Quick Start

Lesson 2
Browsing information
You view, enter, or change data in Browse mode. This is the simplest
way to interact with your database.
In this lesson you will:
1 open a database with data already in it
1 move between records
1 view information in different ways by switching layouts
1 see the difference between form view, list view, and table view.
Note You can install a fresh copy of the tutorial files at any time. For
Windows-based systems, see “Compact installation or Custom
installation” on page 9. For Mac OS systems, see “Custom
installation” on page 20.
Open a database and move
between records
To open the sample database for this lesson:
1. Open the Tutorial Folder in the FileMaker Pro folder.
2. Open the Sample Files folder.
You should be here: FileMaker Pro\Tutorial\Sample Files.
3. Open Sample02.fp5.
4. Notice that the database is in Browse mode. FileMaker Pro
defaults to Browse mode when a database is opened.
In the status area, notice that there are 30 records and that the first
record is displayed.
5. Click the bottom page of the book icon to move forward one
record at a time, and click the top page to move back one record at a
time.
6. Move between records by dragging the bookmark up or down.
You can also type a record number in the area immediately below the
book icon to change the current record displayed.
View information in different ways
Even though you enter information only once in FileMaker Pro, you
can use that information in many ways. Layouts let you view some
or all of your fields.
Because it is not necessary to see all of your fields in each layout,
layouts are a powerful tool for working with or printing just the
information you need to accomplish a particular task.
The mode pop-up
menu identifies the
current mode
Book icon
Bookmark
Status area
Number of
records
Record currently displayed