Creating a Database in FileMaker Pro 8 : Visual QuickProject Guide (Visual Quickproject Series)

FileMaker 8 Functions and Scripts Desk Reference

Databases

FileMaker Pro 8: The Missing Manual

Format: Paperback
Author: Geoff Coffey
ReleaseDate: 01 September, 2005
Publisher: O'Reilly Media
Rating:

VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!


Coffey and Prosser, begin by exploring FileMaker Pro's interface; and, show you how to perform basic tasks, like entering data and then sorting through it again. Are you a programmer that has been working with FileMaker for a while? If you are, then this book is for you! Authors Geoff Coffey and Susan Prosser, have done an outstanding job of writing a book that explores each feature in depth, offers shortcuts and workarounds, and explains the ramifications of options that a FileMaker Pro manual doesn't even mention. Then, the authors show you how to use layouts to make data entry easier and how to create layouts that list and summarize your data. They continue by showing you how to create, connect, and manage multiple tables and how to set up complex relationships that show you just the data you need to see. Next, the authors show you how to use FileMaker Pro's 200+ functions to do the math for you. Then, they show you how scripting works, and learn how to make scripts for people to use. Finally, the authors show you how to protect your database with a password and how to use privileges to determine what folks can do once they get into your database.

FileMaker Pro comes in several flavors, and this excellent book addresses them all. Each chapter contains live examples--step-by-step tutorials that help you learn how to build a database by actually doing it!
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The only book you will need to learn FileMaker Pro!
FileMaker is quite different from the rest, so I had to learn "by the book" to understand many of Filemaker's unique features, so I purchased Filemaker Pro 7 Bible and Using Filemaker Pro 7. I have developed many database applications in other software programs. The Bible book was totally useless, giving you details for beginners and lots of useless text for someone who already understands database development. The Using books gives details, both not a straight forward approach to developing a database.
But once FileMaker Pro 8: The Missing Manual came out (the first to cover version 8), I purchased it. To my surprise, it was so well written and loaded with practical advise, that I have read to book from end to end. It has excellent examples that I have used in the application I am developing for my company. I continually go back to the book for refreshers to concepts I learned in the book. The other two books hardly get touched!
If there is one book to buy to learn FileMaker Pro, this is it!.

FileMaker Pro8
I bought the software with the primary intent of converting various large Excel files into a database. Touted as the "missing manual" I was expecting good guidance on concrete applications. The manual is large on theory and small on concrete help. My efforts to convert Excel files failed so often that I finally gave up trying. The book was of no help. .