Developer’s Guide
Table Of Contents
- Preface Introducing FileMaker Developer 5.5
- Chapter 1 Installing FileMaker Developer 5.5
- What you need to install FileMakerDeveloper
- System requirements for FileMaker Developer 5.5
- Networking requirements
- Web publishing requirements
- Requirements for advanced features (Windows)
- Requirements for advanced features (MacOS)
- Installing FileMaker Developer 5.5 in Windows
- Installing FileMaker Developer 5.5 in the MacOS
- New features in FileMaker Pro
- FileMaker Pro 5.5 and Mac OS X
- Contents of the FileMaker Developer 5.5 folder
- Contents of the Developer Extras folder on the FileMaker Developer 5.5 CD
- Read Me file
- Electronic documentation
- Abiding by the license agreement
- Registration and customer support
- About the TechInfo database
- Chapter 2 Creating a database solution
- Overview of preparing your solutionfiles
- Considerations for a runtime databasesolution
- Considerations for Kiosk mode
- Using scripts to control your solution
- Protecting your database solution files
- Providing user documentation
- Design tips for cross-platform solutions
- Creating a consistent appearance
- Simulating outline and shadow text styles
- Using common character sets
- Designing text layouts for cross-platform solutions
- Using a common color palette
- Using graphics in cross-platform solutions
- Using QuickTime movies in cross-platform solutions
- Showing the status bar in Windows
- Using separate scripts for printing
- Using the Status (CurrentPlatform) function
- Creating platform-specific scripts
- Your responsibilities as a developer
- Testing before and after creating yoursolution
- Converting and upgrading solution files
- Chapter 3 Creating custom layout themes
- Chapter 4 Using the FileMaker Developer Tool
- About the solution examples
- Using the FileMaker Developer Tool
- Binding your databases into a runtime database solution
- Creating Kiosk-mode solutions
- Renaming your databases
- Removing design access to your databases
- Customizing the About, Help, and Scriptsmenus
- Adding the FileMakerPro extension to database filenames
- Saving your settings in the Developer Tool
- Chapter 5 Distributing FileMakerPro runtime database solutions
- Chapter 6 Publishing your database on the Web
- Types of web publishing
- Using the FileMakerPro Web Companion
- Creating a custom home page
- Creating a custom home page for Instant Web Publishing
- Creating a custom web site using a database layout
- Web Companion support for Internet mediatypes
- Monitoring your site
- Exporting data to a static HTML page
- Testing your site without a networkconnection
- Opening password-protected databasesremotely
- Chapter 7 Using FileMakerPro XML to deliver your data
- About the XML examples
- General process for custom web publishing using XML
- Generating an XML document
- Using the FMPDSORESULT grammar
- Using the FileMakerPro Extended XMLgrammars
- About UTF-8 encoded data
- Generating FileMakerPro CGI requests for an XML document
- Using style sheets with your XMLdocument
- Comparing CSS, XSLT, and JavaScript
- Looking at the XML Inventory example
- Chapter 8 Custom web publishing using CDML
- About the CDML examples
- General steps for custom web publishing using CDML
- About CDML format files
- Generating FileMakerPro CGI requests using CDML
- Using the CDML Tool and templates
- Modified CDML tags
- About the CDML Reference database
- Creating error messages
- Using an encoding parameter with a CDML replacement tag
- Planning your web site
- Chapter 9 Using Java and JDBC to deliver your data
- About the JDBC examples
- About JDBC
- Using the FileMaker JDBC Driver
- SQL supported by the FileMaker JDBCDriver
- FileMakerPro support for Unicodecharacters
- About the FileMaker JDBC Driver interfaces and extensions
- Example 1: Looking at the FileMakerPro Explorer application
- Example 2: Creating the JBuilder Inventoryapplication
- Example 3: Creating the Visual Cafe Inventory application
- Using the FileMaker Java classes
- Chapter 10 Understanding external function plug-ins
- About external functions
- About the plug-in example file
- Installing, enabling, and configuring the exampleplug-in
- Description of the FMExample plug-in’s externalfunctions
- Using the example plug-in
- Customizing the plug-in example
- Requirements for writing an external function plug-in
- FileMakerPro messages sent to theplugin
- Debugging your plug-in
- Avoiding potential MacOS resourceconflicts
- Providing documentation for your plug-in
- Registering your plug-ins
- Appendix A Feature comparison of the runtime application and FileMakerPro
- Appendix B Valid names used in CGI requests for FileMakerProXMLdata
- Generating a –find, –findall, or –findany request
- Generating a –view request
- Generating a –new request
- Generating an –edit request
- Generating a –delete request
- Generating a –dbnames request
- Generating a –layoutnames request
- Generating a –scriptnames request
- Generating a –dbopen request
- Generating a –dbclose request
- Generating a -dup request
- Generating an -img request
- Specifying parameters for the request
- –db (Database)
- –lay (Layout)
- –format (Format)
- –recid (Record ID)
- –modid (Modification ID)
- –lop (Logical operator)
- –op (Comparison operator)
- –max (Maximum records)
- –skip (Skip records)
- –sortfield (Sort field)
- –sortorder (Sort order)
- –script (Script)
- –script.prefind (Script before Find)
- –script.presort (Script before Sort)
- –styletype (Style type)
- –stylehref (Style href)
- –password (Database password)
- field name (Name of specific field)
- Appendix C FileMakerPro values for error codes
- Index
2-16 Developer’s Guide
1 Solution Name
1 Your company information: company name, address, city, state,
postal code, country, and phone number
1 Your support policy (for example, how and when you are
available for technical support)
5. If your databases contain passwords, and you do not want
FileMaker, Inc. to decode and repair passwords and access privileges
for your database, the About layout must contain this exact warning:
“USER WARNING: This database solution contains password(s) that can
only be provided by the Developer identified above.”
6. If design access has been removed from your database solution by
selecting the Permanently prevent modification of database structure
option in the Developer Tool, then the About layout must contain
this exact warning:
“USER WARNING: This file is not customizable. Contact the above named
Developer for information on customizing this database solution.”
The password protection in a FileMaker file should not be viewed as
an absolute barrier that will prevent a customer from accessing files.
FileMaker, Inc. cannot guarantee that a customer will not be able to
identify or bypass the password without any assistance from
FileMaker, Inc. Therefore, FileMaker Inc. recommends that you take
appropriate steps to protect your consulting and development efforts
without relying solely upon the password.
If you have a dispute with your customer, you must resolve this
dispute directly with the customer. FileMaker, Inc. is unable to, and
will not, attempt to resolve such disputes.
Testing before and after creating
your solution
You should verify the functionality of your database solution by
testing it thoroughly before and after you customize it with the
Developer Tool.
Here are some suggestions for ensuring the quality of your custom
database solution:
1 Verify every function and option in your solution. If you’re
developing a cross-platform solution, test it on both Windows and
Mac OS platforms. (See “Design tips for cross-platform solutions”
on page 2-11 for information.)
1 Make sure your runtime database solution does not use a standard
FileMaker Pro feature that is hidden or disabled in the runtime
application. See appendix A, “Feature comparison of the runtime
application and FileMaker Pro” for information.
1 Verify that all scripts and buttons work as expected. This is
especially important if you are displaying your solution in Kiosk
mode.
1 Verify your installation procedures and test other instructions in
the documentation.
1 Verify that your database layouts display well on monitors with
different color capabilities and resolutions and on the smallest size
monitor your users may be using.
1 Test your runtime database solution with actual data. This is
especially important if users are upgrading from earlier versions of
the runtime application and need to import data into new solution
files.
1 Make sure all the auxiliary files and DLLs (Windows) are present.
1 Show your database solution to intended users to uncover any
usability issues.
1 Install your bundled database files on a completely different
computer to verify that all the files associated with the primary file
can be found.
1 If you’re assigning passwords or permanently removing design
access, test all access levels. Make sure your database solution
contains an About layout that notifies users of the level of access
you’re providing. See “Creating an About layout” on page 2-8 and
“Your responsibilities as a developer” on page 2-15 for information.