User manual

ManualsBrandsClaris FileMaker ManualsApplicationsFileMaker Pro 6

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
- Symbols
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z

x FileMaker Pro User’s Guide

How this guide is organized

This FileMaker Pro User’s Guide describes how to use the most

common features in FileMaker Pro. For details about some advanced

features, as well as new features added in FileMaker Pro 5.5 and

FileMaker Pro 6, see FileMaker Pro Help.

The FileMaker Pro User’s Guide is divided into three parts.

Part 1: Using a database

The first part of this book gives you the information you need for

using existing databases that have been created in FileMaker Pro.

Part 2: Designing and creating a database

The second part of this book provides detailed instructions for

creating and designing databases.

Part 3: Sharing and exchanging data

The third part of this book explores the various ways that you can

exchange and share data from your database; for example, importing

and exporting data, sharing your database over a network or the

World Wide Web, or how to share FileMaker Pro data with other

ODBC-compliant applications.

Note A FileMaker Pro database can have restricted access to certain

menus and database operations. For passwords and access

information, see your database administrator or the person who

designed the database that you’re using.

Special information in this user’s guide looks like this:

Note or Tip messages give extra or helpful information about a

subject.

Important messages alert you to situations that require attention, such

as an action you can’t undo.

Glossary terms are defined in FileMaker Pro Help. Glossary terms

are italicized in the user’s guide and underlined with a dotted line in

Help.

A note about the illustrations

This user’s guide is a cross-platform book for users of either

FileMaker Pro for Windows or FileMaker Pro for the Mac OS.

Illustrations throughout the book are mixed, depicting situations for

both platforms. Windows and Mac OS systems are used for the

illustrations. What you see on your screen may vary from the

instructions in this book depending on the platform and the operating

system that your computer is using.

If you’re using Mac OS X or a Windows operating system other than

Windows 98 (such as Windows Me or Windows XP), what you see

on your screen might not match the illustrations in the

documentation.