ISO FileMaker Magazine: FileMaker Video Tutorials, Templates, Help & More

by Matt Petrowsky

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The native display method for related data in FileMaker has always been the good ol' built-in portal. This flexible tool has been used for its intended purpose as well as for unintended - such as for hiding and showing a button.

With FileMaker 12's new ExecuteSQL() function you can now dip into the data bucket of any given table, or tables, and pull out exactly what you need.

ExecuteSQL is useful for dynamic charting and filtering portals based on desired key values. It's a very flexible tool for sure.

There are, however, some not so obvious "secrets" to making FileMaker's SQL implementation jump through the types of hoops that will allow you to generate some really cool stuff such as HTML.

When you combine this knowledge with understanding how networking and performance may apply, you can accomplish some really useful things with ExecuteSQL() and Web Viewers.

That's what this video is all about. It's an implementation of HTML based comments and provides you with some of those "hidden" tricks to making ExecuteSQL sing like song bird!