Developer’s Guide

Chapter 3
Using the Developer Utilities
FileMaker Developer provides Developer Utilities that let you:
1 bind your database files into a stand-alone runtime database
solution that does not require FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Developer
in order to be used on a computer
1 rename all of your database files and automatically update the
internal links to related files and scripts
1 display your database files in Kiosk mode
1 add a script to the Help menu that displays a custom Help layout
or file from any layout in the database solution
1 add a custom script to an About menu command so you can display
a special layout screen about your solution
1 change the name of the Scripts menu
1 remove administrative access from all accounts and prevent users
from modifying most design or structural elements of your databases
1 add the FileMaker Pro filename extension to your files
1 add your own logo or graphic to the closing splash screen of your
stand-alone runtime database solution
Before you begin to build your database solution, you need to decide
how users will interact with it. Your database solution might have
any of the following components:
1 a primary database file that connects all of the auxiliary files
1 scripts and buttons to open and close auxiliary files, return to the
primary file, display a splash screen layout at startup, or quit a
runtime application
1 common elements and a consistent appearance for cross-platform
solutions
1 a custom layout theme used for every file in the solution
1 an About layout to introduce your solution
1 a custom Help system that provides usage tips for your solution
1 multiple privilege sets that can specify levels of access to layouts,
menus, specific tables, record, fields, and so on
1 password-protected accounts assigned to privilege sets that
determine the level of access of account users
Note FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Developer now allow you to
include as many database tables as you need in a database file. This
capability eliminates one of the main reasons for using multiple files.
However, other elements, like scripts and access privileges, are
stored at the file level and so some complex solutions will still
benefit from using multiple files.
Overview of preparing your solution files
As you design, build, and test your database solution, keep in mind
how users will interact with it. This includes navigational scripts and
buttons, effective use of layouts and themes, and Help for the user.
The Developer Utilities are used to modify sets of database solution
files. This chapter describes three main stages in the process:
1. To modify database solution files without creating a runtime
database solution, see “Modifying database solution files” on
page 18.
2. To prepare files for a runtime database solution and ensure that
their file references will work in the solution, see
“Considerations for
a runtime database solution” on page 20.
3. To create a runtime database solution, see “Binding databases
into runtime database solutions” on page 22.