WebDirect Guide
Table Of Contents
- Chapter 1 Introducing FileMaker WebDirect
- Chapter 2 Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution
- Step 1: Plan your FileMaker WebDirect solution
- Step 2: Understand the capabilities of FileMaker WebDirect
- Step 3: Optimize performance
- Step 4: Design layouts for mobile browsers
- Step 5: Set the solution icon and options for layouts, views, and tools
- Step 6: Set up tasks for web users
- Step 7: Enable users to log out of the solution
- Step 8: Review the functions, scripts, and script triggers in your solution
- Step 9: Set up external data sources
- Step 10: Document your solution
- Chapter 3 Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution
- Chapter 4 Testing, monitoring, and securing a solution
- Appendix A Design considerations
- Index
Chapter 1 | Introducing FileMaker WebDirect 7
How FileMaker WebDirect works
FileMaker WebDirect runs in a web browser and uses these standard web technologies:
1 HTML5 to define the structure of the page
1 CSS3 to control the appearance of the page
1 JavaScript to enable interactions (for example, clicking buttons and switching tab panels)
1 HTTP/HTTPS and WebSocket protocols to communicate between the web browser and the
web server
HTML5 and CSS3 are implemented differently across web browsers. How yo
ur
FileMaker WebDirect solution works can vary according to how the web browser conforms t
o
these standards, how the browser’s JavaScript engine performs, and how the browser parses and
renders CSS. One advantage of using these web standards is that as web browsers become
faster and more compliant with the standards, your FileMaker WebDirect solution will benefit from
the
se improvements.
FileMaker WebDirect architecture
The architecture of FileMaker WebDirect bridges two different environments: the web browser and
FileMaker Server. In the web browser, FileMaker WebDirect runs as a client that interact
s with a
solution hosted on FileMaker Server.
FileMaker Server comprises the following
components:
1 Database Server: Hosts the solutions you share with all FileMaker clients (FileMaker Pro,
FileMaker Go
®
, and FileMaker WebDirect). As the core component of FileMaker Server, it
handles layouts, data, scripts, script triggers, user account authentication, record locking, and
communication with all FileMaker clients.
1 Web Publishing Engine: Translates the layouts, interactions, and data defined by your
FileMaker Pro solution into HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and data for the web bro
wser and
processes user interaction. In real time, the Web Publishing Engine (WPE) creates the user
interface from your FileMaker Pro layouts to work in the web browser and processes scripts,
scrip
t triggers, user click, and key presses.
1 Web server: Communicates with web browsers using HTTP/HTTPS and WebSocket protocols
to serve your FileMaker Pro solution as a web application.
Web browser
Web Server
Web Publishing
Engine
Database Server
FileMaker WebDirect architecture
HTTP/HTTPS
WebSocket
FileMaker Server