User manual

Chapter 1
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Introducing FileMaker Pro 13
Extended privileges determine the data sharing options that are permitted by a privilege set, such as whether
a privilege set permits users to open a shared file or view a database in a web browser.
You can further protect a file by authorizing other FileMaker Pro files to create references to the schema
(tables, layouts, scripts, and value lists) in that file, and by preventing versions of FileMaker
Pro earlier than
version
11 from opening the file.
For more information about FileMaker Pro database security, see chapter 6, “Protecting databases.”
Creating scripts to automate tasks
Scripts can do simple tasks like setting print orientation or complex tasks like preparing a customized
mailing to clients.
For example, you could define a script that creates a thank you letter to clients in your database who have
made a purchase in the last week. The script composes a letter customized to each client. The script then
switches to Preview mode and pauses so that you can see what the letter looks like before it prints. The
whole task is started by clicking a button on a layout.
You can build scripts by selecting from a list of FileMaker Pro script steps, specifying options, and arranging
the steps in the correct order to perform the task. FileMaker
Pro makes it easy to manage and maintain
scripts, even for complex databases. You can simultaneously view, edit, and manage scripts from different
databases. For more information about scripts, see
“Automating tasks with scripts” on page 48.
Sharing and exchanging data
A benefit of storing data in FileMaker Pro is sharing your data with others. You can share your data with
other FileMaker
Pro users on a network, use the web publishing capabilities to share data over the web, or
import or export data from another file. In addition, you can use ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) and
JDBC (Java Database Connectivity) to share FileMaker
Pro files with ODBC- and JDBC-compliant
applications, or you can access data from external data sources.
If your computer is connected to a network, you and other Windows and Mac OS FileMaker Pro users can
use the same FileMaker
Pro database file simultaneously. FileMaker Pro Network Sharing supports the
sharing of files with up to nine concurrent users.
Note If you need to share files with more than nine concurrent users on a network, FileMaker recommends
the use of FileMaker
Server.
You can set up a FileMaker Pro file to automatically update data imported from another application such as
Microsoft Excel. Recurring import occurs automatically the first time you view the layout containing the
data from the external file. For more information about recurring import, see
“Setting up recurring imports”
on page 114.
You can quickly and easily publish FileMaker Pro layouts as web pages, which allows anyone with a web
browser on your intranet (or the internet) to access your FileMaker
Pro databases. With FileMaker Pro
accounts and privilege sets and other security features, you can make your web databases secure.
For more information about sharing and exchanging data, see chapter 5, “Sharing and exchanging data.”
Saving and sending data in other formats
FileMaker Pro lets you save data in different file formats, such as Microsoft Excel worksheets and Adobe PDF
files, so you can give the files to users who do not have FileMaker
Pro. You can automatically email the files
after saving them. For more information, see
“Saving and sending data in other formats” on page 114.