FileMaker Pro

FileMaker Pro is a management software of databases. It functions under Mac OS X and Windows, either in network posts at station, or in client/server mode with the module " FileMaker Server".

Principal originalities compared to the others DBMS

  • Dépendance of the layer of data and the layer of treatments, which is contrary with the traditional principles of the database but avoids any discordance or error and makes it possible for example to re-elect the tables and the headings (fields) without having to modify the programs (scripts)
  • Recherches for the example not requiring any order SQL
  • Interface based on buttons starting the programs (scripts), with the manner of an automatic ticketting the SNCF
  • Incorpore in only one software basic tools of the data, of realization of the interface and of programming
  • Incorpore engine of publication Web
  • Possibilité of visualizing a Web page directly in the application: Web Viewer (version 8.5). Among the new sites given like example in the French version, five are related to the Wikipédia project: Wikipédia, Wikinews, Wiktionnaire, Wikilivres and Wikisource.

Functionalities

  • Definition of the tables (natural of the data) and headings (fields) of data (information to be managed: text, number, date, hour, image, its or any other application via OLE), logical relations between the data (graph of the relations, referential integrity)
    • statistical
  • Definition of calculations and formulas
  • Automatic feeding and/or control of the acquisition the data via lists (or menus, check boxs) or formulas of calculation
  • To put on page the data entry screens and research
  • Programming of the treatments thanks to language of simple, clearly and powerful script. Although limited to a few tens of instructions, the language comprises nevertheless the instructions necessary to the construction of any type of algorithm (buckles, conditional test, variables)
  • Gérer the rights of the various users: access to the data

Weak points

  • No graphics package (one plug-in third " xmchart" makes it possible however to generate graphs)
  • Pas functions of handling of files (one plug-in third " tRoiFile" )
  • Pas management of the " allows; indirection" (addressing of the fields by calculation)
  • No direct access via SQL to dependant external data (they should obligatorily be imported)
  • Pas presentation in " cross table dynamique"
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Exchanges of information with other applications

  • To incorporate third files in a heading of the " type; Multimédia" (equivalent of " blob")
  • To give access to the application via simple a navigator Web
  • To carry out requests SQL on other databases
  • To import data of other applications via SQL
  • To answer requests SQL ODBC/JDBC of other applications
  • To coordinate the interaction of various databases via XML and XSLT
  • To import or export data ASCII, text or Excel
  • With a PDA (Palm or Pocket PC) with " FileMaker Mobile" (within the limit of: 5000 recordings and by losing many functionalities like scripts)
  • To implement new functions via plug-ins (like a graphics package, management POP/smtp or the management of the " triggers " who do not exist nativement in FileMaker but are available via plug-ins)

It is in particular used in the field of direct marketing (files customers, mailing), of health (patient files) and the work groups (division of repertory, of diaries, follow-up of projects and documents).

An annual conference of the developers takes place each year at the end of August in the USA and, since 2005, an annual French-speaking conference is organized in France in spring.

In practice, without being able to compare itself with DBMS like Oracle or DB2, FileMaker Pro allows to manage to 250 simultaneous users in network with tables of 2 million recordings (although its theoretical limit depends only on the capacity of the hard drives).

History of the versions

Random links:Jan Dzierżon | Double Metaphone | Brabrand IF | Sippie Wallace | Mohammed Youssef Al-Najjar