User manual FILEMAKER FILEMAKER PRO 11 ADVANCED V2 UPDATER_README

[. . . ] You may use this documentation solely with a valid licensed copy of FileMaker software. All persons and companies listed in the examples are purely fictitious and any resemblance to existing persons and companies is purely coincidental. Credits are listed in the Acknowledgements document provided with this software. For more information, visit our web site at www. filemaker. com. Edition:01 Contents Chapter 1 About publishing FileMaker Pro databases on the web About this guide Web publishing requirements Connecting to the Internet or an intranet About hosting databases with FileMaker Pro About hosting databases with FileMaker Server Advanced Web publishing improvements Publishing files from previous versions of FileMaker Pro Chapter 2 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 Publishing your database on the web Sharing a database with Instant Web Publishing Choosing a language for Instant Web Publishing Specifying a port number for web publishing Checking the maximum number of web connections Restricting access except to specified IP addresses Disconnecting inactive web accounts Linking to a database from an HTML page Publishing FileMaker Pro data on static web pages General steps for publishing static data Chapter 3 11 12 13 14 14 14 15 15 16 Working with FileMaker databases on the web Web browser requirements Accessing a FileMaker database from the web Logging into a file Working with data in Instant Web Publishing Viewing and modifying records in Browse mode Finding records Logging out of a database and closing a web session Displaying a database with the status area hidden Differences between FileMaker Pro and Instant Web Publishing Benefits to accessing databases with Instant Web Publishing Benefits to accessing databases with FileMaker Pro 17 17 18 19 19 20 21 21 22 22 22 Chapter 4 Designing a database for Instant Web Publishing Tips for designing layouts for Instant Web Publishing Tips for rendering layouts in Instant Web Publishing Design considerations for List View and Table View Tips for working with data in a web browser General database design considerations Working with graphics, sounds, and movies on the web Setting the initial layout and view Hiding the status area to customize the interface Specifying the sort order for web users Scripts and Instant Web Publishing Script steps tips and considerations Creating a script to log out of a database and close the session Hosting databases with FileMaker Server Advanced: an overview Documenting your solution Chapter 5 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 29 29 30 Testing, monitoring, and securing your site Testing your database with a network connection Testing your database without a network connection Monitoring web activity with log files Securing your data Index 31 31 31 32 35 Chapter 1 About publishing FileMaker Pro databases on the web With FileMaker® Pro, you can display your databases on the web in a variety of ways. [. . . ] If the Instant Web Publishing privilege is assigned to the Guest account: 1 Web users are not prompted for an account name and password when opening a file. 1 All web users will automatically log in with the Guest account and assume the Guest account privileges. You can let users change their login accounts from a web browser with the Relogin script step (for example, to switch from the Guest account to another, more full-featured account). 1 The default privilege set for Guest accounts provides "read-only" access. You can change the default privilege in Extended Privileges. For more information, see FileMaker Pro Help. Working with FileMaker databases on the web 19 1 Web users generally cannot modify their account password from a web browser. It is possible, however, to build this functionality into your database with the Change Password script step (to enable web users to change their password). 1 With FileMaker Server Advanced, you can enable an additional log in screen that does not display filenames in the Database Homepage unless web users have an account name and password that provides access to the file. Working with data in Instant Web Publishing In FileMaker Pro, the Instant Web Publishing status area has been redesigned to resemble the desktop application. Web users interact with databases on the web in Browse or Find mode. All the features that enable web users to interact with your database, for example, entering, editing, deleting, and finding records, are accessible from the status area. Data from a FileMaker layout displayed in a web browser with Instant Web Publishing Viewing and modifying records in Browse mode In Browse mode, web users perform tasks by clicking on an icon in the status area. If their account name and privileges provide access, they can: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 create records edit records duplicate records delete records sort the found set (based on fields on the current layout) show all records omit the current record from the found set omit multiple, consecutive records from the found set view the omitted records (and hide the existing found set) 20 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide Hold the cursor over an icon to see its description. Procedures are outlined in the Instant Web Publishing Help. To view the Help file, click the Question Mark (?) in the status area. Important After entering or editing data in a record, web users must click the Submit button in the status area to save the record to the host. Go to Database Homepage, Browse, or Find Mode Add, edit, delete, sort, omit, or show omitted records Change layouts and layout views View previous or next record Status of current found set Modify last find request Toggle shows or hides the status area Add, duplicate or delete find requests or show all records Change layouts and layout views View previous or next find request Status of current find requests Include search operators in your find request Perform find or modify previous find results Log out and close windows to protect data Status area in Browse mode Status area in Find mode Finding records In Find mode, web users now have the same searching capabilities as FileMaker Pro desktop users. Benefits to accessing databases with FileMaker Pro Although accessing a database from the web is very similar to FileMaker Pro, it is not as responsive as accessing a database from a FileMaker Pro network client: 1 There are no customization features available on the web. Although web users can choose layouts and different layout views, they cannot add, delete, or modify fields, layouts, scripts, relationships, and so on. 1 Web users cannot directly interact with the hard drive, so import/exporting data, drag and drop, and automation with OLE, ActiveX, and Apple events will not work. 1 Web users can only enter data in text, number, date, or time fields; they cannot enter or modify container field objects like images, sounds, and QuickTime files. 1 1 1 1 1 Web users cannot enter data with rich text formatting (RTF). Web users cannot view and print complex, multi-page reports. Web users cannot spell check their data. Web users should only interact with a database from one web browser window. FileMaker Pro keyboard commands are not available for use in the web browser. Chapter 4 Designing a database for Instant Web Publishing With FileMaker Pro, data displayed on a web form with Instant Web Publishing looks and behaves similarly to a FileMaker layout. When you design solutions that are accessed on the web, there are some limitations of the technologies that you should be aware of. For example, FileMaker Pro layouts are rendered on the web using Cascading Style Sheets, which doesn't offer as robust graphics support as the FileMaker Pro application. Tips for designing layouts for Instant Web Publishing FileMaker Pro layouts determine which fields web users see, and how the data is formatted. You are no longer limited to picking a couple of layouts to display in web views. 1 1 1 1 Like FileMaker Pro, default web layouts can be specified with startup scripts. User accounts and privileges determine which layouts web users can view. Web users can only search on fields that are present on the current layout. [. . . ] Instruct users how to create, edit, delete, find, and sort records. 1 Navigating the database: Instruct web users on how to view records in appropriate layouts and layout views. 1 It is important that web users properly close their session, or connection to the host computer, by clicking the Log Out button in the status area. For more information, see "Logging out of a database and closing a web session" on page 21. Chapter 5 Testing, monitoring, and securing your site Before notifying users that your published database is available, it is important to verify that it looks and functions as you expect. 1 Test features like finding, adding, deleting, and sorting records with different accounts and privilege sets. 1 Verify that various privilege sets are performing as expected by logging in with different accounts. Make sure unauthorized users can't access or modify your data. 1 Click all scripted buttons to verify that the outcome is expected. See "Scripts and Instant Web Publishing" on page 27 for information on designing web-friendly scripts. 1 Test your published database with different operating systems and browsers. [. . . ]