Customer Reviews

Special Edition Using FileMaker 7

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is for advanced programmers only. If you're a beginner or at intermediate level with FileMaker, most of the screen shots will be too small and the techniques too advanced. But advanced users will love the four appendices: Additional Resources, Calculation Function Reference, Script Step Reference, and Documenting FileMaker Pro Systems. The book is worth buying just for the appendices!

Numerous advanced techniques are discussed, but not in a step-by-step fashion. The files on the included CD are rudimentary but helpful. Examples include constructing a "self-join" file, implementing dynamic report columns, extracting values from checkbox fields, highlighting portal rows, and constructing a "back button." There is a good discussion of relational database theory and how to use the new Relationships Graph.

This book is a must-have for all advanced FileMaker 7 developers.

Like other books in the "Special Edition Using" series, the cover of this book claims it is the "only Filemaker book you'll ever need." Well, that's just some very clever marketing, and probably not correct for most users. But this IS a fantastic 2nd book to use and keep as a reference once you are familiar with the basics of Filemaker.

Folks just starting out with the program may not appreciate the absence of true, from the ground up, tutorials walking you through every aspect of the program. For that kind of approach, I whole-heartedly recommend the FM Pro 7 Bible by Schwartz and Cohen. The Bible was the book I started with back when the software was at version 4, and I actually bought a new copy covering version 7 when I came back to the software after shelving it for a few years. The Bible provides an excellent foundation for the basics+.

And then this book steps in with excellent coverage of more advanced concepts. Perhaps the most useful sections come in chapters 5-7, in which the authors write the best explanation of entity-relationship theory I've ever read. Best of all, it's all in the context of designing databases with FMP 7 -- you actually learn how to use the software to design complex, multi-table databases in a way that makes the material stick. Read these chapters once for the concepts -- then again sitting before your computer as you put FMP 7 through it's paces. You WILL learn this stuff -- and it WILL stick.

Also helpful was coverage re. the several ways to get your database on the web, which, in version 7, is quite different from your options in earlier versions. These sections are an excellent update to the authors' fine work on Advanced FileMaker Pro 6 Web Development from Wordware Press (which, by the way, is an excellent read and is still relevant, if a little dated).

I'm using all I've learned to develop a complex trial notebook db program for my law firm, and this book, and the Bible, together convince me that I can in fact do it all on my own!

This book talks about everything imaginable in detail and with deep intent to enlighten the reader on every topic. They achieve it! In short - BUY IT!

I've been developing FileMaker Pro systems since version 3 and have made use of many books. Unfortunately, and as is the case with most technical books these days, all those books fell way short of my technical needs and wishes - at all levels. One book, for example, while being the only useful resource for CDML (custom web enabling of FileMaker databases), was actually frustrating to read and utilize (examples and text content). The 'Bible' series provided some depth to understanding FileMaker but I always felt that they weren't covering something that needed to be said - like the sort of motivation for turning to the book in the first place. Somewhat useful but insufficient.

This book, I'm very happy to declare, IS WORTH IT'S WEIGHT IN GOLD! Even though its a big, thick, heavy book, I can't seem to put it down for wanting more of its enlightenment (its so useful). Their writing style makes it easy to understand the material while providing a sense that you can actually achieve more than you might have attempted otherwise. Its a definite confidence builder (for real this time). I've read chapters in preparation for visiting clients in order to be better prepared. I'm very glad (and so are my clients) that I did.

I've glanced through many of the current books out there and simply returned them to the shelf. They helped somewhat but didn't really go out of their way to sufficiently illuminate the bigger picture or penetrate deeply enough into the details to provide enough insight for real world problems, solutions, or even theory. Most books seem written like they are some sort of cookbook or extended sales brochure. (Click here, read the obvious label and press this button in order to do this topic - yawn!!! - what a waste of paper, time and potential). This book goes all out to prepare any reader for developing anything in Filemaker.

Upon reading this book, it dawned on me that the authors might have developed a Filemaker database (I'm making an educated guess here) for compiling all the information and their associated thoughts. Its so well organized. The consistent delivery of truly useful detailed information, tips, caveats, related material page links, and even general database development theory at all the right spots (without having to revert to the index all the time; actually I've hardly needed to use the index at all) speaks to me of their efforts brilliantly prepared and executed. Its more like they're mentoring their readers than just a book about some topic.

Whatever methodology employed to write this book they sure got it right! I wish other authors would do something similar.

And there's more. The (optional) companion book "FileMaker 8 Functions and Scripts Desk Reference" is a 'next step' kind of reference book I'd also recommend highly. I was so impressed with the "Special Edition Using FileMaker 8" that I went out and bought the companion book. Excellent!

Since joining the Yahoo FileMaker user groups I've read postings from way too many people in way over their heads trying to accomplish things they simply aren't trained for (through no fault of their own). And for each posting it occurred to me that they would all greatly benefit reading from "Special Edition Using FileMaker 8". What they were seeking and were greatly in need of is readily available in this book. If only...

Oh, and one more thing - I apologize for understating things!

And in case you're wondering, I've never worked for, met, or even conversed with any of the authors. I'm finally satisfied to have these two great books to assist me in developing more FileMaker systems. YA HOO!

There are several excellent reviews posted already so I will keep mine short:

If you want to know how to use FMP 7, buy the "FMP bible" or "Learn FMP in 24 hours" type of books, or just use the user manual comes with your FMP. It will be much more informative and enjoyable.

However, if you want to discover the true power of FMP7 and to learn the concepts and creative ideas of designing a efficient and powerful FMP DB, this book is definitely a "must have".

I will give it a 6-star rating if I could.

Reading the reviews spurred me to buy this book, and I realize there's different kinds of FilemakerPro users out there. I've used FilemakerPro 6, but not extensively, and I thought this book would take me through the steps to become more proficient, and learn FilemakerPro 7 at the same time.

Here's what I found: the book was written by developers for developer-type people, not the average guy (or girl) with non-software developer things on their mind. The first few chapters were boring and not informative, the next couple taught me about databases, which I found very insightful and was tremendously helpful (but didn't teach me too much about FilemakerPro 7) and then the text got way over my head. So I am done with this book, and yet I've read only half at most. A real disappointment.

I just bought Sams Teach Yourself FilemakerPro 7 in 24 Hours and I can thouroughly recommend it already! (It's definitely for those people like me who are not looking to make a lifetime commitment to FilemakerPro and want to get back to the rest of their lives!)

I sat in Barnes & Noble and compared "the Bible", this book and three others. This one by far had the best examples that really illustrate how intricate features work, and usually more than just one example. I am very experienced with Filemaker and find this book to be an excellent reference. It does have the first couple of chapters for newbies, which I skipped.

Only downside is that it is heavy.

First, be prepared for the size of this book...it's beefy! It's much larger than it appears in the screenshots. Next, be prepared to have a pencil and piece of paper ready while reading this book, as it is loaded with very pertinent information! I am on p. 240 (out of @ 800 pages (not counting 200 pages of comprehensive appendixes)) and have filled the front and back side of a piece of paper with 1-line notes to myself. This book is very in-depth, well written, and has a good flow. It was obviously well planned and thought out. Each chapter ends with Troubleshooting and Extras sections with real world problems and solutions pertaining to that chapter that I'm sure were based on the developers' many years of developing FMP solutions. The only irk I have with the book is the lack of a FMP 7 Mobile section. Apparently, FMP 7 Mobile wasn't released by the time the book went to print. It is the only facet of the book that doesn't live up to the title and promise of being "The only Filemaker 7 book you need." I give this book 4.5 stars (not an option on Amazon) due to the mising FMP Mobile section. It would have been a no-brainer 5 out of 5 otherwise.

Like another reviewer suggested, let's agree that no single book is ever "the only book you'll ever need". (I for one, wish authors/publishers would stop making that claim). However, if you can only buy one, this is it! As we know, FileMaker Inc just released version 8. So why buy a book on version 7? Because 8 is nearly identical to 7 with a few additional bells & whistles and minor enhancements, and because with minimal gap, this book will prepare you for either version. So whether you're still on version 7, considering upgrading or made the move to 8, I believe Special Edition Using FileMaker 7 is a solid investment.

It's a daunting 1032 pages, until you start reading. Big fat computer software books tend to be heavy on theory and concepts, and light on the practical stuff you can use right off the pages. All that text makes me dizzy. Yet, this one is an easy read, almost elementary, but intelligent and in plain english. The authors are human, not engineers (no offense :). They obviously work with real people in real situations. The breadth of material and concepts they cover is made even more impressive by the clarity they bring to each and every topic. There are plenty of demo files provided on the CD, and although basic, sufficiently show off FM's power and flexibility. I had little trouble adapting some of them to my own solutions- very useful in modeling sophisticated schemas. I did have a little difficulty deciphering one or two examples, but I managed. It's more than a how-to users' guide, it also teaches you how to think strategically and build efficient solutions using best practices. It tells you what, how and why, with screenshots that help make sense of it all (you will need a magnifier for half of them, though). You won't find examples of complex full blown databases, but you will walk away with a solid foundation, advanced enough that you could build or manage a database of moderate complexity, assuming of course you keep the book as a reference. I know, because I did.

Exceptional, accessible style, all substance, no doze. Very good layout, logical arrangement, each section a building block for the one that follows. This book meets very high standards, and it's error-free as far as I can tell- and I read every page. FileMaker Pro developers already know that quality FileMaker books are rare, if they exist at all. This one will not disappoint. It may be a stretch for some beginners, but I would say buy this book along with a more rudimentary introduction to FileMaker. For you advanced developers, surely you could glean many useful nuggets from the section on Developer Techniques. Admittedly, that section has less depth than some other subjects in the book, but along with the last two sections, still worth the price if that's all you read. It deals with Developing for Multiple Users, Sessions, Concurrency, Audit Trails, Launching Files, and Team Development. The last two sections cover Data Integration and Publishing, and Deploying a FileMaker Solution, which deals with web issues, FileMaker Server, Plug-ins, and more. I don't deal with FM Server, but my feeling is that the 38 page chapter doesn't really do it justice. There is a pretty good Appendix section which talks about Documenting FileMaker solutions, and contains references on Calculation Functions and Script Steps- which I think every developer hates, but none can live without. These references are only a little better than FileMaker Pro's built in Help References, which only experienced users can decode.

Clearly this book is written for Power Users, Administrators and ambitious Developers. Before this book, my FileMaker databases were so-so, certainly amateurish compared to what I can do now. This book has truly taken me to the next level. I develop commercial quality solutions now, thanks to this book. Whatever your goal, it can almost certainly be achieved from here. For deeper discourse specifically on Server & Developer or Advanced versions of FileMaker, you will want to find good companion books. I wish I could recommend some, but good FileMaker books are few and far between. Beginners might want to take a look at the project oriented "Creating a Database in FileMaker Pro or Pro 8: Visual QuickProject Guide (Visual Quickproject Series)". I've used their series before and they're excellent. Good luck!

While it is not the first book on the market on the new version of FileMaker Pro, Special Edition Using FileMaker 8 is definitely the best on the market for intermediate and advanced users. Written with great clarity, it shows not only the basics of FileMaker Pro, but it progresses to the more advanced topics such as XML/XSLT, FileMaker Server, ODBC/JDBC as well as web publishing. I specially enjoy the chapters on relational database design and data modeling, which many other books do a very poor job, if any at all. Two important areas of developing Filemaker Solution, Scripting and Function, are not only clearly explained, but extensive examples are used to show how they can be combined to make FileMaker Pro not only easy and fun to use, but also capable to tackle complex problems. All the example files are included in a cd, together will a pdf version of the book. I own FileMaker: The Missing Manual, which is great for beginner user to learn the basic; however, if you want to MASTER FileMaker Pro, this is the book to get.

The Moyer Group, a company founded by Chris Moyer and the employer of all the rest of the authors is a company founded to work with, support and teach about FileMaker. They have been involved with FileMaker for many years, and participated in the definition of the new features needed to past versions, including the leap from 6 to 7. They are arguably the best possible set of people to write this book.

The book is what you'd expect, 1104 wonderful pages that support its claim of being The ONLY FILEMAKER 7 Book You Need. The book is written from the stndpoing of an almost complete beginner needing to use filemaker (i.e. what's a database) through to the advanced user.

Of particular interest are Chapters 21-25 on publishing FileMaker data to the web or across a network using FileMaker as a server. This just well may be the easiest way yet of producing dynamic pages where the form/report capabilities become available to a large number of users.