Advanced FileMaker Pro 5.5 Techniques for Developers [With CDROM]

by Bob Bowers and Chris Moyer

Demonstrates Filemaker Pro's updated features, explaining how to plan the database system, create entity-relationship diagrams, specify and define fields, maintain referential integrity, and write... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1556228597
• ISBN13: 9781556228599
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: Wordware Publishing
• Length: 376 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.6" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Professional and Humorous

This book is a must for the FileMaker developer, and a great study for the beginner.It covers many developer questions and shows new angles to get more specific in designing, scripting and creating applications.-Use it as your reference guide, technical dictionary and inspiration book.

Not for beginners

If you are a developer or just a keen user who is looking at enhancing what they can do with FileMaker this is the book for you. There aren't many books of this type for FileMaker but luckily this is a really good one. A little short (at 350 pages) the first 120 pages are on relational basics and design that are applicable to any database. Some may skip these chapters but they contain a wealth of information that helps you understand the fundamental structure of your database and how to improve it. Following chapters go over audit trail, creating a secure login system, advanced use of portals (e.g., using a portal as a selection list and "type-ahead" finds) and rollbacks.The chapter on enhancing your reports with "bucket reports", i.e., subsummary reports that run horizontally across the page instead of down, was particularly useful. Other chapters cover recursive data structures and complex calculations.If you are not fairly literate with FileMaker you may struggle with some of the concepts as the book assumes you already have reasonable knowledge and pretty much jumps straight in. However, even if you have problems following the text the CD that comes with the book includes the databases so you can pull these apart to see how they work.While FileMaker is easy to use for most things, there are some higher level functions that developer need that aren't necessarily straight forward to implement - even if you only get a couple of tips from this book it is worth the purchase as many of the examples covered here simply aren't easily available elsewhere

Essential FM Development Tool

My only complaint about this book would be that I wished it would have been about 10 times as long. The material covered was priceless. I've been developing in FileMaker for several years now and reading this book is like spending an afternoon learning the secrets of someone who's been developing for 10 years...maybe more. These are sound, well thought out concepts that deal with real-world needs. I only hope this is a volume II or III or IV, etc.

Pushing the FMP Envelope

Don't expect Moyer and Bowers to coddle you -- instead you will be presented with some challenging advanced material that will stretch your FileMaker chops.Especially noteworthy is the excellent and in-depth chapter on Secure Login Systems (and sample files). This "how-to" will really help developers understand the benefits, as well as some of the potential pitfalls, of using a global log-in scheme, and there was a real need in the FMP community for professional-quality, advanced information on the topic (as well as for info on other topics that are covered).

I had no idea I could do this with FileMaker!

I have used Filemaker for a long time for a number of tasks, but this book allowed me to understand the real range of FileMaker Pro. This is a true development tool. The examples are complex and detailed but still understandable. This is a great book, I really recommend it for advanced FileMaker users (this is not a beginner's book).