FileMaker 9 Developer Reference

Introduction Welcome to FileMaker 9 Developer Reference ... 1 Part I: FileMaker Specifications 1 FileMaker 9 Product Line ... 9 2 New Features of FileMaker 9 ... 13 3 Overview of FileMaker 8.5 Features ... 21 4 Overview of FileMaker 8 Features ... 25 5 Specifications and Storage Limits ... 33 6 Field Types and Import/Export Formats ... 37 Part II: Calculation Functions 7 Calculation Primer ... 53 8 Calculation Signatures ... 59 9 Calculation Functions ... 69 Part III: Custom Functions 10 Custom Function Primer ... 243 11 Useful Custom Functions ... 249 Part IV: Script Steps 12 Scripting Primer ... 331 13 Script Step Reference ... 337 Part V: FileMaker Connectivity 14 FileMaker XML Reference ... 439 15 FileMaker API for PHP ... 453 16 JDBC/ODBC and External SQL Connectivity . . 489 17 AppleScript Integration ... 499 Part VI: Quick Reference 18 FileMaker Error Codes ... 511 19 FileMaker Keyboard Shortcuts ... 521 20 FileMaker Network Ports ... 539 21 FileMaker Server Command Line Reference ... 541 Part VII: Appendix A Additional Resources ... 553 Index ... 561

Bob Bowers , CEO of Soliant Consulting, is a columnist and contributing editor for FileMaker Advisor magazine and has coauthored five books: Advanced FileMaker Pro 5.5 Techniques for Developers, Advanced FileMaker Pro 6 Web Development, Special Edition Using FileMaker 7, Special Edition Using FileMaker 8, and FileMaker 8 Functions and Scripts Desk Reference. At the 2002 FileMaker Developer Conference he was awarded the FileMaker Fellowship Award. Widely recognized as one of the leading educators for database and FileMaker Pro technologies, he is authorized by FileMaker, Inc., to teach the Professional Training Foundation Series. Bob is also a proud dad of two young children, an avid musician, a die-hard Cubs fan, and an accomplished woodworker. Steve Lane, vice president of Soliant Consulting, served as a special projects developer at Scott Foresman, a leading K-6 Educational publisher. He has written for FileMaker Advisor magazine, and coauthored four books: Advanced FileMaker Pro 6 Web Development, Special Edition Using FileMaker Pro 7, Special Edition Using FileMaker 8, and FileMaker 8 Functions and Scripts Desk Reference. He has led training classes in FileMaker technologies all over the country and is also authorized to teach the Professional Training Foundation Series. He regularly speaks at the annual FileMaker Developer Conference where in 2003 he was awarded the FileMaker Fellowship Award for "pushing the boundaries of FileMaker Pro." When not writing about technology, Steve is likely to be found being chased about by his children, or grumbling over the fingerings of J. S. Bach. Or just grumbling. Scott Love, chief operating officer of Soliant Consulting, served at Ziff-Davis Interactive as an online managing editor, served at Apple Computer as its web publishing technology evangelist, and led the technical marketing team at Macromedia. He has written dozens of feature and review articles on database and Internet/web topics for a wide range of computer