Custom Web Publishing with XML and XSLT

Table Of Contents
12 FileMaker Server Custom Web Publishing with XML and XSLT
About the Web Publishing Engine
To support Instant Web Publishing and Custom Web Publishing, FileMaker Server uses a set of software
components called the FileMaker Server Web Publishing Engine. The Web Publishing Engine handles
interactions between a web user’s browser, your web server, and FileMaker
Server.
Custom Web Publishing with XML and XSLT: The Web Publishing Engine functions as an XSLT
processor, provides output as HTML, XML, or text (such as vCards) to the web server, which provides the
output to the web browser. Web users access your Custom Web Publishing solution by clicking an HREF
link or by entering a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that specifies the web server address and a FileMaker
query string request. The URL can access XML data or reference an XSLT stylesheet. The Web Publishing
Engine returns the XML data specified in the query string request, or the results of the referenced XSLT
stylesheet.
Custom Web Publishing with PHP: When a web user accesses your Custom Web Publishing solution,
PHP on FileMaker Server connects with the Web Publishing Engine and responds through the FileMaker
API for PHP.
How a Web Publishing Engine request is processed
1. A request is sent from a web browser or application to the web server.
2. The web server routes the request through FileMaker’s Web Server Module to the Web Publishing Engine.
3. The Web Publishing Engine requests data from the database hosted by the Database Server.
4. The FileMaker Server sends the requested FileMaker data to the Web Publishing Engine.
5. The Web Publishing Engine converts the FileMaker data to respond to the request.
1 For PHP requests, the Web Publishing Engine responds to the API request.
1 For XML requests, the Web Publishing Engine sends XML data directly to the web server.
1 For XSLT requests, the Web Publishing Engine uses an XSLT stylesheet to format or transform the
XML data, and generates output as HTML pages, an XML document, or text to web server.
6. The web server sends the output to the requesting web browser or program.
Important Security is important when you publish data on the web. Review the security guidelines in
FileMaker Pro User’s Guide, available as a PDF file from www.filemaker.com/downloads.
Web
Browser
Customers.fp7
Database
Server
Products.fp7
Using the FileMaker Server Web Publishing Engine for Custom Web Publishing
Web Server
Web Server Module
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FM API and PHP code
XSLT Stylesheets
Web Publishing
Engine