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Authors: Steve Lane, Bob Bowers, Scott Love and Chris Moyer

Publisher: Que Publishing Co.

ISBN: 0-7897-3028-6

Pages: 1,082 (plus a CD of samples)

Price: USA - $44.99 / CAN - $64.99 / UK £32.99

Experience Level: Intermediate to Advanced

The last time I reviewed a FileMaker book from Que, it was for FileMaker 3. That was back in 98 and Chris Moyer was the only author. (This was written pre-web based reviews, so I can't link to the review). At that time, the Que book was my favorite out of four 3rd party books, and it looks like this time it's also my favorite book out of three 3rd party books that I've seen to date on FileMaker 7.

If you are not fully aware of the FileMaker application, FileMaker is a database creation and operation program. That is, one can create a database from scratch and run that database for entering data, seeking the data within, and generating meaningful output from that data. When you start FileMaker for the first time, if you are not opening a previously made database and instead select "New Database...," you are staring at a blank screen offering an opportunity to create fields, layouts, calculations, summary fields, scripts, and all the other behind-the-screen stuff necessary for a database to work. These things must all be created before you can enter your first piece of data.

The good news is that FileMaker is one of the best programs around for anyone—from the average user to the professional—to create a database. The bad news is that the FileMaker company decided to take the poor quality book they used to ship with the product and reduce it to a small pamphlet, depending solely upon 3rd party authors to fill the void. The sad reality is that FileMaker probably made a wise choice, as users have long depended upon 3rd party books for learning how to use the program because the supplied manual never was very good.

At just under 1,100 pages, this is not a book you pick up to read for fun or a little light reading. This is a serious book to learn how to use FileMaker Pro 7. The good news is that it's not hard to read; the authors know how to write technical material without snowing you under...at least not too much.

The book is divided into five main sections: "Getting Started with FileMaker," "Developing Solutions with FileMaker," "Developer Techniques," "Data Integration and Publishing," and "Deploying a FileMaker Solution."

This book is intended for the Intermediate and Advanced FileMaker user. As such, the first section, "Getting Started with FileMaker" will satisfy more than the basic needs of most beginning users. The good news is that this occupies only the first 120 pages, so there is reason to read on. But seriously, the subtitle—"The Only FileMaker 7 Book You Need"—is very accurate. Regardless of the simplicity or the depth of your needs, you are bound to find it in this book.

To get the best handle on this book, I chose to delve deeply into several sections, and for this review I will focus on the section of "Converting older databases to FileMaker 7." As the authors state, some of FileMaker's updates have been evolutionary, while others were revolutionary. FM7 was a revolutionary update, and, because of this, converting a previously made database into FM7 was not necessarily best achieved by simply opening the older database in the new version and saying "I'm done with that, time for a beer!" If you are lucky, the database will work but may not run as efficiently as one might like. If you are not so lucky, the database might not even work.

It was way back in FileMaker 3 that the last revolutionary update was done. At that point, opening up a previous made flat-file database in FileMaker 3 and saying that the file was converted was absurd because the differences between a flat-file and relational database made the vast majority of the older database obviously outdated. Now, with FileMaker 7, the differences are more subtle, but no less significant.

Moving a multi-file database into a multi-table database is not something that should be done without thought or planning. At a minimum, the imported database might not work (one of mine did not); and at a maximum, the imported database might have a number of redundant or irrelevant parts that should be cleaned up and/or removed during the moving process. The authors here have done a wonderful job of preparing you for and guiding you through the transition.

While they do not emphasize enough (in my opinion) how you should not let FileMaker rename your old database, they do point out that if you have your Mac display the .fm7 on the end of your database, you do not even need to keep the old and new versions in separate folders. Regardless, keeping an original version of your older database separate and protected from anything you do later is always a great idea.

As a start, they make you sit and think about whether you should rewrite (start from scratch) or convert (open the older database in the new application) your database. They make some convincing arguments for the rewrite. They offer thoughts on converting a single-file database (fairly straightforward), but spend most of the commentary on converting a relational database as these are more likely to have problems. They present Pre-conversion tasks (such as creating a preliminary conversion just to see what happens with the expectation that this first conversion will be tossed) and Post-conversion tasks. The authors break down post conversion tasks into five categories: security, relationships, scripts, fields and data. In each of these categories, the authors explain specific events and/or changes in FileMaker 7 that are different from previous versions. Thus, for example, in scripts, they point out that there are a dozen changes from previous versions and provide what to expect in each case such as:

Refresh Window script no longer has an option to Bring to Front. A Select Window [Current Window] step is added to scripts that had this option specified. This can cause some extra "Screen Flashing" ins some instances, so you may need to remove Select Window steps to achieve the behavior you want.

Similarly, there have been 10 changes in fields that could affect your database's transition between previous versions and FM7. Each one is covered as to what is different, how the conversion process deals with the change, and how you should deal with the change.

Finally, while all chapters have a Troubleshooting feature at the end, the one here is very important. While not able to provide specific solutions to your problems (how can they, they are not looking over your shoulder!), the authors do provide some excellent points to look over to help you guide yourself over the potential problems.

Among the features that make this book different and special is how it looks at FileMaker development as a whole process, not just simply creating fields on the screen. For example, at the end of every chapter, there are some philosophical and/or conceptual offerings for the reader to consider that apply to either FileMaker in specific or computers in general. For example, at the end of Chapter 2, there are eight tricks to being a FileMaker power user (such things as using the keyboard more and the mouse less, how to efficiently replace data, and the best times to use multiple windows). At the end of Chapter 4, there are important lessons on how to design cross-platform layouts and designs that survive cross-platform movement. By Chapter 19, the discussion is focused on how to exploit the FileMaker-to-FileMaker Import features.

Included with the book is a CD with a PDF copy of the book, numerous sample files (organized and separated by chapter, so you can play and experiment with items relevant to the chapter you are reading), and a copy of "SharePoints." I do not know what the relation is between SharePoints, the authors and/or FileMaker (or the book) but it's there for you if you want the application (this is not a free copy). There is also a link to the book's companion web page, but after having just examined it, there does not seem to be any updates and/or necessary corrections.

As I was going through the book and the CD, I was going to complain that there are a number of sample style sheets for web use, some of which are complex. Originally I was chagrined that they did not provide text documents of these samples for the reader to copy and paste. Retyping these would not be fun. But then I realized that since they do provide a PDF of the entire book, it is easy for the reader to copy and paste from the book. In other words, there is no problem.

This is a wonderful book for those who want more out of FileMaker than creating a simple personal information manager for themselves. In other words, just about all of those who create FileMaker solutions and/or wish to enhance and improve their databases will find great value from Special Edition Using FileMaker 7.

___________ Gary Coyne has been a scientific glassblower for over 30 years. He's been using Macs since 1985 (his first was a fat Mac) and has been writing reviews of Mac software and hardware since 1995.