Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9

Whether you are a FileMaker developer who is new to web publishing, a web developer who is new to FileMaker, or a complete beginner looking to put your data online, this book is for you.

In Part I, you learn the basics of how web publishing works and how to write your own HTML and PHP. In Part II, you learn how to build a FileMaker database and install and configure the FileMaker Server to host the database. In Part III, you learn how to put it all together to create web pages that talk to your database and allow people to view the data and, if you like, modify it. Throughout the book, publishing a FileMaker Product Catalog to the web is used as an example. Each chapter builds on the previous chapter. When you are done, you will have a working website!

Detailed information on how to…

Master web publishing

Read and write basic HTML

Read and write basic PHP

Build a FileMaker database

Install and configure FileMaker Server

Publish your FileMaker data to the web

Work with portals and container fields

Repurpose your FileMaker layouts on the web

Introduction 1

Part I: Basics of Web Publishing

Chapter 1: How Web Publishing Works 7

Chapter 2: Introduction to HTML 17

Chapter 3: Introduction to PHP 31

Part II: Laying the Groundwork

Chapter 4: Building a Simple FileMaker File 49

Chapter 5: Configuring the Server(s) 67

Part III: Publishing FileMaker Data on the Web

Chapter 6: Viewing FileMaker Data 91

Chapter 7: Altering FileMaker Data 115

Chapter 8: Working with Related Data (Portals) 137

Chapter 9: Working with Images 167

Chapter 10: Repurposing a FileMaker Layout on the Web 189

Part IV: More Information

Appendix A: Performance Tuning 213

Appendix B: Security Concerns 217

Appendix C: Error Handling and Prevention 225

Appendix D: FileMaker PHP API Reference 231

Index 239