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New Book
Learn FileMaker Pro 9 - FileMaker Pro 9 is a multi-award-winning database program. This version of the software continues to build on FileMaker 7's radical update. That's why this book is essential not only to beginners but also intermediate users and professionals to need to get up to speed with all the changes. This book covers it all, with topics ranging from defining database terms to security, converting files from previous FileMaker Pro versions to using files on the Web, and from creating reports and scripts to using the amazing Web Viewer and powerful new External SQL Data Sources.
With this new version of the software, FileMaker Pro expands the dramatically new and efficient approach to database management introduced in FileMaker Pro 7 and gives the user even greater flexibility. This book explores the features of the product &endash; both new and old &endash; and identifies situations in which they might be applicable, distilling the complexity into a logical hands-on approach:
Coverage
includes:
* The multiple-tables-per-file architecture, which gives
users ease of development and speed
* How to work with the enhanced, amazing Web Viewer
* The Auto Re-size and Conditional Formatting of Layout
Objects
* How to adapt one script to many purposes, cutting
development time/expense
* How to use the updated Tab Control and Tooltips
features
* A special section on the Anchor-Buoy method of database
development
* How to use the Quick Find, Auto-Complete and Visual Spell
Checker features
* How to use PDF, append PDF, and Excel document Maker with
Fast Send Email feature
* How to harness the power of the new External SQL Data
Source tools
* How to use the new ScriptMaker tools and script Group
folders
For those who have experience with FileMaker, the book includes information on troubleshooting and debugging scripts, creating a report based on a date range, and how to turn a field into a button. By the time readers complete this book, they will have a set of files they can use to keep track of customers and invoices.
The appendixes address issues such as network error messages and technical support. In addition, an extensive index with more than 3,000 entries guides the reader to specific FileMaker topics.
Example files in both Windows and Macintosh formats, along with other FileMaker developer solutions and plug-ins can be downloaded from www.wordwarecom/files/fmpro7
Learn how to:
* Use the alignment
tools to quickly align objects on your layout.
* Set up fields for auto-complete and create tooltips to
assist users.
* Attach a calendar to a date field to efficiently enter
dates.
* Import tables and their data in a single step.
* Print your files as a PDF and save or send your files as
Excel files.
* Organize information in different layers on a single
layout using the Tab Control feature.
* Export the contents of a field and attach it to an
e-mail.
* Use the Web Viewer to display information from the web
inside your database.
Also...
* Plan, create, and format a
database.
* Find and sort
data.
* Define relationships and work
with related tables and files.
* Create layouts using the
Layout Assistant.
* Use validation options to
make sure data is entered
properly.
* Build and test complex
calculations.
* Apply record-level
security.
* Automate your database and
fly between tables with
scripts.
* Design screen and report
layouts.
* Share FileMaker databases on
the Internet using Instant Web
Publishing.
* Use and synchronize files
with FileMaker Mobile for the Palm
OS.
* Protect your data with
scripts and calculations.
* Import and Export using XML
and XSL style sheets.
* Back up your database and
recover your data.
About his book, Jonathan
says:
"I
wrote this book as if I were writing it for myself when I
started out. I remember how confusing it was trying to
figure out all the things left out of the manual and the
other books I'd bought to help me learn. I consider myself
of normal intelligence. So this book is not written by some
genius who assumes you know everything. I tried very hard
not to skip any of the steps you need to know. That makes
this book sort of 'For Dummies by a
Dummy.'
"I
also included information about how to figure things out for
yourself. Instead of just telling you how to solve 10
special problems, I show you how to solve almost any problem
you might come up against. You know, 'Give a man a fish, and
you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you
feed him for a lifetime.'
"One
other example of how I approached this whole project is that
it took me 70 hours to create the index for the first
version of this book. I'm told most indexes take about 16
hours. I wanted this to be the index I wish was in the back
of every other technical book I've ever read. It's just so
frustrating to look for something you know you just read
about, but you can't find it. I spent my time so you won't
have to waste yours.
"And
finally, I had my mother do all the exercises in the book to
make sure it was clear enough for anybody else to learn. To
be fair to her, she's pretty sharp, but she had never worked
with FileMaker before. I rewrote quite a bit of the text as
a result of her suggestions. That's how important it was for
me to make this as good a book as I could."
--
Jonathan Stars