User manual
Table Of Contents
- Chapter 1 Introducing FileMaker Pro
- Chapter 2 Using databases
- About database fields and records
- Opening files
- Opening multiple windows per file
- Closing windows and files
- Saving files
- About modes
- Viewing records
- Adding and duplicating records
- Deleting records
- Entering data
- Working with data in Table View
- Finding records
- Performing quick finds in Browse mode
- Making find requests in Find mode
- Finding text and characters
- Finding numbers, dates, times, and timestamps
- Finding ranges of information
- Finding data in related fields
- Finding empty or non-empty fields
- Finding duplicate values
- Finding records that match multiple criteria
- Finding records except those matching criteria
- Viewing, repeating, or changing the last find
- Saving find requests
- Deleting and reverting requests
- Hiding records from a found set and viewing hidden records
- Finding and replacing data
- Sorting records
- Previewing and printing databases
- Automating tasks with scripts
- Backing up database files
- Setting preferences
- Chapter 3 Creating databases
- Planning a database
- Creating a FileMaker Pro file
- Creating and changing fields
- Setting options for fields
- Creating database tables
- Creating layouts and reports
- Setting up a layout to print records in columns
- Working with objects on a layout
- Working with fields on a layout
- Working with parts on a layout
- Displaying data in charts
- Chapter 4 Working with related tables and files
- Chapter 5 Sharing and exchanging data
- Sharing databases on a network
- Importing and exporting data
- Saving and sending data in other formats
- Sending email messages based on record data
- Supported import/export file formats
- Setting up recurring imports
- ODBC and JDBC
- Methods of importing data into an existing file
- About adding records
- About updating existing records
- About updating matching records
- About the importing process
- Converting a data file to a new FileMaker Pro file
- About the exporting process
- Working with external data sources
- Publishing databases on the web
- Chapter 6 Protecting databases
- Protecting databases with accounts and privilege sets
- Creating accounts and privilege sets
- Viewing extended privileges
- Authorizing access to files
- Security measures
- Enhancing physical security
- Enhancing operating system security
- Establishing network security
- Backing up databases and other important files
- Installing, running, and upgrading antivirus software
- Chapter 7 Converting databases from FileMaker Pro 6 and earlier
- Index
58 FileMaker Pro User’s Guide
About choosing a field type
When you define a field, you select a field type based on the kind of information the field will contain. The
field type determines what kind of data can be entered and what kinds of operations FileMaker
Pro can
perform with the data. FileMaker
Pro uses the field type to interpret the data for tasks like sorting records
and performing calculations.
Select this
field type
If the field data will be
Text Up to approximately 1 billion letters, symbols, and/or numbers used as text per field repetition, limited
by available RAM and disk space. Indexes nominally based on the first 100 characters of each word or
value. Text fields may contain carriage returns.
Number Values up to 800 digits or other characters, and the negative values of the same range. Number fields can
also contain Boolean values (0 or 1), to indicate, for example, true, false, yes, and no. Number fields can’t
contain carriage returns.
Date Dates only. Uses the Gregorian calendar with a range of 1/1/0001...12/31/4000. Month, day, and year
order is based on system settings when the file is created.
Time Times only. A time field can contain the hours, minutes, and seconds portion of a time. A time field can
contain a negative time duration, for example,-08:40:00.
Timestamp Dates and times to reference a fixed point in calendar time. For example, 10/25/2010 2:39:46 AM
Container 1 Graphics, movies, photos, bitmaps, sounds of up to 4 GB per field
1 Documents, including Microsoft Word or Excel files, PDF files, and so on
1 Multimedia file types supported by QuickTime 7.5
1 Software
Calculation The result of a calculation formula that uses field values from the current record or related records. The
formula can use values of all field types. The result can be one of these types of data: text, number, date,
time, timestamp, or container.
Summary A value that’s produced by summarizing field values from more than one record in the same table.
Summary fields produce
results from values in
multiple records
Agent Item Qty Amount
David Michaels ET3 1 $29.95
David Michaels ET4 1 $32.25
David Michaels ET1 2 $73.90
David Michaels ET5 3 $98.85
Total $234.95
Sophie Tang ET6 2 $64.50
Sophie Tang ET7 5 $12.50
Sophie Tang ET2 2 $25.00
Sophie Tang
Total $102.00
Grand Total $336.95
Sales Report
Calculation fields produce results from values
in the current record or related records