User manual

ManualsBrandsClaris FileMaker ManualsApplicationsFileMaker Pro 5

Table Of Contents

Preface Learning how to use FileMakerPro
- Registration and customer support
- Using the FileMakerPro documentation
  - How this guide is organized
  - A note about the illustrations
- Using FileMakerPro Help
Chapter 1 FileMaker Pro basics
- About databases
- About FileMaker Pro files
- Performing menu commands
  - Using toolbars
  - Using context menus
- Managing files
Chapter 2 Adding and viewing data
- About working with records in Browse mode
- Viewing records
- Adding and duplicating records
  - Adding and duplicating related records
- Deleting records
- About entering data in records
- About working with graphics, sounds,andmovies
- About working with text
- Working with OLE objects
Chapter 3 Finding and sorting information
- Finding records
- Sorting records
Chapter 4 Previewing and printing information
- About printing information in a database
- Preparing to print
- Previewing data on a layout
- Printing
Chapter 5 Creating a database
- Planning a database file
- Creating a FileMaker Pro file
- About defining database fields
- Setting options for fields
- Changing field definitions
- Deleting field definitions and data
Chapter 6 Creating and managing layouts and reports
- About layouts and reports
- Creating layouts and reports
- Working with, duplicating, deleting, orrenaming layouts
  - Setting up to print records in columns
  - Setting up View as Form, View as List, and View as Table
- About working with objects on a layout
- About working with fields on a layout
- About layout parts
Chapter 7 Customizing layouts
- Customizing fields on a layout
- Customizing the appearance of a layout
- Arranging objects
- Using tools to precisely position objects
- Controlling how things print
Chapter 8 Working with related files
- Displaying data from related files
- Working with relational databases
- Changing relationships
  - Choosing a different relationship for a portal
  - Summarizing data in portals
- Defining lookups between files
Chapter 9 Protecting databases with passwords and groups
- Defining passwords
- Deleting or changing passwords
- Defining groups
- Deleting or changing groups
- Passwords and groups: a comparison
Chapter 10 Creating scripts to automate tasks
- About scripts
- Creating scripts: an overview
  - Planning scripts
  - Storing settings before creating a script
  - Defining scripts
- About ScriptMaker steps
- Control script steps
- Navigation script steps
- Sort, find, and print script steps
- Editing script steps
- Fields script steps
- Records script steps
- Windows script steps
- Files script steps
- Spelling script steps
- Open Menu Item script steps
- Miscellaneous script steps
- Changing scripts
- Duplicating, renaming, or deleting scripts
  - Deleting scripts
- Importing scripts
  - To import a script
- Listing scripts in the Scripts menu
- Using buttons with scripts
  - Defining buttons
  - Copying, changing, or deleting buttons
- Example of a ScriptMaker script
  - Finding duplicate records
Chapter 11 Using formulas and functions
- About formulas
- About functions
Chapter 12 Importing and exporting data
- About import and export
  - About file formats
- Importing data into FileMaker Pro
  - Importing data into an existing file
  - Converting a data file into a new FileMakerPro file
- Exporting data from FileMaker Pro
  - Exporting subsummary data
Chapter 13 Sharing databases on a network
- About sharing files on a network
  - Working with shared files
- About hosting files
- Opening files as the host
- Closing shared files
- Opening files as a guest
Chapter 14 Publishing databases on the Web
- About publishing databases on the Web
- How users work with databases on the Web
- What you need to publish databasesontheWeb
- Publishing databases on the Web: an overview
- Enabling FileMaker Pro Web Companion
- Configuring FileMaker Pro WebCompanion
- Enabling Web Companion sharing
- Setting up browser views
- Testing your published database
- About browser views for web publishing
Chapter 15 Using ODBC with FileMakerPro
- About ODBC
  - ODBC terminology
  - ODBC support in FileMakerPro
- Sharing FileMakerPro data via ODBC
- Accessing FileMakerPro data from an ODBC client application
  - Configuring the ODBC control panel
- Importing data from other data sources
- An ODBC import example
- Importing ODBC data with a join
  - Specifying a SQL join
- Automating ODBC connections
Appendix A Customizing FileMaker Pro
- Setting application preferences
- Setting document preferences
  - Setting general document preferences
  - Setting document spelling preferences
Appendix B Backing up and recovering files
- Backing up files
  - Using a backup script
- Maintaining files
  - Saving a compressed copy
  - Understanding file damage
- Recovering damaged files
  - When to recover
Appendix C FileMaker Pro Quick Reference (Windows)
- Keyboard and mouse shortcuts
Appendix D FileMaker Pro Quick Reference (Mac OS)
- Keyboard and mouse shortcuts
Index

1-6

FileMaker Pro User’s Guide

To display a context menu in Windows, hold down the right mouse

button while the pointer is over an object or data. In the Mac OS,

hold down the Control key, then click the mouse button over an

object or data.

Managing files

In FileMaker Pro, you can either work with existing database files or

start new files. The following sections tell you how to work with

existing FileMaker Pro files. For information on creating database

files, see chapter 5, “Creating a database.”

Starting FileMaker Pro

There are several ways to start the FileMaker Pro application:

1 Double-click the FileMaker Pro application icon

1 Double-click a FileMaker Pro file

1 Drag a FileMaker Pro file on top of the FileMaker Pro icon

1 Windows: click the Start button, Programs > FileMaker Pro 5 >

FileMaker Pro.

Opening ﬁles

To open a file if FileMaker Pro is already running:

1. Choose File menu > Open.

2. Double-click the name of the file to open.

If you’re asked for a password, type the password, then click OK.

To open a file if FileMaker Pro isn’t running, choose one of the

following methods:

1 Double-click the file icon

1 Drag the file onto the FileMaker Pro application icon

1 Double-click the FileMaker Pro application icon. In the New

Database dialog box, select Open an existing file, then click OK, then

double-click the filename.

You can open a FileMaker Pro for Windows file on the Mac OS, and

vice versa. If you intend to move files across platforms, it's best to

include the .FP5 extension in the filename. If you add or remove

filename extensions, you must re-specify the file locations for related

files and files with external scripts.

For information on opening a file that's hosted by another computer,

see “Opening files as a guest” on page 13-5.

Tip You can display recently opened filenames under the File menu.

See “Setting general application preferences” on page A-1.

In this mode Access context menus in these areas

Browse Toolbar, text ruler, in a field, or outside a field

Find Toolbar, in a field, or outside a field

Preview Toolbar or anywhere in the document

Layout Toolbar, text ruler, a field, an object or group of objects,

selected text, a layout part, or elsewhere on a layout

Context menu in Browse mode

Context menu in La

out mode