts and their addresses andphone numbers, the students in a school, the sales and

inventory in a store, or the results of experimental trials

Although this sort of information can be kept in spreadsheetsand word processor documents, a database will make it mucheasier to take on these tasks:

Organize your data into reports Databases can organize

information into reports sorted by city, last name, price, orany other criteria necessary

Find one or several items in your collections Visually

scrolling through a document with flat data displayed soonbecomes unwieldy Databases make it relatively simple tosearch for one record (or row) of data within potentiallymillions of others

Create related associations among data Rather than

duplicating the name of a company for multiple people (forexample), or perhaps having to reenter an address in adozen places, users can utilize databases to create

associations between data elements (using a form of

addressing) and preserve the integrity of their information

Share data with other systems Databases are often built

to exchange information with other systems; many becomeone component in multitiered technology solution for

companieseven small businesses often exchange data

between QuickBooks, for example, and FileMaker Pro

There are other advantages to using database software, not the

Often the members of an organization will outgrow the

documents of desktop applications when they need to supportmultiple authors, track data in structured, interrelated ways, ormanipulate data sets based on differing criteria Often the firstherald of the need for a database is when users are frustratedwith not being able to find a given piece of information

The rest of this book gets into detail on how to do everythingjust mentioned and much more as well You'll get a more

detailed look at what a database is and how it works, how tobuild databases, and so on But before we dive into the

mechanics of databases, it's important to understand how

theyand FileMakerfit into the overall software computing world

Database Software

A huge variety of software is on the market today FileMakergenerally falls into the category of business productivity

software; however, it really is a hybrid application that marriesdesktop application productivity to a server-based architectureand database It is as accessible as programs like MicrosoftExcel and Intuit's QuickBooks, yet it also allows developers tocreate complex workgroup databases that are deployed in thesame manner as other IT server-based applications

The idea of managing a collection of structured information iswhat database software is all about Some database products

on the market manage specialized collections such as businesscontacts Products such as Act and Goldmine are good

examples of those Quicken, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Moneymanage collections of financial transactions

FileMaker and other nonspecialized database products such asMicrosoft Access are used to create database systems just as