Development Guide
Table Of Contents
- Chapter 1 Introducing FileMaker Pro Advanced
- Chapter 2 Creating database solutions
- Chapter 3 Customizing database solutions
- Chapter 4 Debugging and analyzing files
- Chapter 5 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
- Appendix A Feature comparison of the runtime application with FileMaker Pro
- Index
Chapter 1
Introducing FileMaker Pro Advanced
Welcome to FileMaker
®
Pro Advanced. This product includes advanced development and customization
tools designed especially for database developers. You can use either FileMaker
Pro or FileMaker Pro
Advanced to create and test your database solutions.
In addition to all of the features that are available with FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Pro Advanced includes:
1 Developer Utilities, for creating, customizing, and deploying runtime database solutions
1 Database Design Report feature, for publishing comprehensive documentation on structures or schemas
of databases
1 Script Debugger, for systematic testing and debugging of FileMaker scripts
1 Data Viewer, for monitoring fields, variables, and calculations
1 Copy feature, for copying fields or tables. You can also import table schema for use within the same file
or across different files.
1 Custom Menus feature, for creating customized menus for the solution
1 Custom Functions feature, for creating custom functions for use anywhere within the solution
About this guide
This Development Guide includes information about features that are available with FileMaker Pro
Advanced. In addition, this guide gives an overview of how to create custom layout themes and external
function plug-ins.
See FileMaker Pro Help for detailed information on product features.
To send your feedback on this guide, see www.filemaker.com/company/documentation_feedback.html.
Using the FileMaker Pro Advanced documentation
This Development Guide is one component in a comprehensive documentation suite provided with
FileMaker
Pro Advanced. Some of the documents are provided in print and in portable document format
(PDF), while others are available in PDF only. FileMaker Pro Advanced also includes an online Help system
to provide details on FileMaker Pro features.
This guide assumes that you are familiar with FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Pro Advanced, and that you have
created a database solution that you want to work on using the FileMaker
Pro Advanced features. If you are
new to the FileMaker family, start with the FileMaker Pro User’s Guide.
The following manuals are included:
1 FileMaker Pro Advanced Development Guide (this manual): describes how to use the features available
in FileMaker
Pro Advanced
1 Installation and New Features Guide for FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Pro Advanced: contains
installation instructions and a list of the new features in the current version
1 FileMaker Pro User’s Guide: contains key concepts and basic procedures