5 comments about FileMaker 8 Functions and Scripts Desk Reference.

1. Scott Love, et al, have created a good reference book to supplement their gargantuan effort "Using FileMaker 8 (Special Edition)".
   
   Beginning developers imagine that all the power will be in functions and scripts. This is a slight misconception: scripts and functions will augment, but not replace, database design and interface design. Simple databases will be extensions of flat-file designs that take advantage of relational concepts; occasional functions might improve the user interface, and scripts (which are often point-and-click) can automate many functions.
   
   Eventually, you may wish to buy this book. But you'll very likely buy it and work backward to simply improving the actions in your design. You'll probably need only "SE: Using FileMaker 8...", but you'll feel comforted by this edition, and, perhaps, get your boss to pay for it. Good luck.



2. The authors gloat in their "Special Edition Using FileMaker 8" that they countered their editor's request to cut 10% from their previous book by increasing the content by 50% and creating a second book. In my review of "Special Edition Using FileMaker 8", I noted that it was a hack job; a superficial revision of the previous edition covering Version 7. In fact, the revision was so sloppy that references to Version 7 abound.
   
   "FileMaker 8 Functions and Scripts Desk Reference" is little more than a slightly annotated printout of FileMaker's own help file. The language is a bit less terse, but no more informative. There are very few examples and what there are are minimal.
   
   In short, there isn't much more here than you'd find in FileMaker's own help files. You're really paying to have the information in a more convenient format and that's about it. It's a nice book to have on hand but I would have warmer feelings if the authors had done more to help the FileMaker user actually learn about the power the FileMaker's functions and scripting capabilities.
   
   Jerry



3. I bought this book primarily because I was so impressed with Scott's Filemaker 8 book. I have found it useful as an occasional reference to some of the more obscure parts of the Filemaker 8 program. If anything, it helps you realize just how much thought has been put into the program. Some of the functions are quite hard to get your head around, with or without this book, but almost impossible without it.
   
   If you are a developer, and think that there are functions and script steps just waiting for you to understand and use to make your job easier, this book is well worth it. Otherwise, you may not really make use of it.



4. I recieved this book several weeks ago, Being a refernce manual I have not read it cover to cover but I have used the Custom Calculation functios section significantly. The examble are clear and easy to follow. Knowing a programming language certainly helps. I think any programmer or developer working with Filemaker 8 will find this book extermely useful



5. this is a great reference, and the portion on custom functions is great for someone learning more about this wonderful feature of filemaker. the text has a few typos which will have you scratching your head while trying to make your functions work. be careful - some functions are mis-named in the bubblesort section. otherwise this is a great book, but if you have a copy of "Special Edition: using Filemaker", then you don't need this book. just check on Cleveland Consulting and Brian Dunning's websites for your custom function fun.

1 comments about FileMaker Web Publishing: A Complete Guide to Using the API for PHP.

1. If you are just starting out using FileMaker with the web it's a must read. It shows several outstanding techniques for setting up pages.
   
   This is a very good book for beginners in FileMaker and PHP. It puts down a good foundation for starting but like so many other books it starts out with several chapters explaining the extreme basics so you are half way through the book before you get to the meat of the topic. Once the books starts getting in to the functions of PHP with FileMaker it stops just short of a little more involved explanation. I don't mean for that to sound like a rip on the book, but would like to see a little more advanced book on this subject.
   Like I said I think this was a very well written book and covered the topic well I was just hoping for something a little more advanced.

5 comments about FileMaker Pro Design & Scripting For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. In the aptly titled "foolish assumptions" on page 2, he states "I assume you're fairly comfortable with the basics of FM...". If I knew the basics why would I need a dummies book? This is not my first dummies book, but it may be my last.



2. When choosing a book of this type, it's important to realize who the target audience is.
   
   The overwhelming majority of FileMaker Pro users are beginners in database design and development. Most of these people have either read the manual or figured out the basics on their own, and can wield FMP as an office productivity tool just fine. (If you are purchasing this book, and have not read the FMP manuals, I suggest that you do so, they are well written, not painfully long, and quite useful to get started.)
   
   This book is aimed at helping people get to the next step; from office productivity user to fledgling developer, and it serves that purpose very well.
   
   If you want to learn more about design and scripting in FMP, then buy this book. After you've mastered this material, go for some of the more advanced texts out there.



3. I found this book to be very informative and helpful. It walks you through the steps to setting up a database with tables and layouts and starting script writing. I liked the humor thrown in. Reading and following the examples helped make alot of sense out of what the book was trying to accomplish, which was setting up the database.



4. in doing my research of filemaker pro, i came upon this book. my experience with the dummies series has always been excellent. his book was easy to understand with a hysterical sense of humor. i use the book continually as a reference. i ended up taking a class on filemaker pro which i highly recommend. sometimes you just need someone in front of you to be able to ask questions.
   
   one note... in the beginning of the book, the author stated, "FileMaker provides full, multiuser support for up to five users without requiring the user to add any additional licenses or patches." that statement is misleading. i understood that statement to mean one license would allow five user. not true! as long as each computer attempting to view the same file has a unique license number, five users can access the same file at the same time. if more than five users at a time are going to be using the file, you'll need to buy filemaker server. that is my only complaint. other than that, fabulous!



5. Book is littered with technical errors and examples that do not work. Don't waste your money!

No comments about Special Edition Using FileMaker 9 (Special Edition Using).

5 comments about FileMaker Pro 8: The Missing Manual.

1. I hesitate to write negative reviews because I always suspect that the errors I find are my own misunderstandings. In this case I felt COMPELLED to write one. I bought this book wanting it to be great and having high expectations based on the reviews I read. I doubt many of the reviewers OR the EDITORS read this book very closely. There are so many mistakes (small and large) and examples which flat out DON'T WORK, that the book has almost driven me mad. I've wasted HOURS trying to get things to work the way the authors described. The errata posted on the oreilly.com site lists maybe 1/4 of the errors. There is ONE posted review on Amazon.com which took notice of this, but all of the others seem to miss it completely. Kudos to Raymond Smith!
   
   Two perfect examples (in case you want to save yourself a few hours of struggle):
   
   1. The Invoice Finder tutorial on page 372 simply doesn't work using the "minimum amount" field as they describe. It will work using the date range criterion, but when you add the minimum amount match, it fails. I built a file following along with the text and thought it was MY file that was broken. Then I tried the files supplied with the Missing Manual "CD". The authors' files don't work either. They SEEM to work with the data already in them, but if you add an invoice, it doesn't work. And if you simply open the "options..." definition of the Total Due field on the "Invoices" table, then OK the dialog box, all the existing data fails as well. It must be some kind of indexing problem, but the fact that it slipped by the editors is almost impossible to believe.
   
   2. The Repeating Fields for Multiple Results on page 417 is totally wrong. The formula they supply will not work at all, and in fact, unless the "Price" field is a repeating field as well (which they don't mention at all), you can't do any calculations using the "Get(CalculationRepetitionNumber)" that will work the way they describe. Not to mention the fact that in the second mention of the calculation they call it "Get(CalculatedRepetitionNumber)" which is wrong and won't even take. The text suggests that you "test this calculation with a few numbers", but I doubt that any editor tried it. AND THIS IS LISTED IN A POWER USERS' CLINIC.
   
   I don't know if this is an author problem or an editor problem, but either way, it is a REAL problem for readers.
   
   What a disappointment and a waste of many hours... Don't listen to the majority of reviews on this book. They have clearly come from people who read it but were not actually trying to learn from the DOING the examples in the text. The book is written in a friendly easy style, but there are too many errors to make it valuable. And it's been out for TOO long for these things not to be listed in an available errata or supplement.



2. Why software cannot come with good manuals anymore is a mystery. This is exactly as advertised, the missing manual. Some other books will show you how to build bigger, more sophisticated solutions, but this one covers every aspect of how Filemaker works, which is what a manual should do.
   
   Oh, and by the way, Filemaker is an amazing, underappreciated tool which helps manage a mailing list or build an entire database system. You cannot go wrong with it.



3. I have been trying to use all the resources - bundled manuals, vtc, lynda.com since 2005 to learn filemaker/a database from scratch. I chose filemaker for 2 reasons - ease of use and support for OS X technologies like Applescript. I found it a bit challenging to understand concepts in Database design but with this one book things were more clear than ever before. I have finished this book and am planning to buy the latest version for filemaker 9.
   
   If you are a newbie in database programming and need to get a well explained book to help you through building your own database. Get this book. It is well worth it.
   
   BTW thanks for this book, I have a fully functional database to manage information related to my studies and research.



4. I was disappointed by this book, especially considering the high reviews that it has received. I would consider myself an advanced computer user and intermediate in working with programs like FileMaker. (Though database programs I have used before have had less features). This book uses an example of building a database throughout the book that involves customers and invoices, etc. The problem is that in later chapters the ongoing example database begins to interfere with the presentation of the material. If you have the time to work through the example database in detail (for a few hundred pages+) you might have a decent understanding of Filemaker-at least within the context of the example. Or if you have that kind of time, you might just want to take a class. I started with the beginning of the book when I began to build my database (which does not involve customers and invoices). After doing the initial planning/building work, I tried to skip to other parts of the book that were relevent to what I needed to do. Unfortunately, most of the descriptions are based on the original example--this made it difficult to apply the information to my own project. If the functions had been just described clearly at the beginning of each section, without relying on the example it would have been much better. There are a few mistakes as well-small but they cost me a bit of time. E.g., the book states that the "missing fields" problem can be fixed by changing a setting in preferences. This is not necessarily right--in my case it turned out to be a layout issue. I've had better results with trial and error than on relying on most of the book. Also, the language is not as clear as it could be, and precision is important in a book like this, especially for those of us who are not advanced users. Most importantly, I would have preferred a book with more straightforward descriptions and instructions.



5. This manual has everything I ever needed to know about Filemaker in it. Easy to understand and a great tool for those who are new to Filemaker (as well as people who aren't so new, but don't know it all).

1 comments about Learn FileMaker Pro 9 (Wordware Library for FileMaker).

1. Stars quickly introduces the concepts you need to design a truly useful database. Most other books (including the three mentioned at the end of this review) discuss each module of FileMaker separately and in the abstract, similar to the FileMaker User Guide, leaving you wondering how to get started designing your own database. For example, most books defer "related tables" until halfway into the book because relationships are considered a difficult topic, but Stars introduces related tables in a very basic way in chapter 2.
   
   Perhaps the best feature of Stars is that he offers far more practical tips, including pitfalls to avoid, than any other book I've read.
   
   Stars explains how to design a database the way you'd do it in real life. He initially designs an elementary database, then adds more sophisticated features. (One of the beauties of FileMaker is that you don't need to design an all encompassing database in one fell swoop. You can start simple, then add features a little at a time, and adapt existing features to your evolving needs.) He uses many brief examples throughout the book, so there is no problem understanding the examples if you jump in the middle of the book.
   
   I agree with Stars' philosophy that it is hard to learn FileMaker by reading a book cover-to-cover away from your computer. His book is designed to be read while you are near your computer so you can experiment with his examples. FileMaker is well adapted for learning by experimentation. (If you are beyond the neophyte stage, the book is self-explanatory without requiring access to a computer.)
   
   The downside of Stars is that he is not the most articulate writer, so a few explanations are too vague. However, you almost always can understand him by context or by briefly experimenting with his examples.
   
   Stars is much better for beginning-to-intermediate FileMaker users than the FileMaker Bible, FileMaker Missing Manual, or Que Special Edition. Stars has far more practical advice than the first two. The Que book is too difficult for a neophyte and covers only selected topics in depth. Although the Missing Manual is thicker than Stars, it actually conveys less information because it consumes too much space with the mechanics of pressing each button in a series of dialog windows. Stars presents the same info more concisely, yet is even more approachable for a neophyte.

1 comments about FileMaker(R) 9 Developer Reference: Functions, Scripts, Commands, and Grammars, with Extensive Custom Function Examples.

1. This book can serve as a bible for using functions and script commands with it's thorough and easy to find listings.
   
   It could only be better if more examples were provided for us newbies.

3 comments about Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9.

1. This book is an excellent introduction to HTML, PHP and the FileMaker API. Jonathan has an easy-to-read style. I found it to be a quick and informative read. I enjoyed how he can cover a topic in sufficient depth without the material being too long. This book focuses on the code in a text editor (rather than a visual editor), which is the best way to truly master the subject. Each chapter covers a specific topic so you can read it cover to cover or just focus on the material that is of interest to you. Well done Jonathan!



2. FileMaker and PHP are absolutley the way to go, and this is
   THE BEST BOOK to get for Filemaker web publishing.
   As a "non-programmer" who has struggled in the past trying to bring a database to the web,
   I found the examples in this book easy to follow and understand.
   It definately took me to the next level.



3. Over the holiday break I had some time to read (a better word might be "consume") Jonathan Stark's book "Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9." In a little more than 250 pages, Jonathan manages to do the impossible: He explains how to put the FileMaker API for PHP to use.
   
   The book is divided into four logical sections. The first section provides background information for those new to the world of Web publishing, including an introduction to HTML and PHP. After reading this section, you won't be an HTML expert, and you certainly won't be a PHP pro. But you will have a good understanding of the technologies involved in Web publishing and development, and how those technologies fit together.
   
   The second section of the book provides a foundation for the examples that are used later on. The section includes a chapter on how to setup a FileMaker database (creating fields, working with the database, performing finds, and so on). I'm sure that the majority of readers will find this section to be unnecessary and might be tempted to skip it. However, the chapter does cover one key topic that you should take a few minutes to check out, and that is an explanation on how to setup a FileMaker account (and grant it the correct privileges) that PHP can use to connect to the database.
   
   The second section also covers installation, deployment, and configuration of FileMaker Server, as well as the new PHP Site Assistant. Jonathan makes a recommendation -- and one that I heartily agree with -- that if you do not absolutely need your own server, then using a server provided by a Web hosting provider is an ideal solution. However, if you do have your own server, you'll find this information to be of great use.
   
   The third section of "Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9" includes what I consider to be the most valuable information in the book. This section covers the FileMaker API for PHP (often referred to as "FileMaker.php") itself, and does so using an example Web application that is developed and expanded throughout the section. The application is one that most readers will be able to associate with -- an online product catalog.
   
   The section includes chapters on how to select, sort, and do finds against a FileMaker database using PHP. Another chapter explains how to alter FileMaker data over the Web, including the creation of new records and updates and deletions of existing records. There are also chapters on how to view, add, edit, and delete related data via PHP (which is accomplished using portals), as well as some very useful information on how to work with images (including images stored in container fields and those stored by reference using URLs).
   
   The last chapter in the third section describes a very interesting concept: Developing a PHP application that automatically updates as the FileMaker layouts that it is built on are updated. For example, if a field is added or removed, the PHP application automatically adds and/or drops the field as well. If you are looking for an easy way to let your FileMaker users "self-manage" a PHP application, then this chapter will prove to be invaluable to you.
   
   "Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9" covers a lot of ground, and does so in a way that makes it a fast and enjoyable journey. Jonathan's writing style and "voice" make it easy to follow along with the material. His expert knowledge of PHP and FileMaker is apparent, and he does a great job of sharing that knowledge in the book.
   
   If you are looking for a good book on PHP and FileMaker integration -- whether you are new to the topic or consider yourself to be a pro -- then I highly recommend picking up a copy of "Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9."

5 comments about FileMaker Pro 9: The Missing Manual.

1. This manual is thorough and complete. It is clearly written and easy to use.



2. It's been years since I used Filemaker, and then only as a database user...not the creator of the application. So when I set out to create a new FM database solution for a small private school I needed help! The tutorial provided with Filemaker9 is VERY basic and the application's "Help" tool is very thin. (I finally stopped clicking on it when search after search yielded no real help at all.)
   
   I picked up a copy of the Missing Manual hoping it would save my neck. I found that I already knew the material in the first half of the book, which was actually comforting. It was the second half where I found the help that I needed to make my FM solution do what I wanted it to do. The Missing Manual is well written by real humans...even with a bit of a sense of humor thrown in. And downloadable files on the Missingmanuals.com site make it easy to learn through hands-on exercises.
   
   I'm now rockin' & rollin' on my new database application! FileMaker is a powerful tool and the Missing Manual has helped me to unlock its secrets! A few dollars very well spent!



3. One of the first things that I noticed about "FileMaker Pro 9: The Missing Manual" is it's size. It's a big, heavy book, clocking in at 778 pages. But there is a good reason for this: This book covers a lot -- and I mean a LOT -- of ground. As such, it has something for everyone. From newcomers to veteran developers, you're bound to find something new here. So don't let it's size scare you away!
   
   Written by Geoff Coffey (of Six Fried Rice fame) and Susan Prosser (president of dbhq, a FileMaker certified consulting firm based in Gilbert, Arizona), FileMaker Pro 9: The Missing Manual is part of a series of books published by Pogue Press. Like other books in the series, it is very well written, and is presented in a way that allows a lot of information to be presented without overwhelming the reader.
   
   The book is divided into seven parts. Part One provides a good introduction to FileMaker Pro and is a good start for FileMaker newcomers. Part Two covers layouts, including all of the tools that are available to us in layout mode. Part Three dives into relational databases, with information on modeling, relationships, table occurrences, data tunneling, and more.
   
   Part Four deals with calculations, and does a good job of explaining topics that can be hard to grasp, including the Self function, the Let function, and variables. The "Power User Tip" in this section is one of the best examples that I've seen yet on how to put the Let and Self functions to good use. It shows how to use these functions, and a few others, to clean up and format a user-entered phone number.
   
   FileMaker users who have yet to automate their databases with scripts will find Part Five of FileMaker Pro 9: The Missing Manual especially useful. Everything from script basics and how to use ScriptMaker, to advanced scripting techniques, is covered. The information presented about script parameters is especially informative. Readers will learn how to pass multiple parameters to a script, as well as how to pass parameters to subscripts. Script variables, and error handling techniques, are also covered.
   
   Part Six covers FileMaker security and integration. Readers will learn how to use FileMaker's built-in security model to protect their databases. In terms of integrating Filemaker, this section explains how to share data in FileMaker databases with other systems, and vice versa. The authors do a great job of introducing what many believe to be one of the most compelling new FileMaker features: External SQL Sources (or "ESS"), which was introduced in FileMaker Pro 9. Rounding out Part Six are terrific explanations of some of the developer utilities that are only available in FileMaker Pro Advanced. Copying and pasting database structures, the script debugger, the data viewer, the database design report, tooltips, custom menus, and more are covered.
   
   And finally, Part Seven includes two helpful appendixes. Appendix A, "Getting Help," offers a good review of other places that developers and users can turn to when they run into trouble. Appendix B provides a list of FileMaker Error Codes.
   
   At a list price of $34.99, FileMaker Pro 9: The Missing Manual is a smart, affordable investment for any FileMaker user or developer. Reading the book is like taking a crash course in FileMaker Pro development. Read it, and your FileMaker skills are sure to benefit!



4. Pros:
   
   - The writing style is accessible and easy to understand
   - You can download the database examples used in the book.
   - It's the best FileMaker Pro 9 book I've seen.
   
   Cons:
   
   - Like a lot of computer books out there, this one is unnecessarily wordy. The publisher said, "I need a 750-page book," and the author complied.
   
   -And you gotta read ALL of it (especially beginners), because important information is distributed like buried treasure.
   
   - The wordiness and lack of consistent structure makes it easy to get lost. Let me give you an example:
   
   This is my first stab at FileMaker Pro. The first chapter shows you how to find records. It starts out nicely with bolded text showing the steps to perform a find. Then it gets wordy. And then it shows a few figures of what you will see. Huge paragraphs of smaller, italicized text accompany the figures.
   
   I skipped the figures and went on. Suddenly, I couldn't access most of my database entries. I went back to Browse mode, like the book told me to do, and still couldn't see them.
   
   Finally, after much digging, I found the crucial step I had missed, buried in the smaller, italicized text of the gargantuan paragraph accompanying Figure 1-17. Inconsistencies like this make the book a tough slog.
   
   I just brushed up on my Access 2003 (I haven't used it in 7 years) with one of those procedure-based illustrated books. It took me 3 hours to get through the 250-page book. It took me about an hour to get through chapter 1 (27 pages) of this book.
   
   
   I recommend downloading the examples from their website (I doubt you got a CD-ROM with your book). See the Missing CD-ROM link on this book's web page.



5. This is a thorough review of how to set up various database features of the Filemaker system. Like many such manuals I have had in the past, I found myself reading and re-reading instructions feeling there must be clearer, better ways to instruct someone on the various procedures of this fine database software. Nevertheless this reader got over some difficult spots in setting up his database and gives the book a positive review...

5 comments about FileMaker Pro 9 Bible.

1. This is logically set out and easy to read. The explanations are succinct and concise. The practical examples make the theory very relevant. The cross referencing in the text to other topics and chapters makes it easy to follow particular ideas rather than continually looking in the index.



2. I'd like to add my voice to the positive reviews already posted here. Dr. Cologon's contributions to the FileMaker community over the years have been invaluable -- and I mean that literally. What a pleasure to see so much of his wisdom distilled in this massive tome.
   
   I've been recommending this book to all my students and colleagues, and to many of my clients as well.



3. The FileMaker Pro 9 Bible will be useful to beginning and experienced developers alike. Many technical books spend a lot of time rehashing the manuals; this book does not do that. It is clearly and concisely written in a conversational tone that makes it easy to read. Dr. Cologon has a deep understanding of FileMaker and of data theory. Even experienced developers will find useful insights about designing FileMaker databases that will do the job they need to do.
   
   This book explains features, but also gives many useful techniques that are valuable to FileMaker development. For example, many developers have difficulty emulating pop-up windows with FileMaker. Dr. Cologon gives a simple, useful example of how to do this nicely within the FileMaker environment. Alternating between explanation, examples and techniques, this book will be a valuable addition to any FileMaker developer's bookshelf.



4. For any long-time FileMaker developer, books like this are a rare necessity. One usually has a specific question that needs an immediate and definitive answer. This book provides not only the needed information, but also offers added depth. Ray Cologon brings a unique prespective to his writing on the subject of FileMaker development, and often challenges the reader to do things smarter and with more forethought. It is not often I find a book on this subject that actually entices me to read on any given topic; this is one of those books -- succinctly written and thought-provoking.



5. I've been reading books about FileMaker Pro (FMP, FileMaker) for as long as I've been building databases--the first of which I built in 1992 with FMP 2--and I have to say that this is the most accessible book on the subject that I've read. The book works well on several levels: it's easy to find references to a specific subject and get answers to both general and relatively esoteric topics, there's a lot of insight into the increasingly powerful FileMaker Pro program, and it offers a great source of inspiration for those who skim the pages to see the world through the eyes of one of the FileMaker Pro community's great thinkers.
   
   Newcomers to FMP will benefit greatly from the early chapters, which avoid the common sin of repeating what the program's manual says and instead focus on the potential to use the tools efficiently. Even better, the examples are optimized to take maximum advantage of FileMaker's calculation engine and the author provides clear explanations of what makes the example code optimal. Best of all, there are many examples that provide "best practice" solutions to problems that newer FileMaker users are unlikely to recognize in the early stages of development.
   
   Longtime FMP developers know that many problems have more than one potential solution, and it often takes a wealth of experience working with deployed systems to identify the components that make one solution better than another in a particular situation. Too often, a calculation or scripted process works perfectly in preliminary testing and leads the inexperienced developer to conclude that further refinement is unnecessary (or impossible.) The author provides a wealth of information that will help beginning users anticipate and think about some fairly esoteric issues in the early stages of development and gives them tools that can significantly shorten their project's development cycle.
   
   Experienced FMP developers will find interesting approaches to some common (and sometimes uncommon but very useful-when-solved) problems they may encounter when building complex systems. The format of the book provides useful encapsulations identified as Notes, Tips, and Cross-References. The Notes are worth browsing, especially for longtime FMP developers who may only now be migrating complex solutions to FMP 9. They provide contextual information and/or answer questions you've probably asked but may not have taken the time to test. (How does the Min function behave when applied to an array that contains a null value? How does authentication affect the Script Debugger and Data Viewer?)
   
   I found the Cross-References especially useful in the early stages of reading this book because, as a seasoned FMP developer, I skimmed quite a bit to get a general sense of the author's approach to the organization, presentation, and depth of the material covered. Often finding a passage relevant to something I'd worked on or been thinking about recently, the Cross-References pointed me to sections that refined or provided broader context for the material at hand.
   
   For anyone who spends time working "under the hood" on FileMaker databases, this book is well worth the time spent reading, thinking about, and understanding the points it contains. At the end of the day, I highly recommend this book and am hopeful that Ray Cologon will author future versions of it.