Reader Top 10

These are the top 10 viewed posts for the last week. We hope you enjoy them as much as your fellow readers did!

Introducing FileMaker Pro 10

If you thought FileMaker 9 was a big update ([and we clearly did][fm9]) you’ll be thrilled with number 10. It starts with some flagship new features like Script Triggers (_finally!_) and infinitely more useful Sub-Summary parts, plus the usual round of small tweaks and improvements. But this release takes it one step further with a total overhaul of FileMaker’s most ubiquitous interface element. Gone is the Status Area, replaced by a freshly designed, much more useful Status Toolbar. Here, we’ll introduce you to everything new in FileMaker 10. Keep an eye out for more articles about how to use all this great new stuff.

[fm9]: http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/category/filemaker-9-tips/ “Our Articles on FileMaker 9”

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FileMaker Gets Bento

Many people were surprised by Tuesday’s announcement from FileMaker Inc.: A new “desktop database” application called [Bento](http://bentotrial.com). Nobody I know had any idea this was in the works, and I’m pretty sure it is the first product from FMI that is not directly FileMaker Pro related since Claris Organizer was released back in 1827 or thereabouts. For a FileMaker announcement, Bento is getting [a](http://www.macworld.com/2007/11/firstlooks/bento/index.php) [lot](http://daringfireball.net/2007/11/bento) [of](http://macintouch.com/#prod.2007.11.13.bnt) [coverage](http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/11/13/first_look_filemakers_bento_personal_database_for_leopard.html) in the Mac media. Here’s our take.

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Configuring Firewall Ports for FileMaker 9

FileMaker Server 9 represents a pretty significant redesign of the FileMaker Server product line. One consequence of all the changes is that things may not work properly without reconfiguring your *firewall(s)*. Improper firewall configuration can lead to all kinds of problems, some obvious (I can’t connect to my server) and some not-so-obvious (the Server Admin Console opens, and then hangs). This article attempts to explain in full detail exactly how each participant in the FileMaker ecosystem communicates, so you can jump right past these problems and get to developing awesome databases.

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The Secret Life of Find Mode: Requests

FileMaker’s *find mode* is a great feature. You can tell because, like all great technologies, it is easy to understand the first time you try it, and yet has a depth of capability that can be unlocked if you know a little more. Unfortunately, many FileMaker developers (and users) never venture beyond the simplest of finds. This series of articles aims to change that.

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Custom Page Numbers in PDFs and Printed Reports

[1]:/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/

In [FileMaker 9 Tip #6][1] we explained how to use the new Append to PDF feature in FileMaker 9. With it, you can build up a PDF file over many steps in a script, to produce a much more complex and data-rich PDF than was ever possible before. One of our readers, Norman Foster, asked a very sensible question:

>This Append looks great but can it paginate across the entire set of PDF files. I want the page numbers in footers or headers, and I want them to be sequential. -Norman Foster

The Append to PDF Feature doesn’t do this automatically, but with a little calculation magic, it can be done.

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Getting Started with External SQL Sources

[1]:http://www.mysql.com/
[2]:http://www.oracle.com/
[3]:http://www.microsoft.com/sql/default.mspx

On the off chance you’ve been hiding under an old Microsoft Access box for the last couple weeks, let me be the first to tell you that FileMaker now supports direct links to SQL databases. In other words, you can use table from a [MySql][1], [Oracle][2], or [Microsoft SQL Server][3] database right in FileMaker with no synchronization, no imports, and *no messy SQL programming*. This is A Big Dealâ„¢ and many of you are justifiably very excited about it.

And you probably have one burning question: “How the heck do I set this thing up?” The sad truth is that, for reasons well beyond FileMaker’s control, setting up a connection to a SQL database is the opposite of simple. Here’s the skinny on how to get your FileMaker database talking to a SQL database in as few steps as possible.

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Passing Multiple Parameters to Scripts – Advanced

Wouldn’t it be nice if whenever you need a parameter you could just ask for it by name? Lets say that you have a create order script and you want to pass the script the name, street and zip code of the customer. If you were stuck with just the regular old FileMaker functions there ain’t no way that’s happening. But after you are done with this post, you will be able to get the name of your customer with the simple function: `GetParameter( “customerName” )`.

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FileMaker 9 Tip#9: Web Viewers without the Web

Another day, another awesome new FileMaker 9 feature. Today’s special: so called *data URLs*. In a nutshell, you don’t need a web site to use web viewers anymore. Now they can easily (read: without crazy exports and obscene path hacks) show data pulled right from the FileMaker database itself. This is, like, *way* cooler than it sounds.

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