Data-driven iOS Apps for iPad and iPhone with FileMaker Pro, Bento by FileMaker, and FileMaker Go

by Jesse Feiler

Overview

Use FileMaker® technologies to create powerful mobile data apps for iPhone®, iPod® touch, and iPad™

 

Apple’s FileMaker technologies make it easy to create powerful, data-driven apps for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and any mobile device’s web browser. In this book, leading FileMaker and iOS expert Jesse Feiler teaches you all the skills and techniques you’ll need, whether you’re a developer, knowledge worker, or manager.

 

Feiler thoroughly reviews each strategy for delivering mobile data using FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Server, FileMaker Go, and Bento. You’ll learn how mobile data-driven apps are different from traditional desktop-driven apps, and how to create highly usable interfaces for them. Step by step, Feiler demonstrates how to extend existing databases to mobile devices and the web, and how to create and optimize brand-new databases for iPad and iPhone.

 

This book brings together core principles, practical development techniques, and proven tips and shortcuts. You’ll discover the best ways to incorporate printing, touch interface elements, and location-based features into your apps; integrate data from multiple FileMaker and non-FileMaker sources; and much more.

 

   •        Use FileMaker Go apps to access FileMaker databases hosted on FileMaker Server or FileMaker Pro, or databases resident on a mobile device

   •        Move FileMaker Pro databases, scripts, and layouts to mobile environments

   •        Develop easy-to-use interfaces for mobile data apps

   •        Design FileMaker Go solutions for iPhone, iPad, or both

   •        Optimize FileMaker databases for FileMaker Go

   •        Integrate printing and charting features into your mobile database apps

   •        Use Bento to share data and synchronize libraries

   •        Work effectively with Bento records, fields, forms, and tables

   •        Build location-aware database apps for iOS mobile devices

   •        Import/export data from Bento, FileMaker, spreadsheets, and other sources

   •        Move FileMaker databases to the web with IWP, CWP, and FileMaker Server

 

Jesse Feiler is a developer, web designer, trainer, and author. He has worked with Apple mobile devices from Newton through iPad and has worked with FileMaker technologies since 1984. Feiler created ChamplainArts.com’s powerful iPad meeting management app MinutesMachine. His books include Using FileMaker Bento, Sams Teach Yourself Drupal in 24 Hours, The Bento Book, and FileMaker Pro 10 in Depth.

 

quepublishing.com
northcountryconsulting.com

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780132652704
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	04/14/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	400
File size:	25 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Jesse Feiler is a developer,web designer, trainer, and author.He has worked with mobile devices starting with Apple’s Newton and continuing with the iOS products (iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad). His books include Using FileMaker Bento (Sams/Pearson), Sams Teach Yourself Drupal in 24 Hours (Sams/Pearson), Get Rich with Apps! Your Guide to Reaching More Customers and Making Money NOW (McGraw-Hill), Database-Driven Web Sites (Harcourt), How to Do Everything with Web 2.0 Mashups (McGraw-Hill), iWork ‘09

For Dummies (Wiley), The Bento Book (Sams/Pearson), and FileMaker Pro in Depth (Sams/Pearson). He has developed software on a range of platforms ranging from Mac OS X, iOS,Windows, and mainframe computers. His clients represent a variety of organizations, including nonprofits and governments, production management, publishing, and banking. He is the author of MinutesMachine, the meeting management software for iPad.There are more details at champlainarts.com. A native of Washington, DC, he has lived in New York City and currently lives in Plattsburgh, NY. He can be reached at northcountryconsulting.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction

 

Part I: Data to Go

 

1 Making Data Mobile

Introducing the FileMaker Products for Mobile Computing

    FileMaker

    FileMaker Go

    Bento

What Mobile Data Means

Introducing the Reservations Example

    Entering Events

    Entering Reservations

    Processing Reservations

Looking at Reservations on FileMaker Pro

Looking at Reservations on FileMaker Go

    FileMaker Go on iPad

    FileMaker Go on iPhone

Looking at Reservations on Bento

    Bento on iPad

    Bento on iPhone

Looking at Reservations on a Mobile Browser

Further Steps

 

2 Introducing the FileMaker Architecture

Talking Databases

    Using the Relational Database Vocabulary

    Looking at SQL

Talking FileMaker

    Working with the Interface Tools

    Working with the GUI Development Tools

    Talking Security

Working with the Interface Tools

    Using Layout Mode

    Introducing the Layout Mode Tools

How to Standardize Layout Objects

    Scripts

How to Use a Script to Automatically Switch to a Mobile Layout

Working with the GUI Database Development Tools

    Tables and Fields

    Relationships Graph

Putting Together Layouts, Relationships, and Files

Creating a Layout

How to Create a Layout with the Layout/Report Assistant

Structuring Solutions and Sub-Solutions

Further Steps

 

3 Managing Data on the Move

Synchronizing, Copying, and Sharing Data

    Synchronization

    Copying

    Sharing

Managing FileMaker Pro

    Accessing Databases

    Sharing Your Databases

Managing FileMaker Server

How to Manage Databases on FileMaker Server

Managing FileMaker Go

    Accessing Local Databases

    Accessing Shared Databases

Managing Bento

How to Set Up Synchronization Between a Mac and an iPad or iPhone

Further Steps

 

4 Working with Mobile Devices

Working with Your Fingers

What to Do Without a Keyboard

What to Do About Text

What to Do About Graphics

Integrating Without a Visible File System

    Moving FileMaker Databases to Your Mobile Device

    Inserting Files and File References into FileMaker Databases

    Using Signature Capture

Using Multiple Files in FileMaker Solutions

Printing

How to Print with a PDF File

How to Print to a Printer for FileMaker Web Publishing

Further Steps

 

5 Preparing FileMaker for Mobile Use

Understanding the Mobile Difference

    Working with a Limited Keyboard

    Managing Your New Look-and-Feel

How to Use Autosizing to Change an Object’s Size

    Working Around Menu Commands

Data Entry Without Typing

    Using Auto-Enter Options

    Working with Value Lists

Using Conditional Formatting

Using Self-Labeling Fields

Further Steps

 

6 Introducing FileMaker Server

About FileMaker Server

    The FileMaker Server Product Line

    FileMaker Server Versus Peer-to-Peer Database Hosting

    FileMaker Server Capabilities

    FileMaker Server Requirements

Installing and Deploying FileMaker Server

    The Installation Process

    The Deployment Process

Running FileMaker Server

    Starting and Stopping FileMaker Server

    Hosting Databases

Using Admin Console

    FileMaker Server Overview

    Administration

    Configuration

Automatically Updating Plug-Ins

    Preparing FileMaker Server

    Preparing FileMaker Pro

    Performing the Auto Update

    Putting It All Together

Further Steps

 

Part II: FileMaker Go

 

7 Using FileMaker Go

About the Examples in This Chapter

    Inventory

    Reservations

Hosting Reservations on a Mobile Device

Starting Out by Sharing Inventory

    Creating the Database

    Sharing the Database with FileMaker Pro

    Sharing the Database with FileMaker Server

How to Install a Database on FileMaker Server

Opening and Closing Files

    Opening Files on iPhone

    Opening Files on iPad

Reviewing FileMaker Go Settings

Using FileMaker Go Help

Working with a FileMaker Go Database

    Working with Views

    Working with Additional Commands

Working with Records

    Navigating Through the Database

    Managing and Editing Records

Adding a Photo to a Database

Searching for Data

    Using Quick Find

    Using Find Mode

Sorting Data

Further Steps

 

8 Optimizing FileMaker Databases for FileMaker Go

Understanding the Relationship Between FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Go

    Dealing with Old-Version Issues

    Starting from Scratch for FileMaker Go

Refining Your Database Field Types

Reviewing Calculations

    Get ( SystemPlatform )

    Get ( ApplicationVersion )

Working with Preview Mode

Using Dynamic Subsummary Reporting on FileMaker Go

How to Convert a Preview Mode Layout to a Dynamic

Reporting Layout

Working with Custom Menus

    Reviewing the Existing Menu Commands

    Customizing Menus

How to Customize a Menu Command for FileMaker Go

Managing Script Issues

    Get ( LastError )

    Allow User Abort On/Off

    Set Error Capture On/Off

Further Steps

 

9 Designing a FileMaker Go Solution

Introducing the Handheld Estimator and the Catalog

    Introducing the Estimator

    Introducing the Catalog

Building a Handheld Estimator for iPhone

    Creating the Database

How to Set Up the Database

    Building the Front Layout

How to Create a Basic iPhone Layout

    Building the Back Layout

    Implementing the Info Button

    Setting Up Security and Default Behavior

How to Implement Customized Security

    Testing and Revising the Project

Building a Catalog for iPad

    Working with an Existing Database

    Building the Layout Header Part

How to Create a Common Header Part

    Building the List Layout

    Building the Form Layout

    Testing and Revising

Further Steps

 

10 Using Printing and Charting with FileMaker Go

Adding More Features to Reservations

How to Add a Joins Table to Reservations

How to Build an Event (or Attendee) List

Implementing Printing Features

How to Hide Interactive Elements

How to Set Moving and Sliding

Adding Charting to Your Database

Further Steps

 

Part III: FileMaker by Bento

 

11 Using Bento and Bento Libraries

Working with a Personal Database

Talking Bento

    Database

    Libraries

    Records

    Fields

    Collections

    Smart Collections

Working with the Bento Window on Mac

Working with Bento on iPhone

Working with Bento on iPad

Working with Libraries

    Working with Libraries on Mac OS X

    Working with Libraries on iPhone

    Working with Libraries on iPad

Further Steps

 

12 Using Bento Records, Fields, Forms, and Tables

Taking Advantage of Bento’s Built-In Tools for Mobility

Looking at Fields

    Using Bento Field Types

    Editing Fields on Mac OS X

    Editing Fields on iPad

    Editing Fields on iPhone

How to Add a New Field with Bento for iPhone

Introducing the View Types on Mac OS X

    Using Table Views

    Using Grid Views

    Using Form Views

    Using Split Views

Working with Views on Bento for iPhone

Working with Views on Bento for iPad

Working with Related Data

Further Steps

 

13 Working with Location and Media Fields

Introducing Location Fields

    Reviewing Geolocation Basics

    Finding Your Location: The Operating System Side

    Creating Location Fields

    Using Location Fields

    Working with Location Fields in Forms,Tables, and Grid Views on Mac OS X

    Working with Location Fields with Bento for iPad or iPhone

Looking at Media Fields

Further Steps

 

14 Importing and Exporting Bento and FileMaker Data

Sharing Data with FileMaker and Bento

Importing and Exporting Records in Bento and FileMaker

How To Import Data into Bento

    Exporting Data from Bento for Mac

How to Export Data from Bento

    Importing Data into FileMaker Pro

How To Import Data into FileMaker Pro

How to Export Data from FileMaker Pro

Importing and Exporting Data with Bento Templates with Bento for Mac

Further Steps

 

Part IV: FileMaker Web Publishing: Instant Web Publishing (IWP) and Custom Web

Publishing (CWP)

 

15 Deploying FileMaker/IWP with FileMaker Server Advanced

An Overview of Instant Web Publishing

The IWP Story So Far

    Getting Started with IWP

Enabling and Configuring IWP

    Configuring FileMaker Pro for IWP

    Configuring FileMaker Server Advanced for IWP

    Sharing and Securing Files via IWP

Designing for IWP Deployment on iPad

    Constraints of IWP

    Scripting for IWP

    Layout Design

    Container Fields

    Application Flow

Using an IWP Solution

    Browse Mode

    Edit Mode

    Find Mode

Further Steps

 

16 Deploying FileMaker/CWP with FileMaker Server

Preparing for Custom Web Publishing (CWP) with PHP

    Getting Your Databases Ready for Custom Web Publishing with PHP

    Getting FileMaker Server Ready for Custom Web Publishing with PHP

    Placing Files on the Web Server

Using the PHP Site Assistant

    Building the Site with the PHP Site Assistant

Further Steps

 

A Using a Wireless Keyboard

Pairing and Connecting Bluetooth Devices

FileMaker Go External Keyboard Conventions

Pairing a Bluetooth Keyboard with an iOS Device

Unpairing a Bluetooth Keyboard from a Computer

 

Index