Once upon a time, you were an experienced FileMaker user. Now there's an updated version of the software and you feel like you're back at the beginning of the story. Special Edition Using FileMaker 7 can help you get back to "happily ever after" with your database building skills. Frequent tips, case studies and thorough examples create a learning experience as if you were in the same room with the experienced FileMaker developers. Written by The Moyer Group, a leading FileMaker Pro consulting and training organization, this book will show you how to avoid mistakes and save time in developing databases. A CD is included to show you sample files with before-and-after examples, as well as an interface explorer tool that will allow you to prototype interfaces quickly for clients. Special Edition Using FileMaker 7 is sure to keep you from seeing the end of your database building days.
Welcome to the world of FileMaker Pro. By simply standing in this section of your local bookstore, you're sure to have heard the word "database." We'll cover what databases are ad nauseam in the rest of this book—so go ahead and take it up to the counter…we'll wait—but one of the first things you'll need to understand about FileMaker Pro is that it is far more than just a database.
FileMaker Pro is nearly unique in the world of software. It is a powerful database system that can manage and store a wide range of information; it's an application for end users (like Microsoft Excel or Intuit's Quicken), and it's also a robust rapid application software development platform.
When you hear someone speak about FileMaker, keep in mind they may be viewing it from one of these different perspectives or another. An IT professional likely sees it as a database engine that fits into a greater security and network infrastructure. An end-user probably is thinking about a specific solution built in FileMaker Pro and how that solution helps (or doesn't help) make work more efficient. A software developer may see it as one of many tools he employs in building a wide range of applications.