Developer’s Guide
Table Of Contents
- Chapter 1: Installing FileMaker Pro Developer Edi...
- Chapter 2: Binding solution files
- The binding process—an overview
- Before binding
- Binder and runtime terminology
- Specifying the primary file
- Naming the runtime solution
- Assigning the binding key
- Choosing auxiliary files
- Choosing binding options
- Assigning the three-character extension
- Specifying a location for solution files
- What happens during binding
- Binding cross-platform solutions
- Changing solutions
- Chapter 3: Preparing and managing runtime soluti...
- Chapter 4: Distributing your bundled solution
- Appendix A: Feature comparison—runtime Appendix ...
- Appendix B: About the TechInfo database
- Index
1-4 FileMaker Pro Developer’s Guide
External Function plug-ins
FileMaker Pro 4.0 supports a new API that lets you create External
Function plug-ins that add functionality to solutions through the
FileMaker Pro calculation engine.
For example, you can create plug-ins that:
1 rename, move, or delete files
1 open cash register drawers
1 maintain activity logs
You can develop plug-ins for Windows or the Mac OS in C or C++ to
process data in FileMaker Pro calculations.
Note In order to write a FileMaker Pro external function plug-in, you’ll
need to be proficient in a programming language such as C or C++.
Both you and your end users access the plug-in through the External
calculation function. The External function uses two parameters: the
name of the external function to call and a single parameter for that
function to act upon.
You can program your plug-in to display options in the Plug-Ins panel
of the FileMaker Pro Application Preferences dialog box. This lets end
users enable or disable specific plug-ins, as well as configure any special
features you may have designed.
External function in calculation dialog