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Creating a database
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ILEMAKER PRO HELP 189
container data externally promotes faster backups, because after an initial backup has been
performed, subsequent backups copy only the external files that were added or changed.
• Choose how data is stored: Your data remains protected by FileMaker Pro. Container data
that's stored externally in secure storage is by default encrypted and can be read by
FileMaker
Pro using secure storage. Alternatively, you can choose to keep the data in its
native format (through open storage), giving you more control over how folders and files are
organized in the external file system.
Follow these general steps to set up container fields to store data externally:
1. Create a container field. See About container fields.
2. Choose storage options for the container field, using the Options for Field dialog box. See
Setting up container fields to store data externally.
3. To move existing data to the external location, perform a data transfer after changing
storage options. See
Transferring container data.
Important Routine backups are strongly recommended for any document stored on a computer.
See Maintaining and recovering FileMaker Pro databases.
Note If you’re developing databases for FileMaker Go, see the FileMaker Go documentation for
differences in the behavior of some features.
Related topics
Using data in container fields
Setting up container fields to store data externally
When you create a container field, data is by default embedded in the field.
You can set up a container field to store data externally. Data that’s stored externally is by default
encrypted, using secure storage, and can only be read by the FileMaker
Pro application.
FileMaker
Pro manages the encrypted files automatically. However, you can use the open storage
option, which removes encryption and keeps the files in their native formats.
You can set up different storage options (embedded or stored externally) for individual container
fields in a database. Also, you can store container data externally in different folders on the file
system.
To set up external storage:
1. With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Database.
Note To set options for fields in Table View, right-click the column heading for the field, choose
Field
> Field Options from the shortcut menu, then skip to step 6.
2. In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Fields tab.
3. If your database contains more than one table, select the appropriate table from the Table
list.
4. Select an existing field or define a new one.
5. Click Options (or double-click the field name).
6. In the Options for Field dialog box, click the Storage tab.
7. In the Container area, select Store container data externally.
8. For relative to, choose a base directory from the list.