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FileMaker
®
8
Instant Web Publishing Guide
© 2004-2005 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, and ScriptMaker and the file folder logo are trademarks 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.
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
About publishing FileMaker Pro databases on the web
C onnecting to the Internet or an intranet
About hosting databases with FileMaker Pro
About hosting databases with FileMaker Server Advanced
Publishing files from previous versions of FileMaker Pro
Publishing files from FileMaker Pro 7
Publishing files from FileMaker Pro 6 and earlier
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
P ublishing FileMaker Pro data on static web pages
General steps for publishing static data
Working with FileMaker databases on the web
A ccessing a FileMaker database from the web
Working with data in Instant Web Publishing
Viewing and modifying records in Browse mode
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
11
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4 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
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
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
Index
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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. This makes your data:
1 available to many people using a compatible web browser, anywhere in the world. (You can, however, restrict access to files.)
1 accessible from many locations, for example, while traveling or working remotely.
There are three ways to publish your data using FileMaker Pro.
Instant Web Publishing: With Instant Web Publishing, you can quickly and easily publish your database on the web. You don’t need to modify your database files or install additional software—anyone with compatible web browser software and access to the Internet or an intranet can connect to your database to view, edit, sort, or search records, if you give them access privileges. You can use additional software to perform additional tasks, for example, to configure a firewall to secure your network.
Static publishing: If your data rarely changes, or if you don’t want users to have a live connection to your database, you can use static publishing. With static publishing, you export FileMaker Pro data to create a web page that you can further customize with HTML. The web page doesn’t change when information in your database changes, and users don’t connect to your database. (With Instant Web Publishing, data is updated in a web browser window each time the browser sends a request to FileMaker Pro.) For more
information, see “Publishing FileMaker Pro data on static web pages” on page 16.
Custom Web Publishing: For more control over the appearance and functionality of your published database, use the Custom Web Publishing technologies available in the FileMaker Server Advanced software. With XML and XSLT stylesheets, you can:
1
Integrate your database with another website
1
Determine how users interact with data
1
Control how data displays in web browsers
Important Security is increasingly important when you publish data on the web. Review the security guidelines in the FileMaker Security Guide, available as a PDF file from www.filemaker.com/downloads.
6 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Data from a FileMaker layout displayed in a web browser with Instant Web Publishing
Data displayed in a FileMaker Pro layout
About this guide
This guide provides information about the Instant Web Publishing and static web publishing features in
FileMaker Pro. It explains:
1 what you need to publish databases on the web
1 how to publish your databases using FileMaker Instant Web Publishing
1 what web users need to access databases
1 how web users can access and interact with your database on the Internet or an intranet
FileMaker Pro documentation uses the term publishing on the web to refer to databases that users can access on the Internet or on an intranet using a web browser.
This guide uses “FileMaker Pro” to refer to both FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Pro Advanced, unless describing specific FileMaker Pro Advanced features.
Important You can download PDFs of FileMaker documentation from www.filemaker.com/downloads.
Any updates to this document are also available from the website.
Web publishing requirements
To publish databases using Instant Web Publishing you need:
1 a Windows- or Mac OS-based computer running FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Server Advanced, enabled for Instant Web Publishing
Important You cannot enable Instant Web Publishing in FileMaker Pro if FileMaker Server or FileMaker
Server Advanced is also installed on the same computer.
Note Instant Web Publishing is not supported in the basic FileMaker Server product.
1 access to the Internet or an intranet
Chapter 1 | About publishing FileMaker Pro databases on the web 7
1 one or more open FileMaker Pro databases
1 the FileMaker Pro web publishing components (automatically installed with a complete installation)
1 a web browser for testing database access:
On Windows XP or Windows 2000, use
Internet Explorer 6.0
Firefox 1.0
On Mac OS X, use
Safari 1.1 (Mac OS X 10.2), Safari 1.2, 1.3 (Mac OS X 10.3)
Safari 2.0 (Mac OS X 10.4)
Firefox 1.0
Connecting to the Internet or an intranet
When you publish databases on the Internet or an intranet, the host computer must be running FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Server Advanced, and the databases you want to share must be open. In addition:
1
It is strongly recommended that you publish your database on a computer with a full-time Internet or intranet connection using TCP/IP. You can publish databases without a full-time connection, but they are only available to users when your computer is connected to the Internet or an intranet.
1
The host computer should have a dedicated static (permanent) IP address or a domain name. If you connect to the Internet with an Internet service provider (ISP), your IP address might be dynamically
allocated (it is different each time you connect). A dynamic IP address makes it more difficult for users to locate your databases. If you are not sure of the type of access available to you, consult your ISP or network administrator.
About hosting databases with FileMaker Pro
FileMaker Pro Instant Web Publishing is designed for sharing data in small workgroups, or for accessing your own data on a network. When hosted with FileMaker Pro, Instant Web Publishing can share files with up to five concurrent web users.
About hosting databases with FileMaker Server Advanced
To share information with more simultaneous web users, you can host the databases with FileMaker Server
Advanced. FileMaker Server Advanced also provides support for Custom Web Publishing and database connectivity technologies like XML, ODBC, and JDBC. Other benefits of hosting web published files with
FileMaker Server Advanced include:
1
Better support for long running applications
1
Easier maintenance with support for scheduled activities like backups and remote administration
1
Support for hosting more files simultaneously
1
Increased security with SSL encryption
8 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Web publishing improvements
1
You can create and use your own home page instead of the default Database Homepage.
1
Basic authentication has been replaced with a forms-based model. When you require authentication to access a database, a login page allows web users to log in either as the Guest account or as a specific account. Account names and passwords are no longer restricted to the ISO-Latin-1 character set.
1
Web users can now use the tab order defined by the FileMaker layout when in Find mode or editing records.
1
Tab controls (layout objects made up of at least one tab panel) work in Instant Web Publishing.
1
Tooltips created in FileMaker Pro Advanced for layout objects (for example, fields, buttons, and layout text) work in Instant Web Publishing.
1
The Drop-down Calendar field format works in Instant Web Publishing. Web users can quickly enter dates in fields using an interactive calendar.
1
Improved accessibility with JAWS screen reader and Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows. Web users can select different views or layouts from the View and Layout pop-up menus using keyboard commands. In the Sort dialog box, web users can select sort fields using the Tab key.
For information on new FileMaker Pro features, see the FileMaker Pro User’s Guide. For information on new FileMaker Pro Advanced features, see the FileMaker Pro Advanced Development Guide.
Publishing files from previous versions of FileMaker Pro
Publishing files from FileMaker Pro 7
Because FileMaker Pro 7 and FileMaker Pro 8 share the same format, FileMaker Pro 8 can open
FileMaker Pro 7 files without converting them. You can even use FileMaker Pro 8 files with
FileMaker Pro 7. However, any layout that contains new features will not be supported in Instant Web
Publishing when you open the file in a previous version.
FileMaker recommends that, once you have created or opened a file in FileMaker Pro 8, you do not make database design or layout changes using an earlier version of FileMaker Pro, particularly to features that have changed in FileMaker Pro 8.
Publishing files from FileMaker Pro 6 and earlier
Before converting databases from FileMaker Pro 6 and earlier to the new file format, it is important to review the Converting FileMaker Databases from Previous Versions guide, available as a PDF file from www.filemaker.com/downloads.
Here are some considerations when converting files that are shared with Instant Web Publishing:
1
You are no longer limited to picking a couple of layouts for web views—all layouts are available to web users, based on their user accounts. The Web Styles available with FileMaker Pro 6 and earlier are no longer supported. After you convert your files, re-evaluate which layouts should be available on the web to each user account.
1
The access privileges model has been improved. Consider re-assigning user names and passwords to take advantage of the integrated security model. For more information on accounts and privileges, see
FileMaker Pro Help.
Chapter 1 | About publishing FileMaker Pro databases on the web 9
1
Script support for the web has been enhanced.
1
Access privileges for web users can be set to allow execution of specific, individual scripts and prevent execution of others.
1
ScriptMaker ™ script steps are clearly indicated as “web compatible”; special scripts can be created for web users. After converting your files, open each script that web users might run and enable Indicate web compatibility to see if your scripts contain steps that might produce unexpected results when executed from a web browser.
1
On the web, scripts are always executed with Set Error Capture on. If your scripts relied on Set Error
Capture being disabled (off), they may not function the same way. Test your files thoroughly after conversion.
1
Web users can dynamically choose a layout view to work with data, toggling between Form View, List
View, and Table View. You can limit access to a view in the Views of the Layout Setup dialog box. For more information, see FileMaker Pro Help.
1
FileMaker Pro clients can no longer host databases with Instant Web Publishing. The files must be web published on the host computer.
1
It is no longer possible to specify the starting and ending points for a range of records in Table View.
Instead, you can specify the starting point and the next 50 records (or remainder of the found set, whichever is smaller) are displayed.
1
The URL syntax has changed for web-published files. If you manually created a link to access a database
1
The Web Security databases are no longer supported. If you relied on them for web-based security, you must transfer the accounts, passwords and associated privileges into your converted database files in
FileMaker Pro.
10 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Chapter 2
Publishing your database on the web
With FileMaker Pro, it is easy to share your database on the web dynamically with Instant Web Publishing, or statically by exporting data as HTML or XML. If you are connected to a LAN or WAN, you can share your file without requiring additional software. To share files over the internet, contact an Internet Service
Provider (ISP) for internet access and information about hosting a database.
Sharing a database with Instant Web Publishing
To publish databases on the web with FileMaker Pro, you enable the Instant Web Publishing feature, then determine which user accounts can access each database from a web browser:
To enable Instant Web Publishing:
1. Open the database.
2. Open the Instant Web Publishing dialog box and enable Instant Web Publishing.
1
Windows: choose Edit menu > Sharing > Instant Web Publishing.
1
Mac OS X: choose FileMaker Pro menu > Sharing > Instant Web Publishing.
Enable Instant
Web Publishing
Specify port number, enable log files, set time out, and more
Choose a file to share on the web
View the
IP address
Choose a language for the status area and
Help file
Specify which users can access a published database
Suppress filenames in the
Database Homepage
FileMaker Pro Instant Web Publishing dialog box
3. Select the filename to publish on the web from the list of open files.
12 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
4. Choose which users can access the file.
Choose this
All users
Specify users by privilege set
No users
To provide access to these users
Anyone who has the IP address or domain name of your computer hosting the database.
Allows select users access to the database. Users must enter their account name and password defined in Accounts & Privileges.
This default setting prevents any user from accessing the database with
Instant Web Publishing.
1
The FileMaker Pro Log in using <account name> feature in the File Options dialog box does not work when accessing files from the web.
1
Web users are not automatically logged in with the Guest account, unless the Guest account is the only
Publishing.
1
If you make changes to Instant Web Publishing settings while guests are logged into a shared database, guests lose their sessions and are returned to the Database Homepage. For best results, change settings when databases are closed, then restart FileMaker Pro.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each database you want to publish.
6. Click OK or choose additional settings.
Tip Select Don’t display in Instant Web Publishing homepage in the Instant Web Publishing dialog box to suppress a filename from appearing in the built-in Instant Web Publishing Database Homepage. This is useful if your solution includes multiple files and you don’t want all the filenames displayed.
Keep these points in mind:
1
The above instructions are for hosting a database with FileMaker Pro. You may want to host your files with FileMaker Server Advanced to share your databases with more web users, or to publish more files.
1
In Mac OS X, you may be asked to provide the operating system passphrase. For more information, see
“Specifying a port number for web publishing” on page 13.
1
Assigning access to files in the Instant Web Publishing dialog box changes the extended privilege settings in the associated user’s privilege set. You can review and modify the Extended Privileges settings directly in the Define Accounts & Privileges dialog box. For more information on setting or modifying access privileges in Accounts & Privileges, see FileMaker Pro Help.
1
You can specify which users can access each file without enabling Instant Web Publishing.
1
The list of open files and file access options in the Instant Web Publishing dialog box are dimmed if you don’t have Full Access privileges or don’t have privileges to manage the extended privileges for a file.
Chapter 2 | Publishing your database on the web 13
Choosing a language for Instant Web Publishing
You can choose a language for the Instant Web Publishing interface, tooltips, and onscreen Help. Choosing or changing the language has no effect on your actual data.
To specify the language, open the Instant Web Publishing dialog box, select the language to display in the status area, then click OK.
Specifying a port number for web publishing
The TCP/IP address in the Instant Web Publishing dialog box determines where web browsers can find
FileMaker Pro databases on the host computer. By default, FileMaker files are shared from port 80. If port
80 is already in use (by a web server or another application), consider changing TCP/IP Port Number to 591.
FileMaker, Inc. has registered port number 591 with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) specifically for web publishing.
To specify or change the port number:
1. Open the Instant Web Publishing dialog box.
2. For Advanced Options, click Specify, then type the desired TCP/IP port number.
3. Click OK, then OK to save the changes.
Specify the port number
Allow access to specified
IP addresses
View the maximum number of connections
Enable log files
Specify time out for inactive accounts
FileMaker Pro Advanced Web Publishing Options dialog box
Important If you use a port number other than 80, web users cannot access your database unless they append a colon, and the new port number, to your IP address (or domain name). For example, users would type
12.34.56.78:591 or http://accounts.yourcompany.com:591 in a web browser. Or you can provide access to
14 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Changing the port number on Mac OS X
The first time you enable Instant Web Publishing, Mac OS X requests permission to make a one-time change to your computer’s setting to facilitate web publishing on a port number below 1024. For security reasons,
Mac OS X restricts access to ports below 1024. To configure FileMaker Pro to use ports below 1024, you must provide an administrator password, such as the passphrase created when you first set up Mac OS X.
You do not need an administrator password to use a port number between 1024 and 65535. For more information on creating an account with administrator privileges, see the Mac OS X Help system.
Checking the maximum number of web connections
The number of simultaneous web users allowed to access your files depends on which application you use to host your database. With FileMaker Pro, you can host up to five concurrent web users. Use
FileMaker Server Advanced to share files with more web users.
To view the maximum number of web connections allowed:
1. Open the Instant Web Publishing dialog box.
2. For Advanced Options, click Specify, then view the Maximum number of connections number.
3. Click OK, then OK.
When the maximum number is reached, additional web users see an error message in the web browser when they try to access the database.
Important If you feel that you have reached the maximum number of users inappropriately, it’s possible that a web user has not logged out of the database properly. You can wait for the sessions to time out or close
Restricting access except to specified IP addresses
You can restrict the IP addresses that can access your databases on the web. For example, you can specify that only web users from the IP address 12.34.5.6 can access your databases.
To specify which IP addresses can access your databases:
1. In the Advanced Web Publishing Options dialog box, select Accessible only from these IP addresses and type the IP address that can access your files. Separate multiple IP addresses with a comma (,).
2. Click OK, then OK to save the changes.
Note Type an asterisk (*) in the section of the IP address to grant access to web users with similar IP addresses (for example: 12.34.5.* or 12.* ). You can’t type an asterisk in the first section, however.
Chapter 2 | Publishing your database on the web 15
Disconnecting inactive web accounts
You can specify the amount of time web users remain connected to the database when their session, or connection to the web server, is idle. Sessions are considered idle when web users do not submit requests from the web browser, such as finding, creating, or submitting changes, changing layouts, and so on. A session also becomes idle when the web user closes the web browser window, moves to another web site, or quits the web browser without clicking the Log Out button.
To specify the duration that a session can be idle before it times out:
1. Open the Advanced Web Publishing Options dialog box.
2. For Disconnect inactive accounts, specify the amount of time before disconnecting idle web users (from 1 to 60 minutes), then click OK to save the changes.
If you are concerned that web users might not log out of the database properly, specify a short session time out. You can also create a scripted button to automatically log web users off.
Linking to a database from an HTML page
Instead of having web users type the IP address or domain name to access your database, you can create an
HTML page that specifies a link to your databases.
To view this
Database Homepage or a homepage you create
A particular database
Use this link
If the database is hosted with FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Pro Advanced: http://<IP address>:<Port number>
If the database is hosted with FileMaker Server Advanced: http://<IP address>:<Port number>/fmi/iwp/ http://<IP address>:<Port number>/fmi/iwp/cgi?db=<database name>&-loadframes
Keep these points in mind:
1
If you close your files frequently, or if web users access a number of databases, consider linking to the
Database Homepage, which dynamically creates links for all databases that are open and shared with
1
The link you provide can access a database and show the default layout. If additional functionality is desired, consider including a startup script in the database that automates the desired tasks.
1
If possible, host the databases on a static IP address or use a domain name. In some environments, a new
IP address is assigned dynamically to a computer every time it reconnects to the network.
1
The URL syntax for linking to a particular database is different than FileMaker Pro 6 and earlier, so you must update the link after converting the file.
1
If you’re hosting files with FileMaker Pro, you can store the static HTML pages and any accompanying images in the Web folder inside the FileMaker Pro folder.
16 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Using a custom home page
To replace the default Database Homepage, place an HTML file named iwp_home.html in the Web folder inside the FileMaker Pro folder. Web users are returned to this page when they log out of a session or the session times out.
Note If you are hosting databases with FileMaker Server Advanced, place the custom home page in the
FileMaker Server/Web Publishing/iwp folder.
You can use the iwp_home.html
file that is on your product CD as a basis for your custom home page. Be sure to make a copy of the original file before modifying it. Or you can create your own home page, such as one that redirects web users to another page on your web site.
If there is no file named iwp_home.html in the Web folder (FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Pro Advanced) or the iwp folder (FileMaker Server Advanced), Instant Web Publishing uses the default Database Homepage.
In order to prevent a custom home page from loading into the Instant Web Publishing layout frame when a user logs out via a script or a session times out, the following JavaScript should be added to the head section of the iwp_home.html file: if (window != window.top) top.location = “/fmi/iwp/cgi?-home;
You can set top.location to the home URL or any other URL.
Publishing FileMaker Pro data on static web pages
With Instant Web Publishing, data is updated in a web browser window each time the browser requests data from FileMaker Pro. This is called dynamic publishing. With static publishing, the data you publish from
FileMaker Pro doesn’t change with each new request.
Static publishing might be a good option for you if:
1 your data doesn’t change often.
1 you don’t have full-time internet access.
1 you don’t want users to connect directly to your database.
To publish static data, you need:
1 a web site hosted on a web server (you can enable Instant Web Publishing to have FileMaker Pro be the web server for items in the FileMaker Pro Web folder).
1
FileMaker Pro, and one or more databases with data
1 a computer connected to the Internet or an intranet (you only need to connect when you upload your web page to a web server)
1 an application for copying (uploading) files to your web server application
1 a text-editing or web-authoring application (optional)
Chapter 2 | Publishing your database on the web 17
General steps for publishing static data
With static publishing, you export data to a web page, then add the web page to your existing web site. Web users connect to your web site, not to your database.
To publish static data from FileMaker Pro:
1. Find the appropriate records, then choose File menu > Export Records, and choose HTML Table or XML.
1
Choose HTML Table to generate a table of data that can be viewed by supported web browsers. You can customize the appearance in a text editing or web authoring application.
1
Choose XML if you’d like to transform the table with an XSLT stylesheet.
2. Add links from existing web pages to your new web page.
3. Copy the new web page to your web server.
Static web pages cannot use FileMaker Pro access privileges for protection, but by storing the files in the
FileMaker Web folder, you can restrict access by specifying which IP addresses can access the files in the
your ISP or network administrator.
For more information on exporting records as HTML or XML, see FileMaker Pro Help. Visit www.filemaker.com for general information on XML and example files.
Note The above instructions are for hosting static pages with FileMaker Pro. If you are hosting files with
FileMaker Server Advanced, see the FileMaker Server Advanced Web Publishing Installation Guide, included with FileMaker Server Advanced.
18 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Chapter 3
Working with FileMaker databases on the web
FileMaker Pro Instant Web Publishing automatically provides web pages and forms for interacting with your database. Web users click buttons in the status area to browse, find, sort, add, edit, and delete records.
When you enable Instant Web Publishing and share files, anyone who has an account for a database and knows the IP address or domain name where it is hosted can access the file. Depending on their account privileges, they can:
1 view records on different layouts and views
1 add, duplicate, and delete records
1 add and edit data in fields
1 search the database to view a subset of records
1 sort the database to rearrange the records
Important Define accounts and privilege sets to restrict user access to database features for both the desktop and the web.
Web browser requirements
To work with a published FileMaker Pro database, web users need:
1 a web browser.
On Windows XP or Windows 2000, use
Internet Explorer 6.0
Firefox 1.0
On Mac OS X, use
Safari 1.1 (Mac OS X 10.2), Safari 1.2, 1.3 (Mac OS X 10.3)
Safari 2.0 (Mac OS X 10.4)
Firefox 1.0
1 access to the Internet or an intranet.
1 the Internet Protocol (IP) address or domain name of the computer that hosts your database file.
1
JavaScript must be enabled in the web browser.
20 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Accessing a FileMaker database from the web
To access the Database Homepage, web users open the web browser, then type the IP address of the host computer.
Type the IP address or domain name in the browser window
1
In some cases, web users can type the domain and host name of your computer instead of the IP address, for example http://accounts.yourcompany.com. Or, they can type the host name, like http:// yourcompany.com. Contact your internet service provider or network administrator for information about mapping a domain and host name to your IP address.
1
If you configure FileMaker Pro to use a port number other than 80 (the default), that port number must
1
You can also create an HTML page that contains a link to a database published on the web. For more
information, see “Linking to a database from an HTML page” on page 15.
The Database Homepage lists the FileMaker Pro databases that are open on the host computer and enabled for web sharing.
If you don’t see an open, shared database listed:
1
Check its filename: it should be unique and not contain single or double quotation marks.
1
Be sure Don’t display in Instant Web Publishing homepage in the Instant Web Publishing dialog box is cleared.
Web users click a filename to open a database.
Click a filename to open the database
The Database Homepage lists files shared with Instant Web Publishing
Chapter 3 | Working with FileMaker databases on the web 21
Logging in to a file
When opening a database, web users may be prompted for their account information.
Forms-based login page
1
If the Guest account is enabled with the Instant Web Publishing extended privilege, web users have the option to log in with the Guest account instead of an account name and password.
1
If the Guest account is the only account with the Instant Web Publishing extended privilege enabled, web users automatically log in with the Guest account, and they do not see the login page.
1
The default privilege set for Guest accounts provides “read-only” access. You can change the default privilege in the Accounts tab of the Define Accounts & Privileges dialog box. For more information, see
FileMaker Pro Help.
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
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
Since basic authentication has been replaced with a forms-based model, account names and passwords are not restricted to the ISO-Latin-1 character set.
1
With FileMaker Server Advanced, you can limit the list of hosted databases displayed in the Database
Homepage to only those databases each web user can access. If this option is selected, web users will be prompted for their account information before they view the Database Homepage.
22 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Working with data in Instant Web Publishing
The FileMaker Instant Web Publishing status area has been designed 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 create records
1 edit records
1 duplicate records
1 delete records
1 sort the found set (based on fields on the current layout)
1 show all records
1 omit the current record from the found set
1 omit multiple, consecutive records from the found set
1 view the omitted records (and hide the existing found set)
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.
Chapter 3 | Working with FileMaker databases on the web 23
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
Log out and close windows to protect data
Status area in Browse mode
Save new or changed data to the host
Abandon any changes and return to Browse mode
Status area when editing records
Finding records
In Find mode, web users have the same searching capabilities as FileMaker Pro desktop users. They can:
1 create find requests
1 duplicate find requests
1 delete find requests
1 show all records
1 extend (broaden) or constrain (narrow) the found set
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 area in Find mode
Status of current find requests
Include search operators in your find request
Perform find or modify previous find results
24 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Procedures are outlined in the Instant Web Publishing Help. To view the Help file, click the Question Mark
(?) in the status area.
Note After entering or editing search criteria in a find request, web users must click the Perform Find button in the status area to send the request to the host.
Web users can show or hide the status area with a toggle. To have complete control over the user interface,
Logging out of a database and closing a web session
When web users are finished working with a database, it is important that they click the Log Out button in the status area and quit the web browser application. If they close browser windows or quit the browser application before logging out, their session is still open. This might:
1 prevent others from accessing the data
1 make data vulnerable to hackers until the specified time out occurs
If this happens, you can either wait for the session to time out or close the file on the host machine, which immediately disconnects all web users. There is no way to send a message to web users requesting that they log out of their sessions.
If you are concerned that web users might not log out of the database properly, you can set the session time out for a short amount of time. This minimizes the inconvenience if web users don’t log out of the database
If you are concerned about security, consider hosting the files with FileMaker Server Advanced and enable
SSL encryption in a web browser. For more information, see the FileMaker Security Guide, available as a
PDF file from www.filemaker.com/downloads.
Displaying a database with the status area hidden
Like the desktop version of FileMaker Pro, you can create a script that hides and locks the status area when the database is opened in a web browser. This allows you to design a custom interface.
Keep these points in mind:
1
If you lock the status area, you must manually create scripts and buttons that offer users all the necessary functionality. For example, you must create buttons so users can create new records, enter edit mode to modify data, delete records, change layouts, and so on. It is very important to carefully test your database files to make sure you have provided web users access to all critical features.
1
To properly secure your data, you must create a script that logs web users out of the database and closes
1
You should provide documentation to help users interact with your data from your custom environment, as most of the instructions included in the Instant Web Publishing Help file will not be appropriate.
Chapter 3 | Working with FileMaker databases on the web 25
Differences between FileMaker Pro and Instant Web Publishing
The Instant Web Publishing experience is very similar to using the FileMaker Pro desktop application. Web users can switch between finding and editing modes, choose layouts and views, and much more.
Data from a FileMaker layout displayed in a web browser with Instant Web Publishing
Data displayed in a FileMaker Pro layout
Benefits to accessing databases with Instant Web Publishing
There are some unique advantages to the Instant Web Publishing feature in FileMaker Pro:
1
You can easily and quickly deploy a solution onto the web with your existing database. You don’t need to use web authoring tools, write HTML or CSS code, or use other technologies to share your data with anyone using a compatible web browser.
1
You can access data remotely, whether from a home office or while travelling.
1
By hiding and locking the status area, you can easily deploy a custom, web-based application.
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, time, or timestamp fields; they cannot enter or modify container field objects like images, sounds, and QuickTime files.
1
Web users cannot enter data with rich text formatting (RTF).
1
Web users cannot view and print complex, multi-page reports.
1
Web users cannot spell check their data.
1
Web users should only interact with a database from one web browser window.
1
FileMaker Pro keyboard commands are not available for use in a web browser.
1
Tooltips created in FileMaker Pro Advanced that are displayed in a web browser are updated only when a page is loaded.
26 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
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.
1
Like FileMaker Pro, default web layouts can be specified with startup scripts.
1
User accounts and privileges determine which layouts web users can view.
1
Web users can only search on fields that are present on the current layout.
1
If you’re designing layouts specifically for searching, note that web users can’t enter search criteria for summary, global, or container fields.
Tips for rendering layouts in Instant Web Publishing
Layouts are rendered in web browsers using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Not all layout objects can display with CSS. For example:
1
Rounded rectangles are displayed as rectangles.
1
Avoid diagonal lines, pen patterns, fill patterns, and ovals. They do not display in web browsers.
1
Buttons are displayed as rectangles (without rounded corners).
1
Complex or layered pictures are not rendered properly. It’s best to create composite pictures in a drawing program, then paste the image into the FileMaker Pro layout.
1
If your images have transparent components, use the GIF file format.
1
For forms and reports, make fields large enough to display and print the data. In the web browser, fields do not expand when they are active. You can format fields to display a scroll bar so users can view the field contents.
1
Radio buttons and checkboxes display as standard HTML controls. If they are getting cropped, enlarge the fields on the FileMaker Pro layout.
1
Arrange fields formatted as a checkbox set or radio button set with the value lists displayed horizontally for best results.
1
Instant Web Publishing offers limited text styles. Paragraph text styles, tab stops, and vertical alignment are not supported. Additionally, underline, word underline and double underline are all rendered as regular underline. Evaluate your layouts in all supported web browsers before sharing the database with others.
1
If layout text is wrapping to a new line, increase the size of the text boundaries in the FileMaker Pro layout. For example, if the text is aligned left, drag the lower right handle slightly towards the right.
28 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
1
Buttons can display multiple lines of text if you include Return characters between the lines. Make sure the button is large enough to accommodate the text in supported web browsers.
1
The FileMaker Pro Title Header, Title Footer, and Summary layout parts are not supported and should be removed from layouts used with Instant Web Publishing.
1
To avoid cropping of movies, make sure the container field is large enough to display the movie and the movie controls.
Design considerations for List View and Table View
With Instant Web Publishing, users can dynamically choose a layout view to interact with data on the current layout (provided that you make the layout view available in the Layout Setup dialog box).
Here are key differences between views in FileMaker Pro and Instant Web Publishing:
1
List View displays 25 records at a time and Table View displays 50. The current record is always at the top, or the first row. When new records are created, they become the current record. You can display previous record ranges with the controls in the status area.
1
Web users can add, edit, and delete records and find requests in List View and Table View.
1
In Table View, records can be sorted in ascending or descending order by clicking the column heading
(the field name). Sorting is enabled in the Table View Properties section of the Layout Setup dialog box.
For more information, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Tips for working with data in a web browser
1
Formatting for date, time, timestamp, and number fields is specified in the layout.
1
Repeating field data is displayed in web browsers.
1
The tab order defined in a layout works in Instant Web Publishing. The status area is included in the tab order; you may want to prevent web users from using the controls in the status area. For more
can be included in the FileMaker Pro tab order, but in Instant Web Publishing this functionality is available only in Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows. Web users may be able to tab into omitted fields.
Note that working with a tab order may have different results in a web browser than in FileMaker Pro, and not all browsers will support the tab order in the same manner.
1
Only the Tab key is supported for navigating between fields or objects in Instant Web Publishing.
1
Pop-up menus and pop-up lists display as HTML pop-up menus. Web users can’t edit value lists by using an Edit item, or enter values that aren’t in a value list by using an Other item.
1
If your solution includes multiple files, Instant Web Publishing must be enabled in all databases. If you don’t want related files to be accessed directly, you can exclude a filename from the Database Homepage by enabling the Don’t display in the Instant Web Publishing Database Homepage option in the Instant Web
Publishing dialog box.
1
If your solution includes multiple files, then identical accounts, passwords, and privilege sets must be created in each file used by Instant Web Publishing. The account and password you provide when you open the first file is used to authenticate related files.
Chapter 4 | Designing a database for Instant Web Publishing 29
1
If your layout contains a portal, related records also display in a web browser within a portal, provided that the related file or table is also shared with Instant Web Publishing. When you submit a record containing a portal you might be notified that another user has modified one of the records since you loaded the page. If this occurs, refresh your page and submit the data again. If this is a likely scenario, consider using portals as “read only” forms. Alternatively, you can edit related record data in portals by using the Go To Related Record script step and editing them directly.
1
Web users can create and edit portal records. To delete a portal record, you must provide a scripted button that selects the appropriate portal record, then deletes it.
General database design considerations
Keep the following points in mind:
1
If you are designing a database that will be accessed by both Instant Web Publishing and FileMaker Pro network clients, it’s best to design with web clients in mind to ensure compatibility across both technologies.
1
Communication from a client to the FileMaker host goes through intermediary technologies with Instant
Web Publishing. When you request data with Instant Web Publishing, you are sending the request from a web browser to a virtual FileMaker environment, which processes your request, then requests and retrieves the results from FileMaker Pro. These results are then passed back to the browser. This interaction is usually undetectable to web users, but occasionally you must take action to make sure the results are the same regardless of how clients access your database. Because web users don’t have a direct connection to the host, they aren’t notified immediately when data changes. For example, you may need to update your scripts to include the Commit Records/Requests script step to refresh the browser
1
When defining account names and passwords, avoid characters that may be interpreted incorrectly on the web. You may want to limit account names and passwords to alphabetic and numeric characters only.
1
It is best not to set too many field validations on a layout. When web users submit a record, an error is returned each time a validation has not been met.
1
Typically, third party plug-ins can be used for web published databases if they do not attempt to display information to an end-user’s screen, if they do not require direct end-user interaction, if they do not interact with the FileMaker Pro user interface, or otherwise require interaction from end users.
1
When hosting a database with FileMaker Server Advanced, only use plug-ins that have been enabled for the FileMaker Server Web Publishing Engine. (In general, a plug-in designed for use only with
FileMaker Pro will not be compatible with the Web Publishing Engine.) For information on installing plug-ins on FileMaker Server Advanced, see the FileMaker Server Advanced Web Publishing
Installation Guide, included with FileMaker Server Advanced.
30 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
1
You should not access the same file from multiple browser windows.
1
Some features, such as the Drop-down Calendar field format, might not work or appear the same in Instant
Web Publishing as they do in FileMaker Pro.
1
Web browsers can’t display a calculated value if the calculation field uses values from other files. To display calculated values, the calculation field must use values from the same file (including values from related tables in the same file).
1
Although tab panels can’t be selected with keyboard commands, you can use the Go to Field script step
to allow web users to access tab panels. See “Scripts and Instant Web Publishing” on page 32.
1
FileMaker Pro Advanced custom menus have no effect on web published databases viewed in a web browser.
Working with graphics, sounds, and movies on the web
When you publish a database on the web with Instant Web Publishing, web users can work with data in container fields in limited ways:
1
Web users can’t play sounds or display OLE objects in a container field—a graphic is displayed instead.
1
Web users can’t add graphics, sounds, or movies to a container field.
Important Images can either be stored inside the database itself or, for best performance, stored as file reference using a relative path. If you’re hosting the database with FileMaker Pro, referenced image and movie files must be stored in the Web folder, in the FileMaker Pro folder.
Setting the initial layout and view
When a FileMaker Pro database is set to perform a script at startup, users who access the database through
Instant Web Publishing can see the results of that script each time they open the database. By setting a startup script, you can determine which layout and view web users see when they open the database with the following script steps:
1
Go to Layout [Layout Name]
1
Enter Browse Mode [ ]
1
View As [Form View]
You can also specify a starting layout in the File Options dialog box. See FileMaker Pro Help for more information.
Chapter 4 | Designing a database for Instant Web Publishing 31
Hiding the status area to customize the interface
FileMaker Pro automatically generates interface controls in the status area for interacting with databases shared with Instant Web Publishing. These controls allow the user to create, alter, and delete records; switch views and modes when accessing databases via a web browser; find and sort records; open HTML Help; and so on. If you want to present your own interface for performing all database tasks, you can create a script that hides the status area when opening the file.
To suppress Instant Web Publishing controls, create a startup script that includes Show/Hide Status Area
[Hide] as one of the first steps. For solutions involving multiple database files, use this startup script step in each file.
If you want to prevent web users from being able to create new records, you can either:
1 create a script to hide the status area.
1 prevent creation of new records with a user’s account in Accounts & Privileges.
Important When you suppress the FileMaker Pro Instant Web Publishing controls, web users are completely dependent on your scripted buttons. You must include a button that lets web users log out of the
You can include scripted buttons on your layout to:
1 add, select, navigate, edit, and delete records.
1 specify search criteria and perform find requests.
1 sort the database in all desirable ways.
1 change layouts and layout views.
1 continue or cancel scripts that may have paused.
1 open other database files (the databases must be open and shared with Instant Web Publishing on the host computer).
Important If you are suppressing the status area, thoroughly test your database to make sure you have provided users all required functionality.
Specifying the sort order for web users
Web users can sort data based on fields on the current layout. To control which fields web users can sort on, you can:
1 hide the status area and create buttons that are scripted to sort the data by fields specified in the script.
1 restrict access to layouts with a user’s account in Accounts & Privileges.
32 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Scripts and Instant Web Publishing
The ScriptMaker feature in FileMaker Pro is useful for automating frequently performed tasks, or for combining several tasks. When used in Instant Web Publishing, it can allow web users to perform more tasks, or to easily perform a series of tasks simply by clicking a button.
FileMaker Pro supports over 70 script steps with Instant Web Publishing and Custom Web Publishing. Web users can perform a variety of automated tasks when you provide buttons on your FileMaker Pro layouts or set scripts to run when a database is opened or logged out. To see script steps that are not supported, select the Indicate web compatibility checkbox in the Edit Script dialog box. Dimmed script steps are not supported on the web. For information on individual script steps, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Select Indicate web compatibility to dim script steps that are not web-compatible
Script steps tips and considerations
Although many script steps work identically on the web, there are several that work differently due to design limitations. Before sharing your database, evaluate all scripts and buttons that will be executed from a web browser. Be sure to log in with different user accounts to make sure they work as expected for all clients.
Keep these tips and considerations in mind:
1
Use accounts and privileges to restrict the set of scripts that a web user can execute. Verify that the scripts contain only web-compatible script steps, and only provide access to scripts that should be used from a web browser.
1
Consider the side effects of scripts that execute a combination of steps that are controlled by access privileges. For example, if a script includes a step to delete records, and a web user does not log in with an account that allows record deletion, the script will not execute the Delete Records script step.
However, the script might continue to run, which could lead to unexpected results.
1
In scripts, you can select Run script with full access privileges to allow scripts to perform tasks that you would not grant individuals access to. For example, you can prevent users from deleting records with their accounts and privileges, but still allow them to run a script that would delete certain types of records under conditions predefined within a script.
Chapter 4 | Designing a database for Instant Web Publishing 33
1
If your scripts contain steps that are unsupported, for example, steps that are not web-compatible, use the
Allow User Abort script step to determine how subsequent steps are handled.
1
If the Allow User Abort script step option is enabled (on), unsupported script steps will stop the script from continuing.
1
If Allow User Abort is set to Off, unsupported script steps are skipped over and the script continues to execute.
1
If this script step is not included, scripts are executed as if the feature is enabled, so unsupported script steps will stop scripts.
1
Some scripts that work with one step from a FileMaker Pro client may require an additional Commit
Records/Requests step to save the data to the host. Because web users don’t have a direct connection to the host, they aren’t notified when data changes. For example, features like conditional value lists aren’t as responsive for web clients because the data must be saved to the host before the effects are seen in the value list field.
1
Similarly, any script that modifies data should include the Commit Records/Requests step, because all data changes aren’t visible in the browser until the data is saved, or “submitted” to the server. This includes script steps such as Cut, Copy, Copy Record/Request, Copy All Records/Requests, and Paste.
Many single-step buttons should be converted into scripted buttons to include the Commit Records/
Requests step. When you design scripts that are executed from a web browser, it’s a good idea to include the Commit Records/Requests step at the end of a script to make sure all changes are saved.
1
To create conditional scripts based on the type of client, use the Get(ApplicationVersion) function. If the value returned includes FileMaker Web Publishing you know that the current user is accessing your database with Instant Web Publishing. For more information on functions, see FileMaker Pro Help.
1
Because there are intermediary technologies involved when accessing a FileMaker Pro database from a web browser, you must assess the activities on the web server before closing a file. Some scripts open additional “windows” in the virtual FileMaker environment on the web server, and they must be closed before the session can be terminated. Any open windows will be closed automatically if web users click
1
After converting your files, you should open each script that web users might run and enable Indicate web compatibility to ensure that the script will execute properly with Instant Web Publishing.
The script steps below function differently on the web than in the desktop application. For information on all script steps, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Script step
Perform Script
Allow User Abort
Set Error Capture
Pause/Resume Script
Sort
Behavior in Instant Web Publishing
Scripts cannot perform in other files, unless the files are open and shared with Instant
Web Publishing on the host or server machine.
Determines how unsupported script steps are handled. Enable to stop scripts from continuing, and disable to skip over unsupported steps. See above for more details.
This is always enabled with Instant Web Publishing. It can suppress alert messages when scripts are run.
The script pauses until the user clicks Resume or executes the Resume script step by clicking a scripted button, or the session times out.
Sorts must be saved with the script to execute in Instant Web Publishing.
34 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
Script step
Open URL
Go to Field
Behavior in Instant Web Publishing
Opens a complete URL from a text or calculation field in a new browser window
(URL must contain “http://” if the target URL starts with “http://”).
In Browse mode, switches a record into editing mode and sets the insertion point in the specified field.
Commit Records/Requests Submits the record to the database.
New Window Does not open a new physical browser window, but instead opens a new virtual window within the existing browser window. Although each virtual window can display a different layout, table, found set, or sort order as is possible in
FileMaker Pro windows, web users can only view one virtual window at a time.
Select Window
Close Window
Exit Application
Brings the specified virtual window to the front.
Closes the specified or current virtual window to reveal the window underneath it.
Closes all virtual windows, ends the user’s session, and takes the user back to the
Database Homepage.
Creating a script to log out of a database and close the session
It is important that web users properly close their session by clicking the Log Out button in the status area. If they close browser windows or quit the browser before clicking the Log Out button, their session is still open.
This might prevent others from accessing the database and could make data vulnerable to hackers until the specified time out occurs.
Important Your script should include the Exit Application script step, which closes all virtual windows, ends the user’s session, and takes the user back to the Database Homepage.
Hosting databases with FileMaker Server Advanced: an overview
Without planning, you might have to redefine links to other files or images. If your database is maintaining file path information for container field objects or file relationships, you should store the file paths as a relative link. It’s also best to store all files in the same folder.
Here are general steps for hosting Instant Web Publishing files with FileMaker Server Advanced:
1. Move the FileMaker Pro databases into the Databases folder in the FileMaker Server folder.
2. Move the contents of the Web folder to the root folder of the web server software. Make sure the relative path is preserved.
For IIS, move the files to: <root drive>\Inetpub\wwwroot
For Apache, move the files to: /Library/WebServer/Documents
Note Verify the path with the server administrator.
3. Redirect your URLs to: http://<IP address>/fmi/iwp or http://<domain name>/fmi/iwp so web users can locate your database.
For information on enabling Instant Web Publishing in FileMaker Server Advanced, see the FileMaker
Server Advanced Web Publishing Installation Guide, included with FileMaker Server Advanced.
Chapter 4 | Designing a database for Instant Web Publishing 35
Documenting your solution
Instant Web Publishing cannot cover the nuances of how web users should interact with your particular databases. It’s helpful if you can provide your own documentation, especially if you’re presenting a lot of layouts and automating tasks with scripted buttons.
You should include the following information in your documentation:
1
Browsing and finding records: Let web users know that they work with data in Browse mode or Find mode. 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
1
Tooltips created in FileMaker Pro Advanced for layout objects can help web users understand how to interact with your solution.Tooltip text will appear in a web browser’s default text style. Note that tooltips are updated only when a page is loaded. For more information, see the FileMaker Pro Advanced
Development Guide.
36 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
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 32 for information on designing web-friendly scripts.
1
Test your published database with different operating systems and browsers.
1
If the web pages aren’t displaying properly, see “Web browser requirements” on page 19 and review
chapter 4, “Designing a database for Instant Web Publishing.”
Testing your database with a network connection
To access a published database, open web browser software, type the IP address or domain name of the host computer and press Return or Enter. You can view an IP address in the Instant Web Publishing dialog box.
For more information, “Accessing a FileMaker database from the web” on page 20.
Testing your database without a network connection
If you don’t have a network connection, you should still test your database in all compatible web browsers.
Open the web browser software and type http://localhost/
or http://127.0.0.1/
and press
Return or Enter. The Database Homepage should display a list of all open database files that have Instant
Monitoring web activity with log files
You can set logging options to track the activity your database receives from web users. When you enable the log files, FileMaker creates log files in the FileMaker Pro 8/Web logs folder. You can view them in any application that opens text files.
To create log files:
1. Windows: choose Edit menu > Sharing > Instant Web Publishing.
Mac OS X: choose FileMaker Pro menu > Sharing > Instant Web Publishing.
38 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
2. For Advanced Options, click Specify, then enable the log files you want to create.
Select
Script errors
To track In this file
Information about errors generated when web users execute scripts (for example, it documents script steps that are skipped if they’re not web-compatible) application.log
Web publishing errors General information about errors generated when accessing or interacting with web-shared databases
Web activity I nformation about web users’ activities (for example, the users’ IP addresses and pages accessed) application.log
access.log
For a list of error codes and descriptions, see the topic “Get(LastError) function” in FileMaker Pro Help.
If you don’t want to create log files, clear the checkboxes in the Logging Options area.
3. Click OK, then OK to save the changes.
Keep these points in mind:
1
The web activity log continuously adds entries to the file. The entries and files aren’t automatically deleted, and the files can become very large. If you create log files, consider archiving them on a regular schedule to save hard disk space on your host computer.
1
To maximize security, be sure web users can’t view or copy log files by gaining access to the FileMaker
Pro folder.
1
Entries are added to a log file in the order that FileMaker processes them.
1
You can also use FileMaker Pro functions to track user activity. For more information on functions, see
FileMaker Pro Help.
Securing your data
When you publish a database, it is very important to determine who should have access to the data and to control which tasks users can perform. For complete information on securing your database, see the
FileMaker Security Guide, available as a PDF file from www.filemaker.com/downloads.
Keep these security considerations in mind when publishing databases on the web:
1
User accounts operate the same regardless of which technologies clients use to access your files. For example, if you create an account that restricts access to deleting records, users who access the database with that account name and password will not be able to delete records, whether they access the data from a web browser, an ODBC data source, or another copy of FileMaker Pro.
1
It’s safest to create a “web-only” database specifically for web publishing. Make sure the file contains only the layouts, scripts, and field definitions that you want to expose to the public. For more information, see the FileMaker Security Guide.
1
If web users access your files with multiple clients, consider providing them with multiple accounts. For example, give them an account name and password with more limited access when accessing the database from a web browser versus another copy of FileMaker Pro.
1
When enabling Instant Web Publishing for individual files, assign accounts and privilege sets to web users instead of providing access to all users.
Chapter 5 | Testing, monitoring, and securing your site 39
1
If an account limits record-by-record browse privileges but does not limit the privilege to delete records, it is possible for users to delete records they cannot view.
1
If the same account opens related files, the related data is displayed on layouts containing related fields.
1
Instant Web Publishing uses the accounts and privilege sets defined in FileMaker Pro for the best security. For more information, see the FileMaker Pro User’s Guide.
1
Never store sensitive documents or databases inside the Web folder. With FileMaker Pro, you can put images to share with container fields or static HTML pages that you want to publish in the Web folder inside the FileMaker Pro folder, but due to web server architecture, all files in the Web folder are accessible and might be deleted by others.
1
Carefully review your scripts to make sure they are web compatible and that the combination of steps
40 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
A access privileges
accessibility
account names and passwords, character set restrictions
Accounts and Privileges
Guest account
limiting layouts
scripts
setting
testing
ActiveX
Allow User Abort script step
Apache, hosting Instant Web Publishing databases
Apple events
authentication, forms-based
B
Browse mode capabilities
Instant Web Publishing
browser, web open database URL
publishing requirements
requirements
viewing databases in
buttons
C
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
limitations
Change Password script step
changing settings
character set restrictions, account names and passwords
Close Window script step
Commit Records/Requests script step
container fields, restrictions
converting files from previous versions
Copy All Records/Requests script step
Copy Record/Request script step
Copy script step
Index
custom environments creating
documentation
custom home pages
Custom Web Publishing, in FileMaker Server
Advanced
Cut script step
D
Database Homepage hiding files on
linking to
databases enabling Instant Web Publishing
linking to
restricting access
static web publishing
testing before publishing
Delete Records script step
disconnect idle accounts
setting time out
documentation custom environments
Instant Web Publishing Help
Drop-down Calendar field format
E enabling Instant Web Publishing
Enter Browse Mode script step
Exit Application script step
External functions, for Web publishing
F
FileMaker Pro converting files from previous versions
differences with Instant Web Publishing
hosting databases
Instant Web Publishing
maximum number of web connections
publishing files from previous versions
publishing static web pages
setting starting layout
web access requirements
42 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
FileMaker Pro Advanced custom menus
tooltips
FileMaker Pro databases, accessing from the web
FileMaker Pro layouts designing for Instant Web Publishing
using portals
FileMaker Server Advanced
Custom Web Publishing
filtering databases
hosting databases
security
using plug-ins
filenames, suppressing in Database Homepage
Find mode capabilities
constrain found set
extend found set
Instant Web Publishing
G
Go to Field script step
Go to Layout script step
Go to Related Record script step
Guest account disabling
enabling
with Instant Web Publishing
H
Help, Instant Web Publishing
hide status area about
on startup
toggle
Homepage
hosting databases with FileMaker Pro
with FileMaker Server Advanced
I idle session, disconnecting
IIS, hosting Instant Web Publishing databases
Instant Web Publishing about
accessing records
Apache
authentication
automating with scripts
Browse mode
changing settings
choosing a language
custom home page
designing databases
differences with FileMaker Pro
Drop-down Calendar field format
enabling
FileMaker Pro layouts
Find mode
Guest account
hiding status area
hosting with FileMaker Server Advanced
IIS
Mac OS X requirements
new features
script steps, differences with FileMaker Pro
specifying port number
specifying sort order
using dynamic IP address
using static IP address
viewing browser pages
web user access
Windows requirements
IP address appending port number
dynamic
restricting access
static
typing in browser
ISO-Latin-1 character set
ISP
L language, choosing for Instant Web Publishing
layout view limiting access
toggling
layouts, limiting with accounts and privileges
List View designing for
differences with FileMaker
log files archiving
creating
logging options
monitoring web activity
securing
Log Out button
importance
script
login page
M
Mac OS X port number
web browser requirements
web publishing requirements
maximum number of web connections, FileMaker
Pro
monitoring web activity
N
New Window script step
O
OLE
limitations
Open URL script step
P pages, web, viewing databases in
passwords changing
no login password
with multiple accounts
Pause/Resume Script script step
Perform Script script step
port number appending to IP address
changing
configuring
Mac OS X
specifying for web publishing
publishing databases connecting to Internet or intranet
from previous versions of FileMaker Pro
with Instant Web Publishing
| Index 43
R
Relogin script step
requirements web browser
web publishing
restricting access to databases
RTF (rich text formatting)
S screen readers
scripts
Accounts and Privileges
behavior in Instant Web Publishing
log out
testing
tips and considerations
using in Instant Web Publishing
security
Accounts and Privileges
considerations
data access
document and data storage
FileMaker Server Advanced
guidelines
restricting web access
reviewing script steps
SSL encryption
with multiple accounts
with static web pages
Select Window script step
session, logging out
Set Error Capture script step
Show/Hide Status Area script step
sort order, specifying
Sort script step
SSL encryption
static IP address
static publishing
status area changing language in
hiding
Submit button
44 FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide
T tab controls
tab order
tab panels
Table View designing for
differences with FileMaker
restrictions
setting properties
TCP/IP port number
testing your published database
third party plug-ins
with FileMaker Server Advanced
time out setting
tooltips, FileMaker Pro Advanced
U
URLs, link to Database Homepage
V
View As script step
W web browser open database URL
publishing requirements
requirements
web pages, viewing databases in
Web Security databases, not supported
Web Styles, not supported
web users accessing databases
assigning access to files
limitations of FileMaker Pro
maximum number of connections
tracking activity
Windows web browser requirements
web publishing requirements
X
XML exporting
XSLT stylesheets
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