ODBC and JDBC Guide

Chapter 1 | Introduction 7
Because FileMaker Pro Advanced generates the SQL statements used to communicate with an
ODBC table that has been added to the relationships graph, you are limited to the specific Oracle,
SQL Server, and MySQL data sources that FileMaker Pro Advanced supports in the relationships
graph.
Note You cannot modify the schema of external ODBC data sources using FileMaker Pro
Advanced.
Chapter 2, “Accessing external SQL data sources,” describes how to use FileMaker software as
an ODBC client application.
Using a FileMaker database as a data source
As a data source, FileMaker data is shared with ODBC- and JDBC-compliant applications. The
application connects to the FileMaker data source using the FileMaker client driver, constructs and
executes the SQL queries using ODBC or JDBC, and processes the data retrieved from the
FileMaker database solution.
Accessing a hosted FileMaker Pro Advanced database
With FileMaker Cloud, FileMaker Server, or FileMaker Pro Advanced, you can host a FileMaker
database file as a data source, sharing your data with other applications using ODBC and JDBC.
The following table describes what each FileMaker product allows.
If your FileMaker database solution uses more than one FileMaker database file, all of the
database files must be on the same computer.
To access a hosted FileMaker database file, you need to install the corresponding ODBC or JDBC
client driver. Install the client driver on the machine where the third-party application is installed.
This guide documents how the ODBC and JDBC client drivers, when used with FileMaker Pro
Advanced and FileMaker Server, support the industry standards for ODBC and JDBC.
To learn about the SQL statements supported by ODBC and JDBC client drivers when used with
FileMaker Pro Advanced and FileMaker Server, see FileMaker SQL Reference.
Important If you disable ODBC/JDBC sharing after it has already been on, a data source hosted
by FileMaker Cloud, FileMaker Server, or FileMaker Pro Advanced immediately becomes
unavailable. The database administrator doesn’t have the capability to alert ODBC and JDBC
client applications about the data source’s availability (the administrator can communicate only
with FileMaker database file clients). No errors are reported, and the client application should
notify users that the data source is not available and transactions cannot be completed. If a client
application attempts to connect to an unavailable FileMaker database file, a message explains
that the connection failed.
This FileMaker product Allows
FileMaker Cloud Unrestricted connections and supports remote ODBC or JDBC client access.
FileMaker Server Unrestricted connections and supports local access (same computer) and remote
access (both for middleware such as web servers, and for remote client access from
desktop productivity applications).
FileMaker Pro Advanced Up to five connections and supports local access (same computer) only.