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FileMaker
®
Go
Development Guide
© 2010 FileMaker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
FileMaker, Inc.
5201 Patrick Henry Drive
Santa Clara, California 95054
FileMaker is a trademark of FileMaker, Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries. The file folder logo is a trademark of FileMaker,
Inc.
FileMaker documentation is copyrighted. You are not authorized to make additional copies or distribute this documentation without written permission from FileMaker. You may use this documentation solely with a valid licensed copy of FileMaker software.
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For more information, visit our website at www.filemaker.com.
Edition: 01
Contents
Setting up databases for FileMaker Go
Sharing FileMaker Pro files with FileMaker Go clients
Hosting databases in FileMaker Server
Hosting databases in FileMaker Pro
Differences between FileMaker Go and FileMaker Pro
File opening and closing behavior
Custom menus (FileMaker Pro Advanced)
Considerations for data entry on a device
Scripts and functions behavior
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Chapter 1
Setting up databases for FileMaker Go
FileMaker® Go lets you work with FileMaker Pro databases on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. You work with data interactively: when you change data on the device, the data is updated on the host computer, and vice versa. You can also transfer a database to the device and work "offline."
You create, design, and manage databases in FileMaker Pro on the desktop. On the device, you can add, find, and sort records, as well as perform scripts and other tasks.
This guide provides information about setting up databases for FileMaker Go. See FileMaker Go Help on your device for information on usage. See FileMaker Pro documentation if you are new to FileMaker Pro.
Sharing FileMaker Pro files with FileMaker Go clients
FileMaker Go works with files hosted by FileMaker Server or FileMaker Pro.
Hosting databases in FileMaker Server
Before you share FileMaker Pro database files, prepare the files for hosting. The steps below provide an overview of the process.
To enable file access for FileMaker Go:
1. Edit the accounts and privileges sets that clients will use for shared access (for example, Access via
FileMaker Network).
2. Upload the database files to FileMaker Server. Use the Upload Database assistant to transfer database files from your computer to FileMaker Server. Or, you can manually copy FileMaker Pro database files to FileMaker Server instead of using the Upload Database assistant.
3. Verify the status of your files in the Admin Console Databases pane, and verify that the files are available to FileMaker clients.
When FileMaker Server starts, it automatically opens and hosts all FileMaker Pro databases located in the default database folder and in an additional database folder, if specified. See FileMaker Server documentation for more information on server administration.
Hosting databases in FileMaker Pro
The following steps describe peer-to-peer sharing in FileMaker Pro.
To enable file access for FileMaker Go:
1. In FileMaker Pro, open the file.
2. Choose File menu > Sharing > FileMaker Network.
3. In the FileMaker Network Settings dialog box, set Network Sharing to On.
4. Select the file(s) to be hosted from the list of Currently open files.
5. For Network access to file, choose All users or Specify users by privilege set.
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6. Be sure Don’t display in Open Remote File dialog is not selected.
Note
If you select this option, you will need to provide a scripted button to open the file.
7. Click OK.
Settings to enable network sharing for FileMaker Go clients
After you share and host a file, you connect to it as a client in FileMaker Go.
Network Sharing on
Allow network access
Deselect this option
Browse to select a hosted file
Add a favorite host via IP address or domain name
Connecting to a hosted database in FileMaker Go for iPhone
Devices connect to hosted databases like any other client, using the fmapp extended privilege.
Note
FileMaker Go cannot access FileMaker Server hosts available through LDAP, or view and use SSL certificates from LDAP hosts.
Chapter 1
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Setting up databases for FileMaker Go 7
About file transfers
For information on transferring files to or from a device, see FileMaker Go Help.
Important
When you transfer a file to your device, you are creating a copy of the original file. Data changes made on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch are not synchronized to the original file, and vice versa. You will need to transfer the file back to the computer and use FileMaker Pro to import data to the original file in order to update data. For more information, see FileMaker Go Help.
Transferred file
Hosted file
(shows host name)
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Chapter 2
Differences between FileMaker Go and
FileMaker Pro
This chapter explains some differences between FileMaker Go and FileMaker Pro, as well as some differences between FileMaker Go for iPhone and FileMaker Go for iPad.
Unsupported features
FileMaker Go does not support the following FileMaker Pro features:
1
creating databases on the device
1
modifying database schema such as tables, fields, relationships, data sources, and privileges
1
modifying database structure such as layouts, scripts, value lists, and custom menus
1
importing or exporting
1
printing
1
charting
1
spell checking
1
saving a copy
1
saving and sending records as Excel, PDF, Snapshot Link
1
external functions
1
plug-ins
1
hosting files
1
Instant Web Publishing
Behavior differences
Modes
Layout and Preview modes aren’t supported on a device.
File opening and closing behavior
1
IPv6 addresses aren’t supported in iOS 4.
1
When users tap the Home button on a device, they exit an app immediately, with no message to save changes. FileMaker Go hibernates, storing the state of the file. FileMaker Go also hibernates when you answer a phone call or when you choose Open in Safari.
1
When a host asks a client to close, if there is no response after 30 seconds, FileMaker Go will attempt to close databases and the dialog will close.
1
File recovery isn’t supported on the device.
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Sorting
When you tap a field column heading to sort records in Table View, you see three states: ascending, descending, and unsorted. If this field has been used in a previous sort of multiple fields, the sort direction for the field will change but retain the previous sort order for the other fields. You might need to tap the column heading more than once to clear the previous sort criteria.
Date and time pickers
Differences in behavior between FileMaker Go and the desktop include:
1
Seconds or fractions of seconds aren’t available on the time/timestamp picker in FileMaker Go. You can type seconds into the field. Scripted or calculated times will display seconds on the device.
1
On the iPad, the keyboard remains active while the date picker is active.
1
Data in FileMaker Go date fields might change if the device calendar changes.
Custom menus (FileMaker Pro Advanced)
FileMaker Go doesn’t support:
1
custom menu items that were removed on the desktop
1
override of Quick Find by custom menus
1
override of Save Record and Exit Record by custom menus
1
display of an ampersand (&) in custom menu titles
Design considerations
Designing layouts
Design your layouts to display data on a device. For example, on the device, you can’t:
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remove views or layouts
1
add or remove fields
1
switch to layouts that aren’t set to show in the Layouts menu, unless you provide a navigation button
1
use the menu to insert the current date, time, or timestamp, unless you provide a button
1
edit value lists (drop-down lists and pop-up menus that Allow editing of value list are supported)
1
display tooltips
1
display leader characters such as “...” in tab control names
Chapter 2
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Differences between FileMaker Go and FileMaker Pro 11
Choosing fonts
The following fonts are suggestions, not recommendations. Not all fonts are supported on the desktop or on mobile devices, and the fonts that are supported on iOS are likely to change over time. Be sure to test your databases on all platforms you plan to use.
iPhone and iPod touch
Arial
Arial Rounded MT Bold
Courier
Courier New
Georgia
Helvetica
Helvetica Neue
Times New Roman
Trebuchet MS
Verdana
Cochin
iPad
Arial
Arial Rounded MT Bold
Courier
Courier New
Georgia
Helvetica
Helvetica Neue
Times New Roman
Trebuchet MS
Verdana
Academy Engraved LET
Baskerville
Chalkduster
Optima
Palatino
Gill Sans
Futura
Cochin
Snell RoundHand
Didot
Text styles
The following text styles are supported in iOS: bold, italic, underline, title case, uppercase, lowercase, word underline, double underline (appears as underline).
iOS doesn’t support: highlight, strike through, condense, extend, small caps, superscript, subscript.
Considerations for data entry on a device
1
Only fields are supported in the tab order. You can’t use other field behavior options to go to the next object.
1
You can’t insert values into a field from an index on the device, and you can’t Auto-complete using existing values.
1
Paragraph alignment, line spacing, and indentation might not display correctly in container fields. To prevent these appearance issues, use center alignment in container fields.
1
Auto-Correction will not work in text fields that have script triggers set up to catch keystrokes.
1
Avoid mixing text styles in a text field. FileMaker Go might not display all text formatting if there are mixed text styles or paragraph styles in one text object. Editing a text field in FileMaker Go reverts all styles in that field to plain text.
1
You can only edit about 64KB of text at a time. The amount of text you can edit changes as the text editor tries to keep the truncation point at a word break location.
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1
Be aware that font metrics on the iPhone might require a shorter descender (for example, in the letter “g”) or ascender (for example, in the letter “h”).
1
Asian languages: sideways text and Furigana aren’t supported. Input method editors (IMEs) will not work in text fields that have script triggers set up to catch keystrokes.
For general design considerations for mobile devices, see the Apple developer website.
External keyboards
Some keystrokes behave differently on external keyboards.
Functionality
Tab key
Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All keys
Keystrokes to move between records (for example,
Control-Down Arrow)
Modifier keys (for example, Option or Alt)
Eject key
Arrow keys
Behavior in FileMaker Go
Supported for field types that display the on-screen keyboard.
Shift-Tab isn’t supported
Supported
Not supported
Not supported
Hides or shows the on-screen keyboard iPhone: Not supported for value lists, date/time/timestamp pickers
Scripting and calculations
Important
Test your solution to ensure your script steps are supported.
Scripts and functions behavior
1
To abort a currently running script, touch and hold onscreen, and confirm that you want to abort the script.
If you do not make a choice, the confirmation will dismiss itself after a few seconds, and the script will continue running.
1
Get(SystemPlatform) returns 3 when performed on the mobile device.
1
Get(ApplicationVersion) returns Go x.x.x for the iPhone or iPod touch. Get(ApplicationVersion) returns
Go_iPad x.x.x for the iPad. In FileMaker Server, Go x.x.x or Go_iPad x.x.x appear in the Admin Console.
1
Send Mail doesn’t support Perform without dialog. The email displays on the device, and you can send it manually. This does not apply to mail sent through SMTP.
1
A script using Replace Field Contents can’t prompt users in FileMaker Go to specify the field and data to be replaced. A Replace Field Contents script step with Perform without dialog deselected will not be performed.
1
The Select All and Set Selection script steps don’t highlight text if the keyboard is hidden on the device.
Chapter 2
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Differences between FileMaker Go and FileMaker Pro 13
1
The Open URL script step using a Google maps URL will open a browser, and then choosing Open in
Safari will open the Maps application.
1
If a script contains a hide window command, FileMaker Go does not hide the window but changes the order of the open windows that are displayed.
Important
FileMaker Go won’t hibernate if a file is running a script that can’t be aborted.
Unsupported script steps
The following script steps return silent error code 3: “Command is unavailable.” Set Error Capture [On] and use Get(LastError) to check for this error code.
Important
Running scripts without handling unsupported script steps appropriately may lead to unintended behavior or data corruption.
Category
Editing script steps
Fields script steps
Files script steps
Miscellaneous script steps
Navigation script steps
Script step
Perform Find/Replace
1
Insert from Index
1
Insert Picture
1
Insert QuickTime
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Insert Object (Windows)
1
Update Link (Windows)
1
Insert File
1
Export Field Contents
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Print Setup
1
1
New File
1
Set Multi-User
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Save a Copy As
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Recover File
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Convert File
1
Allow Toolbars
1
Speak (Mac)
1
Send Event (Mac)
1
Send Event (Windows)
1
Perform AppleScript (Mac)
1
Send DDE Execute (Windows)
1
Execute SQL
Enter Preview Mode
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Category
Open Menu Item script steps
Records script steps
Spelling script steps
Windows script steps
Script step
1
Open Edit Saved Finds
1
Open Preferences
1
Open File Options
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Open Manage Database
1
Open Manage Data Sources
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Open Manage Layouts
1
Open Manage Scripts
1
Open Manage Value Lists
1
Open Find/Replace
1
Open Help
1
Open Sharing
1
Import Records
1
Export Records
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Save Records as PDF
1
Save Records as Excel
1
Save Records as Snapshot Link
1
Check Selection
1
Check Record
1
Check Found Set
1
Correct Word
1
Spelling Options
1
Select Dictionaries
1
Edit User Dictionary
1
Show/Hide Text Ruler
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Move/Resize Window
1
Arrange All Windows
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