Plugging Into FileMaker Pro
By Beverly Voth ( lyceum@best.com )
RATING: General
PLATFORM: Macintosh & Windows
BONUS: None
Beginning with version 4.0, FileMaker Pro has had the ability to accept external functions with the use of Plug-ins. Although many software applications use plug-ins or extensions, FileMaker Pro Plug-ins are different from other types of externals since they can perform different functions, not just mimic existing steps or act as macros of recorded multiple steps. Since they can also be cross-platform, many of the Plug-ins have replaced AppleScripts or WinBatch or other mini-applications to perform functions that cannot be done within FileMaker alone. With versatility and functionality, Plug-ins can really enhance your FileMaker Pro databases. The file Plug-ins are especially useful for their ability to read and write to unique text formats that otherwise might not import, export or be accessible with the ODBC Plug-ins. You'll find many Plug-ins for complex calculations and even some for creating charts.
Here is my recommended list of "must-have" plug-ins:
- A file Plug-in, such as "Troi File Plug-in" or "File Toolbox";
- A mail Plug-in, such as "MondoMail" (MAC) or "SMTPit" (WIN) or "DbMailer" or "Mail Agent";
- A security Plug-in, such as "SecureFM Plug-in" or "NWS-SoftKey" or "removeMenu" (MAC);
- A credit card Plug-in, such as "CreditCard Plug-in" (MAC) or "TellanFMX" or "øAzium CC Authorize";
- A dialog Plug-in, such as "Troi Dialog Plug-in" or "DialogMagic" or "InputDialog" (MAC)
- An event-trigger Plug in, such as "Schedule-it" (MAC) or "doscript" (MAC) or "Script Scheduler"
Do FileMaker Pro 4 Plug-ins Work in 5.0?
Since the architecture is the same, the plug-ins should work with 5.0. Some Plug-ins may need to be revised to take advantage of the new features or to access changed parameters. The Plug-in developers are currently testing compatibility with version 5. Most of them are "ready-to-roll!" For a complete list of plug-ins that are 5.0 compatible, check out:
FileMaker's Plug-in page at http://www.filemaker.com/products/search_plugins.html
DigFM Plug-ins page at http://www.digfm.org/
Web Companion Has Some New Options in FileMaker Pro 5
The most talked about plug-in is Web Companion. It allows the database to be viewed and edited through a browser interface over an Internet or intranet (internal network). This functions as the web server, passing communication back and forth between the web browser and the databases. Another function of the Web Companion plug-in is to act as the CGI (Common Gateway Interface), so that it can process the data in a format that the Browsers understand. This is designed for sharing your database to smaller work groups.
Web Companion can be used for Instant Web Publishing a database. You can "Instant Web Publish" by clicking the configure button after you enable the Web Companion plug-in (see below). Check the "Enable Instant Web Publishing", then click OK. Also, when you select "Sharing..." under the File menu and click on the "Set up Views.." button, you will be presented with a dialog to choose: Web Style, layouts for Table View, Form View and a Search; as well as to configure how you want the data sorted. This configuration will create the web pages automatically, based on the style and layouts that you selected.
For more detail or alternate designs, you can create your own HTML pages for custom web publishing which allows you to add special tags to replace data from the fields or perform actions and scripts. Replacing the data works much like a mail-merge document in a word processor; wherever the replacement tag occurs in the HTML document, it will be replaced by the field from the database records. This is where the CGI benefit of Web Companion is important. The data is actually placed into the HTML document before it's served to the browser. Actions you can perform are: viewing records, creating new records, editing, duplicating or deleting records, and finding all or finding based on search criteria.
One of the new features, Web Styles, helps with the appearance of the database in your browser. These new Web Styles use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to create the effects on the Form View, New Record and Edit Record pages when using Instant Web Publishing. You'll need to have a Browser that supports these (version 4.5+ of Netscape or Internet Explorer - check your Browser to be sure). Because Web Companion uses CSS to Instant Web Publish, your web pages can look very much like the layouts exist within your Database! This includes the location of fields in relation to each other.
Also added to Web Companion are some new security options. You can now specify a range of IP addresses for access. This is set in the Web Companion Configuration dialog. You can still specify Security using FileMaker Pro Access Privileges or Web Security Database. FileMaker Pro Access Privileges will use the Passwords you have set already in the Database. Web Security Database is a special set of three related files for specifying access privileges for each Database, Fields within a Database, and each User.
The new log file format is compatible with NCSA/CERN Common Log format. There are also some new options for tracking the activity of Web Companion. See future articles for other new features of Web Companion.
Remember that for Web Companion to best function as a Web Server, you must be connected to an Internet (through an ISP) or an intranet with an IP (Internet Protocol) address that is static (never changes). If you are on an intranet, check with your Network Administrator to help set this up. The Read Me that is included will assist you in turning your computer in to a Web Server with Web Companion. Web Companion in FileMaker Pro 5 works well for up to 10 users (IP addresses connecting to it) within a 12-hour period. Look for the introduction of FileMaker Pro Unlimited for greater access to Web Published Databases
The Servers that work with Web Companion are: Macintosh and Windows NT. While you can link to web pages on a Unix Server, FileMaker Pro and Web Companion will not run on a Unix Server. You may find a list of Service Providers (ISPs) that will host your Databases on the FileMaker, Inc. web site ( http://www.filemaker.com/support/web.html#Hosting ). Or you might check with your ISP to ask about the requirements for co-locating your own Web Server in their office.
Web Companion has two functions that you might want to use: External(Web-ToHTML) encodes special characters normally used for HTML formatting to equivalents that Browsers can understand. External(Web-ToHTTP) is for encoding additional special characters. These can be calculated and exported for web-ready static pages.
Two New Plug-ins For ODBC
Along with the ODBC extension, there are two Data Access Companions. Local Data Access Companion (FMLDAC.FMX on Windows) is for to sharing the FileMaker Pro data with ODBC-compliant applications on the same computer. Remote Data Access Companion (FMRDAC.FMX on Windows) is for sharing FileMaker Pro data across a TCP/IP network. These both are enabled the same way as other Plug-ins (see below). The Plug-ins must be enabled in each file that you want to access.
ODBC is for Open DataBase Connectivity and allows the exchange of data with other database systems that are also ODBC ready. The FileMaker Pro ODBC driver and the Data Access Companions help you to share FileMaker Pro data with other ODBC-compliant systems. You can also import data from another ODBC data source. Many of these systems use SQL (Structured Query Language) to find the specific information. FileMaker Pro can be very useful in making a Query to an ODBC-compliant Database System and create some reports that might take weeks otherwise. Now that FileMaker Pro allows other systems to Query its data, you can update mainframes with revised data. The passwords you specify for your Databases will be used when a Query is made to FileMaker Pro. Enabling Plug-ins
How-To on Installing Plug-ins
The Plug-ins are located in "C:Program FilesFileMaker FileMaker Pro 5System" for Windows users and "FileMaker Pro Folder:FileMaker Extensions" for Macintosh users. Preinstalled will be the Web Companion and the two Data Access Companions. Additional Plug-ins are to be put into these folders. Check with the Plug-in designers for any other requirements.
All Plug-ins are enabled by choosing Preferences > Application... from the Edit menu. Click on the Plug-in tab and in the dialog check the Plug-ins that you wish to use. After a Plug-in is enabled you may be able to configure or set preferences. You will see the list of External functions in the Specify Calculation dialog box under the View by pop-up once a Plug-in is enabled. For Web Companion and Data Access Companions you also need to set your Network protocol to TCP/IP under the General tab, as well as choose File > Sharing and check those Plug-ins in that dialog box.
Author's Note: Some ODBC Query tools on other systems may not be able to access data if the field names have spaces. Web-enabled Databases also might serve better with no spaces in field names or layout names. Other Plug-ins may have precise parameters (also called attributes or required elements).
There is a mailing list for answering questions about and discussing your favorite Plug-ins. You might even suggest new ideas for Plug-ins!
Send an email to: plug-list-request@troi.com
subject: subscribe
Happy FileMaking!
Beverly Voth is a developer of custom FileMaker Pro solutions with a specialty in Text calculations (using legacy data) and web publishing databases. She is a trainer and the Austin FileMaker SIG leader while also serving as the web & list 'mom' for DIGFM and the Human Interface Testing Co-op.