For Windows and Mac FileMaker® Developer 6 Developer’s Guide © 1998, 2000-2002 FileMaker, Inc. All Rights Reserved. FileMaker, Inc. 5201 Patrick Henry Drive Santa Clara, California 95054 www.filemaker.com FileMaker documentation is copyrighted. You are not authorized to make additional copies or distribute this documentation without written permission from FileMaker. You may use this documentation solely with a valid licensed copy of FileMaker software. FileMaker is a trademark of FileMaker, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries, and ScriptMaker and the file folder logo are trademarks of FileMaker, Inc. Portions of some screen shots are reprinted by permission from Microsoft Corporation. Portions of some screen shots are copyright 1996- 2000 Netscape Communications Corp. All rights reserved. These screen shots may not be reprinted or copied without the express written permission of Netscape. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG group. Portions of this software are ©1990 Access Softek and © 1991-2002 DataDirect Technologies. All rights reserved. All persons and companies listed in the examples are purely fictitious and any resemblance to existing persons and companies is purely coincidental. Mention of third party companies and products is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement. FileMaker assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of these products. All understandings, agreements or warranties, if any, take place directly between the vendor and prospective users. THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 3 Welcome to FileMaker Developer Installing FileMaker Developer in the Mac OS About the Developer edition of FileMaker Pro 1-1 Installation notes 3-1 About this guide 1-1 Installing FileMaker Developer 3-1 Registration and customer support 1-1 Installing ODBC drivers in Mac OS X 3-2 About the installation code 1-2 Where files are stored on your hard disk 3-2 Hardware and software requirements 1-2 Accessing files from other user accounts (Mac OS X) 3-2 Networking requirements 1-3 Choosing a network protocol (Mac OS 9.x or earlier) 3-3 Web publishing requirements 1-3 Adjusting memory 3-3 Requirements for advanced features (Windows) 1-3 Adjusting the FileMaker Pro cache (Mac OS X) 3-3 Requirements for advanced features (Mac OS) 1-3 Adjusting memory requirements (Mac OS 9.x or earlier) 3-4 Features not supported In Mac OS X 1-4 Enabling the FileMaker Pro Web Companion (Mac OS X) 3-5 Opening files from previous versions 1-4 Configuring the Web Companion for use with ports Updating your User Dictionary 1-5 1024 and higher 3-6 Read Me file 1-5 Accessing databases that are published to the Web 3-7 Electronic documentation 1-5 Where to go from here 3-7 Abiding by the license agreement 1-6 Chapter 4 About the TechInfo database 1-6 Creating a database solution Chapter 2 Overview of preparing your solution files 4-2 Installing FileMaker Developer in Windows Considerations for a runtime database solution 4-2 Installation notes 2-1 Considerations for Kiosk mode 4-3 Installing FileMaker Developer 2-1 Displaying a database in Kiosk mode 4-3 Installing FileMaker Developer from the command line 2-2 Navigating in Kiosk mode 4-4 Where files are stored on your hard disk 2-2 Closing a Kiosk mode solution 4-4 Uninstalling, modifying, or repairing FileMaker Developer 2-2 Example Kiosk solution 4-4 Adjusting network software 2-3 Using scripts to control your solution 4-5 Changing the network protocol 2-3 Creating startup scripts 4-5 Changing the IPX/SPX frame type 2-3 Centering a database window in the Kiosk screen 4-6 Changing the FileMaker Pro cache size 2-4 Emulating menu commands and window controls 4-6 Where to go from here 2-4 Creating dynamic buttons 4-6 iv Developer’s Guide Protecting your database solution files 4-7 Table of single-line elements 5-6 Providing user documentation 4-8 Valid values for theme attributes 5-7 Creating an About layout 4-8 Specifying default values for themes 5-9 Creating a custom Help layout or file 4-9 Finding values for patterns and colors 5-9 Providing What’s This? Help (Windows) 4-10 Adding comments to your document 5-10 Including printed documentation 4-10 Checking your theme document for errors 5-11 Design tips for cross-platform solutions 4-11 Creating a consistent appearance 4-11 Chapter 6 Using the FileMaker Developer Tool Simulating outline and shadow text styles 4-11 Using common character sets 4-12 About the solution examples 6-1 Designing text layouts for cross-platform solutions 4-12 Using the FileMaker Developer Tool 6-1 Using a common color palette 4-13 Binding your databases into a runtime database solution 6-6 Using graphics in cross-platform solutions 4-13 Procedure for binding files 6-6 Using QuickTime movies in cross-platform solutions 4-13 Specifying a runtime solution name and binding key 6-7 Showing the status bar in Windows 4-14 Assigning a three-character filename extension 6-8 Using separate scripts for printing 4-14 Binding files for cross-platform solutions 6-9 Using the Status (CurrentPlatform) function 4-14 Modifying bound runtime files 6-9 Creating platform-specific scripts 4-15 Creating Kiosk-mode solutions 6-9 Your responsibilities as a developer 4-15 Renaming your databases 6-10 Testing before and after creating your solution 4-16 Procedure for renaming files 6-10 Converting and upgrading solution files 4-16 Choosing filenames for your runtime database solution 6-10 Importing data into an upgraded runtime Removing design access to your databases 6-11 database solution 4-17 Steps for preventing database modification 6-11 Customizing the About, Help, and Scripts menus 6-11 Chapter 5 Adding a custom script to an About menu command 6-11 Creating custom layout themes Adding a custom Help script command to the Modifying a FileMaker Pro theme 5-1 Help menu 6-13 Basic requirements for a theme file 5-3 Renaming the Scripts menu 6-14 Minimum required XML elements for themes 5-3 Adding the FileMaker Pro extension to database filenames 6-14 Removing elements from a theme file 5-4 Saving your settings in the Developer Tool 6-14 XML elements for layout parts 5-4 Using the Solution Options text file 6-15 XML elements for text 5-5 Saving a set of options 6-15 Description of XML elements and their theme attributes 5-5 Modifying the Solution Options text file 6-15 Table of multi-line elements 5-5 Contents v Chapter 7 Creating a custom home page 8-5 Distributing FileMaker Pro runtime database solutions Specifying a custom home page as the default 8-6 Organizing your runtime database solution components 7-1 Creating a custom home page for Instant Web Publishing 8-6 Generated DLL files for Windows runtime About the FileMaker WebPortal object 8-7 database solutions 7-2 Overview of setting up a custom home page for System files for Windows solutions 7-2 Instant Web Publishing 8-7 Solution Extras files for Mac OS solutions 7-3 Creating a custom web site using a database layout 8-7 FileMaker Extensions files for Mac OS solutions 7-3 Overview of using a database layout as the Instant Choosing the distribution method 7-4 Web Publishing home page 8-8 Requirements for distributing on floppy disks 7-4 Using script buttons in Instant Web Publishing 8-8 Using a custom installation program 7-4 Suppressing the Instant Web Publishing interface 8-11 Using a compression utility program 7-4 Bypassing the Instant Web Publishing home page 8-12 What your users need 7-4 Format filenames for instant web pages 8-13 Sharing your solution over a network 7-5 Web Companion support for Internet media types 8-13 Documenting the installation procedures 7-5 Monitoring your site 8-14 Starting your runtime database solution 7-5 Using the access.log file 8-14 Recovering damaged files 7-6 Using the error.log file 8-14 Distributing updates to your runtime database solution 7-6 Using the info.log file 8-15 Using the Web Companion external functions 8-15 Chapter 8 Exporting data to a static HTML page 8-16 Publishing your database on the Web Testing your site without a network connection 8-17 Types of web publishing 8-1 Opening password-protected databases remotely 8-18 Custom web publishing with XML 8-1 Opening and closing databases using XML 8-18 Custom web publishing with JDBC 8-1 Opening and closing databases using CDML 8-19 Custom web publishing with CDML 8-2 Instant Web Publishing 8-2 Chapter 9 Other ways to create custom web sites for your data 8-2 Custom web publishing using CDML Static web publishing with HTML 8-2 About the CDML examples 9-1 Using the FileMaker Pro Web Companion 8-2 General steps for custom web publishing using CDML 9-2 Requirements for web access 8-2 About CDML format files 9-2 Enabling the Web Companion 8-3 Generating FileMaker Pro CGI requests using CDML 9-3 Setting Web Companion configuration options 8-3 Request names 9-4 Sharing the database via the Web 8-5 Requests for adding records to a portal 9-4 Requests for editing multiple records in a portal 9-4 vi Developer’s Guide Using the CDML Tool and templates 9-5 Example of XML data in the FMPXMLLAYOUT Using the Templates tab 9-6 grammar 10-7 Using the Tags tab 9-6 About UTF-8 encoded data 10-8 Customizing a format file template 9-6 Generating FileMaker Pro CGI requests for an XML Categories of CDML tags 9-8 document 10-8 Using an intratag parameter 9-9 Request and parameter names 10-8 About the CDML Reference database 9-9 Requests for adding records to a portal 10-9