The new FileMaker 12 allows you to build unparalleled databases for a wide variety of devices, from Windows and Mac desktops to iPhones and iPad. With 10 million registered customers, FileMaker's users are "average Joes" who are knowledge workers, subject matter experts, and business users from all walks of life. The community extends well beyond the pool of professional software developers. FileMaker's legendary ease-of-use has led to its wide adoption and has allowed non-programmers an avenue into creating sophisticated software solutions. FileMaker 12 Developer’s Reference will serve to help bridge the gaps in these people's understanding of FileMaker's hundreds of calculation functions, script steps, and operations. They know FileMaker, they've used it for years, but they need a quick reference, immediately accessible while not interrupting their work on screen.   There is no other book like this on the market. All FileMaker books include information on calculation formulas, scripting, etc., but none have expressly focused on giving readers one simple thing: a quick reference to be used in conjunction with their programming efforts. Some books teach, others explain, still others explore specific in-depth topics. This book will appeal to the entire FileMaker Pro community and be a great extension of their library. This edition is updated for the many new features coming with FileMaker 12, including the product's design functionality and the file format, and a new section dedicated to FileMaker Go, which is the iOS client.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Welcome to FileMaker 12 Developer Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 How This Book Is Organized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2     Part I: FileMaker Specifications . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2     Part II: Layout Tools & Objects . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2     Part III: Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2     Part IV: Script Steps & Triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2     Part V: FileMaker Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .3     Part VI: FileMaker Connectivity . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .3     Part VII: Quick Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3     Part VIII: Other Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Special Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Typographic Conventions Used in This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4     Key Combinations and Menu Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4     Typographic Conventions Used for FileMaker Scripts . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .5 Who Should Use This Book . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5   Part I: FileMaker Specifications   1 FileMaker 12 Product Line . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . .7 FileMaker Pro 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 FileMaker Pro 12 Advanced . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .7 FileMaker Server 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 FileMaker Server 12 Advanced . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .8 FileMaker Go 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 FileMaker Go 12 for iPad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9   2 FileMaker 12 New Features . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 New File Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .11 FileMaker Pro/Advanced 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12     Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .12     Enhanced Container Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .13     Enhanced Charting Features . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14     Advanced Window Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14     Plug-in Updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15     ExecuteSQL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15     And More… . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . .16 FileMaker Server/Advanced 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17     Improved WAN Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . .17     64-bit Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17     Rewritten Web Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .17     Backup Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .18     Managed Container Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19     Progressive Media Download . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . .20     Group Start Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 FileMaker Go/Go for iPad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21     Multitasking Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21     Improved Media Integration . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . .21     Export Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22     Location Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22   3 Specifications and Storage Limits . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Knowing Your Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . .23 External SQL Sources (ESS) Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25   4 Field Types and Import/Export Formats . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .27 FileMaker Field Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28     Text . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28     Number . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .29     Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .29     Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .30     Timestamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31     Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31     Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34     Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34     Additional ESS References . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .35 Importing Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35     File-Based Data Formats . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .35     Importing Multiple Files at Once . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36     Importing from an ODBC Data Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37     Importing from an XML-Based Data Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38     Creating New Tables on Import . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .39 Exporting Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39     Exporting to HTML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39     Exporting to FileMaker Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39     Exporting to Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40     Exporting to XML . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .40     Automatically Opening or Emailing Exported Files . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .40   Part II: Layout Tools & Objects   5 Layout Tools . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .41 About Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41     The Layout Setup Dialog . . . . . . .. . . . . . .41     Layout Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43     Organizing Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 The Inspector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45     Position Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45     Appearance . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .50     Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Additional Object Formatting . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56     Button Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57     Conditional Formatting . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .57     Script Triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Accessibility Inspector . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58   6 Charting . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Creating Charts . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .59     Quick Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60     The Chart Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Specifying a Chart’s Data Source . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61     Current Found Set — Summarized Groups of Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62     Current Found Set — Individual Record Data . . . . . . . . . . . . .62     Current Record (Delimited Data) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64     Related Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Chart Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Chart Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Tips for Effective Charting . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .67   7 Other Layout Objects . . . . .  . . . . . . . . .69 Tab Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . .70     Formatting a Tab Control . . . . . .. . . . . . .71     Autosizing of Tab Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72     Other Tab Control Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Portals . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73     Portal Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73     Working with Records in a Portal . . . . . . . . . . .75     Autosizing of Portals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76     Other Notes About Portals . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Web Viewer . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .77     Setting a Web Viewer via Script . . . . . . . . .79     Other Web Viewer Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .79   Part III: Functions   8 Calculation Primer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 The Calculation Function Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Calculations: Things to Remember . . . . .. .82   9 Calculation Signatures . . . . . . . . . . .87 Aggregate Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Container Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Date Functions . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .88 Design Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 External Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Financial Functions . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .89 Get Functions . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .90 Logical Functions . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .92 Mobile Functions . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .93 Number Functions . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Repeating Functions . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .94 Summary Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Text Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Text Formatting Functions . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .96 Time Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 Timestamp Function . . . . . . . .. . . . . .97 Trigonometric Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . .97   10 Calculation Functions . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99   11 Custom Function Primer . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .273 The Custom Function Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274 Custom Functions: Things to Remember . . . . . . . . .  . . .274 Recursive Techniques . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .276   Part IV: Script Step Reference   12 Scripting Primer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279 The Manage Scripts Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279 Where Scripts Live . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280 Editing or Creating Scripts . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .281 Organizing Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281 Filtering Scripts . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . .282 Script Privileges . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .282 Debugging Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .282     Scripting for the Web . . . .. . . . . . . . . .284     Scripting for FileMaker Go . . . . . . . .  . . .285     Server Scheduled Scripts . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .285   13 Script Triggers . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .287 Setting Script Triggers . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .287     File Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .287     Layout Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288     Object Events . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .289 Activating Script Triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290 Timing of Script Triggers . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .291 Scripting for Script Triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293 Tab Control Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .294 Instant and Custom Web Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . .294 Script Trigger Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295   14 Script Step Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311   Part V: FileMaker Go   15 FileMaker Go Specifications . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .431 Device Compatibility . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .431     FileMaker Go 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .431     FileMaker Go 12 for iPad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .431 Differences Between FileMaker Go and Pro . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .432     Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432     Text Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432     Container Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .433     Interface Feature Differences . . . . . . . . . . . . .433     Export Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .436     Saving Records as PDF . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .436     Script Step Differences . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .437     Security . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .438     Plug-ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .439   16 Designing for FileMaker Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .441 File Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .441     Model 1: An Integrated File . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .442     Model 2: A Separate Hosted File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .443     Model 3: A Separate Local File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .444     Model 4: Hybrid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .444 Designing Layouts for FileMaker Go . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . .444     Disabling Pinch-to-Zoom . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .446     Object Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .447     Font Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .447     Other Layout Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .448 Optimizing Workflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .448     Minimalist Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .449     Server-side Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .451     Export Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .451     Additional Performance Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .452 Deploying Files . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .452     Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .452     iTunes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .452     Web Download . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .453     Container Field . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . .453 Sync Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .453     One-way Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .454     Two-way Synchronization . . . . . .  . . . . .456 Transactional Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457     Portal Transaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457     Text Block Transfer . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . .458 Security Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .459     Secure Connections to FileMaker Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . .461     Implications of the Background Behavior . . . . . . . . . . .461     Security Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .462 Interacting with Other Apps . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . .463     FileMaker URL Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . .463     Maps and Location . . . . . . .. . . . . .464     Dial Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .466   Part VI: Connectivity   17 FileMaker XML Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .467 URL Syntax for Web Access to FileMaker Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .467     URL Syntax for XML Access . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .467     URL Syntax for Access to Container Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . .468 FileMaker XML Grammars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .469 Query Parameters for XML URL Requests . . . . . . . . . . . . .472     Query Commands . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .473     Query Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . .474 FileMaker XML Namespaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478   18 FileMaker API for PHP . . . . . . . . . . . . .479 Class Overview . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . .479 Classes and Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . .480     FileMaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .480     FileMaker_Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .487     FileMaker_Command_Add . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .490     FileMaker_Command_CompoundFind . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .490     FileMaker_Command_Delete . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .492     FileMaker_Command_Duplicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .492     FileMaker_Command_Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .493     FileMaker_Command_Find . . . . . . . .