Developer’s Guide
Table Of Contents
- Contents
- Chapter 1 Introducing FileMaker Developer 5
- Chapter 2 Customizing your database solution
- About the custom solution examples
- Using the FileMaker Developer Tool
- Binding your databases into a runtime database solution
- Displaying databases in Kiosk mode
- 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 3 Preparing files for a custom solution
- About the Relational Example
- General steps for preparing your solutionfiles
- Issues to consider before creating a runtime database solution
- Opening files in Kiosk mode
- Design tips for navigating in Kiosk mode
- Creating startup scripts
- Using button image samples
- Documenting your database solution
- 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
- Protecting your runtime database solutionfiles
- Testing before and after creating yoursolution
- Converting and upgrading solution files
- Chapter 4 Distributing FileMakerPro runtime database solutions
- Chapter 5 Creating custom layout themes
- Chapter 6 Publishing your database on the Web
- Moving forward using open web standards
- Using the FileMakerPro Web Companion
- Displaying a custom home page
- Using a custom home page with Instant Web Publishing
- Monitoring your site
- Exporting data to a static HTML page
- Testing your site without a networkconnection
- Opening password-protected databasesremotely
- Using the Web Security Database
- 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 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 9 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
- New and 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 10 Writing external function plug-ins
- About the plug-in examples and templates
- Installing, enabling, and configuring FileMakerPro plug-ins
- Using external functions in a calculation
- 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
- Naming and registering your plug-ins
- Appendix A Feature comparison of the runtime application and FileMakerPro
- Appendix B Valid names used in CGI requests for FileMaker XML data
- 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
- 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 FileMaker Pro values for error codes
- Index
Preparing files for a custom solution
3-7
Note The FileMaker Pro Help system is not available in
FileMaker Pro runtime applications. However, Status Bar Help
(Windows) and Balloon Help (Mac OS) are available. In addition,
you can provide What’s This? Help for runtime database solutions
that run on Windows machines. See “Providing What’s This? Help
(Windows)” on page 3-9 for information.
Creating an About layout
For runtime database solutions, the FileMaker Developer license
specifies that you must create an About layout (or screen) that
provides information for your users on how to contact you for
technical support.
An About layout helps protect your database solutions in the event
that your users approach FileMaker, Inc. for passwords. FileMaker,
Inc. uses the About layout to distinguish databases created by
developers using FileMaker Developer rather than users of the retail
version of FileMaker Pro.
For more information about what is required to appear in the About
layout for runtime database solutions, see “Your responsibilities as a
developer” on page 3-15.
For a demonstration of an About layout in the primary file of a
runtime database solution, see the Runtime Solution Example
installed in the Design Tools folder:
FileMaker Developer 5 > Design Tools > Examples > Runtime Solution
Example
To create an About layout:
1. Create a blank layout in the primary file of your database solution
and include the word “About” in the layout name. (In FileMaker Pro,
choose View menu > Layout Mode, choose Layouts menu > New
Layout/Report, type About <your solution> in the Layout Name
box, select Blank Layout and then click Finish to create the layout.)
Note For runtime database solutions, you must include the word
“About” in the layout name. You must also include certain specific
information in the layout. See “Your responsibilities as a developer”
on page 3-15 for details.
2. Include your logo, any other graphics, and your company
information.
3. Notify users if the solution files are protected with passwords or if
database design access has been removed.
See “Your responsibilities as a developer” on page 3-15 for the exact
legal wording.
4. Create a button that lets your users return to the main layout of the
primary file. (To create the button, use the button tool or a button
image with a script attached to it.)
See “Using button image samples” on page 3-5 and “Using buttons
with scripts” in chapter 10 of the FileMaker Pro 5 User’s Guide or
see FileMaker Pro Help for information.
Example of an About layout