Developer’s Guide
Table Of Contents
- Chapter 1 Getting started
- Chapter 2 Using FileMaker Developer features
- Chapter 3 Using the Developer Utilities
- Overview of preparing your solution files
- Modifying database solution files
- Considerations for a runtime database solution
- Binding databases into runtime database solutions
- Saving and reusing Developer Utilities settings
- Converting and upgrading solution files
- Removing full access privileges from databases
- Chapter 4 Distributing runtime database solutions
- Chapter 5 Customizing database solutions
- Chapter 6 Creating custom layout themes
- Chapter 7 Developing third-party FileMaker plug-ins
- About external functions
- About the example plug-in
- Installing, enabling, and configuring the example plug-in
- Description of the FMExample plug-in’s external functions
- Using the example plug-in
- Customizing the plug-in example
- Requirements for writing external function plug-ins
- FileMaker messages sent to the plug-in
- Avoiding potential Mac OS X resource conflicts
- Providing documentation for your plug-in
- Registering your plug-in
- Appendix A Feature comparison of the runtime application with FileMaker Pro
- Index
Chapter 1
Getting started
Welcome to FileMaker
®
Developer. FileMaker Developer is the
Developer edition of FileMaker Pro. It includes advanced features
for developers. You can use either FileMaker
Pro or FileMaker
Developer to create and test your database solutions. You use
FileMaker
Developer to transform your database solution into a
runtime or kiosk-mode application that you can distribute to your
users.
About FileMaker Developer
FileMaker Developer includes a number of productivity features
designed especially for database developers. They are the Script
Debugger, the Database Design Report feature, the File Maintenance
feature, and the Custom Functions feature. These features are
documented in
“Using FileMaker Developer features” on page 11.
You can produce databases for distribution without leaving
FileMaker
Developer. The Developer Utilities are an integrated
component of FileMaker
Developer. Not only do the Utilities enable
you to produce runtime databases for distribution, they also allow
you to rename files while still maintaining links, to prevent users
from modifying the design of your databases, and to customize your
solutions. The Developer Utilities are documented in
“Using the
Developer Utilities” on page 17.
Using the FileMaker Developer
documentation
This Developer’s Guide is one component in a comprehensive
documentation suite provided with FileMaker
Developer. Some of
the documents are provided in print and in portable document format
(PDF), while others are available in PDF only. FileMaker Developer
also comes with a complete online Help system.
This guide assumes that you are familiar with FileMaker Pro or
FileMaker
Developer, and that you have created a database solution
that you want to work on using the FileMaker
Developer features.
Note Throughout the documentation, when a feature or procedure is
specific to a particular platform, you see instructions and illustrations
that are also specific to that platform. For features or procedures that
are similar on both platforms, you may see illustrations for either
Windows or the Mac OS.
The following manuals are included:
1 FileMaker Developer Developer’s Guide (this manual): describes
how to use the features available in FileMaker Developer
1 Installation and New Features Guide for FileMaker Pro and
FileMaker Developer: contains installation instructions and new
features information