ODBC and JDBC Guide

Chapter 4
Using ODBC to share FileMaker data
Use the ODBC client driver to connect to a FileMaker data source from another application. The application
that uses the ODBC client driver can directly access the data in a FileMaker database file.
The FileMaker ODBC client driver is FileMaker ODBC.
Note You can also use FileMaker Pro as an ODBC client application, interacting with records from another
data source via ODBC using SQL. See
chapter 2, “Accessing external SQL data sources,” for details about
accessing an external SQL data source via ODBC.
About ODBC
ODBC is an API that enables applications to access data from many database management systems. ODBC
gives client applications a common language for interacting with data sources and database services.
All applications that support ODBC recognize a basic subset of SQL (Structured Query Language)
statements. SQL lets you use other applications (such as spreadsheets, word processors, and reporting tools)
to view, analyze, and modify FileMaker data. See
chapter 7, “Supported standards,” for the SQL statements,
functions, and expressions that the ODBC client driver supports.
Your application can talk directly to a FileMaker database file by using the ODBC client driver. Your SQL
statements are delivered to the FileMaker host of the database file and the results of those statements are sent
back to you. If you use FileMaker
Server Advanced to host a FileMaker database file as a data source, the
database file can be located on another machine (the server machine) connected to the network, while your client
application is located on your machine (the client machine). This is referred to as a client/server configuration.
Driver
Manager
Client
Application
Oracle
ODBC Driver
FileMaker
ODBC Client
Driver
SQL Server
ODBC Driver
Microsoft
SQL Server
FileMakerOracle