User manual

Table Of Contents
Chapter 1 | Introducing FileMaker Pro 9
1 Search for particular topics by entering keywords.
1 Get information about the currently displayed dialog box by pressing F1 (Windows) or
Command-? (OS
X). Some dialog boxes display a (Windows) or (OS X) button or a
Learn More link, which you can also use for getting information about the dialog box.
Getting Started tour
You can explore FileMaker Pro through the interactive Getting Started tour. Practice creating,
modifying, and deleting records; and learn about searching for data values and sorting records,
displaying data in charts and reports, and importing and exporting data between files. You'll also
get to know the rich features FileMaker
Pro provides for creating your own custom solutions.
To access the tour, choose Help menu > Product Documentation > Getting Started Tour. Or,
use FileMaker Quick Start (see
“Opening files” on page 16).
Starter Solutions
FileMaker Pro includes Starter Solutions (database template files) that you can use to quickly get
started designing your FileMaker
Pro database solutions. Starter Solutions take advantage of the
best new FileMaker
Pro features. Whenever you start creating databases, check the list of Starter
Solutions to see if one is available that suits your needs.
You can access Starter Solutions when you open files (see “Opening files” on page 16).
You can find more information, tips, and database ideas on the FileMaker website at
http://www.filemaker.com.
Suggested reading
Here are some suggestions for using the documentation to help you learn how to do specific tasks
in FileMaker
Pro.
Note If your database was developed using FileMaker Pro Advanced, you may see customized
menus or tooltips for layout objects. For an overview of these features, see Help.
Type of user Suggested reading
Data entry person Chapter 2, “Using databases,” in this guide
Small business owner or educator
who creates a basic database to
start, then improves it over time
Chapter 3, “Creating databases,” in this guide. As features are added to the
database, refer to Help
Database administrator 1 All chapters in this guide
1 Help, for information on advanced topics
1 FileMaker ODBC and JDBC Guide and FileMaker SQL Reference
New FileMaker Pro user 1 Installation and New Features Guide for FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Pro
Advanced
1 All chapters in this guide
User upgrading from a previous
version
1 Installation and New Features Guide for FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Pro
Advanced
1 Chapter 7, “Converting databases from FileMaker Pro 11 and earlier,” in this
guide