FileMaker Pro 8: The Missing Manual (Paperback)

by Geoff Coffey (Author), Susan Prosser (Author)
Key Phrases: script debugger, custom menus, invoice amount, First Name, Line Items, Last Name (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Used by millions worldwide, FileMaker Pro is an award-winning database program for managing people, projects, images, assets, and other information. It's easy to use and totally customizable--so long as you know what you're doing. But FileMaker Pro doesn't come with a printed manual, so FileMaker Pro: The Missing Manual is the authoritative, jargon-free book that should have been in the box.

FileMaker Pro: The Missing Manual approaches FileMaker the way FileMaker approaches you: it's user-friendly and seemingly straightforward enough, but it offers plenty of substance worthy of deeper exploration. Packed with practical information as well as countless expert tips and invaluable guidance, it's an in-depth guide to designing and building useful databases with the powerful and pliable FileMaker Pro.

Covering FileMaker for both Windows and Macintosh, FileMaker Pro: The Missing Manual is ideal for small business users, home users, school teachers, developers--anyone who wants to organize information efficiently and effectively. Whether you want to run a business, publish a shopping cart on the Web, plan a wedding, manage a student information system at your school, or program databases for clients, this book delivers.

Author Geoff Coffey has many years of experience using FileMaker Pro (he was, in fact, an early beta tester for the product). Author Susan Prosser is a FileMaker Certified Developer who trains other developers. Together, Coffey and Prosser show you how to:

• Get FileMaker up and running quickly and smoothly
• Import and organize information with ease
• Design relational databases that are simple to use, yet powerful
• Take advantage of FileMaker Pro calculation capabilities
• Automate processes with scripting
• Customize FileMaker Pro to your needs and preferences
• Share information with other people (coworkers, clients, and customers) and other programs
• Understand and select the best security options

What could easily come across as dry and intimidating--things like relational theory, calculations, and scripting--are presented in a way that is interesting and intuitive to mainstream users. In no time, you'll be working more productively and efficiently using FileMaker Pro.

About the Author
Geoff Coffey has been helping people solve problems with FileMaker Pro for over 10 years. He is a partner at Six Fried Rice (http://sixfriedrice.com/), a FileMaker Pro consulting and training firm based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Susan Prosser is a reformed journalist who's stopped trying to bring information to the people and now helps them manage the data they already have. Susan is a FileMaker Certified Developer and has developed FileMaker databases for 12 years, but returns to her roots by training and writing curriculum for other developers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 762 pages
• Publisher: Pogue Press (September 23, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596005792
• ISBN-13: 978-0596005795
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #128,896 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for FileMaker users, November 12, 2005

By	Jack D. Herrington "engineer and author" (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is definitely a must have book for FileMaker users. Not only does it have in depth coverage of all of the front-facing features. It also has an excellent theory section on database design which is really critical regardless of what database technology you use. It's tough to find a solid practical theory lesson on database design in any book and this walkthrough is great. If for that section alone this book is worth the money.

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How To Use FileMaker Pro Like A Pro, November 24, 2005

By	Daniel McKinnon (Tewksbury, MA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

For anyone that uses FileMaker Pro on a daily basis, this book is an absolute steal. With over 700 pages of relevant information, the authors go beyond this applications basic use as digital address book and really get into the details of what makes this a great application. With tons of pictures and clear detail how to follow along, the authors start with the basic use of displaying and inputting people data and go far beyond that, discussing design of databases and learning how to script FileMaker Pro to get this program to do nearly anything you need it to! Reports, exporting data to other formats, or publishing to the web, this book has it all!

A must read for any FileMaker Pro user who wants to get the most out of their experience and learn the ins and outs.

***** RECOMMENDED

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only book you will need to learn FileMaker Pro!, April 27, 2006

By	E. Lombardi "Lizlo" (Naples, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have developed many database applications in other software programs. FileMaker is quite different from the rest, so I had to learn "by the book" to understand many of Filemaker's unique features, so I purchased Filemaker Pro 7 Bible and Using Filemaker Pro 7. The Bible book was totally useless, giving you details for beginners and lots of useless text for someone who already understands database development. The Using books gives details, both not a straight forward approach to developing a database.
But once FileMaker Pro 8: The Missing Manual came out (the first to cover version 8), I purchased it. To my surprise, it was so well written and loaded with practical advise, that I have read to book from end to end. It has excellent examples that I have used in the application I am developing for my company. I continually go back to the book for refreshers to concepts I learned in the book. The other two books hardly get touched!
If there is one book to buy to learn FileMaker Pro, this is it!