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Creating a database
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ILEMAKER PRO HELP 190
You can store container data in a different directory. See Managing external storage of container
data.
9. Choose how you want the container data stored.
10. Click OK to close the Options for Field dialog box.
Notes
• If the database contains one table, then the database in the base directory path and the
table in the default open storage path will have the same name. For example, “Properties” in
the base directory
[database location]/Properties is the database filename, and
“Properties” in the open storage path
Properties/Photo is the table name.
• To move existing data that’s embedded in container fields, you must manually transfer the
data. See
Transferring container data.
• If you specify a calculation for a container field that uses open storage:
• If a filename that results from a calculation is not unique, FileMaker Pro appends the
duplicate filename with a sequential number (for example, Invoice_1.txt).
• Design the calculation to reduce the number of stored duplicate filenames. For
example, if you design a Candidates recruitment database and you expect that most
records will contain a file named Resume.doc, you can specify the following calculation
for open storage:
“Candidates/” & CandidateID.
• If you have FileMaker Pro Advanced, you can encrypt database files to protect them while
they are being stored on disk. See Encrypting database files (FileMaker Pro Advanced).
Related topics
Working with formulas and functions
Managing external storage of container data
For each database, you can define one or more base directories in which to store container data
externally. The default location for each base directory is the database’s location. You can add, edit,
or delete base directories. You must have full access privileges to create or change base directories.
To create or change a base directory:
1. With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Containers.
The Storage tab displays at least one base directory (the default). You can edit this base
directory, but you can’t delete it unless there are others in the list.
Choose To
Secure Storage (the
default)
Encrypt the data, making it readable by FileMaker Pro using
secure storage. FileMaker
Pro creates a subdirectory named
“Secure” in the base directory and randomly distributes the files
across subdirectories, and creates new subdirectories as needed.
Open Storage Allow container files to stay in their original format and control
where the files are stored. The default path is relative to the base
directory and is in the format table/field.
You can type a different path or click Specify to specify a
calculation.