Using the FileMaker Connection Assistant

Claris Home Page provides an assistant that you can use to create all the necessary FileMaker forms to connect to a database. With the assistant, you specify the filename of the database file and the layout, the fields you want to appear on specific pages, and the access privileges and features you want to provide to your Web audience. The FileMaker Connection Assistant creates all of the necessary form pages and links based on the options you choose.

To use the assistant, you need the following:

• local or remote access to a prepared database, which must be open before you begin
  
• the IP address of the remote computer hosting the FileMaker Pro database file
  
• Export records privileges enabled in the database file
  
• TCP/IP networking installed and configured on your computer
  
• Web sharing enabled for the FileMaker Pro application and for the database you want to access.
  

To open the FileMaker Connection Assistant:

1. Choose New from the File menu.
   
2. Click Use Assistant.
   
3. Select FileMaker Connection Assistant in the scrolling list.
   
4. Click OK.
   

   

   The assistant displays a series of panels. When you complete the settings on a panel, click Next to continue.

   

   Note The assistant is designed to be completed in a single session. When you click Cancel, Claris Home Page ends the session, and all settings entered up to that point are lost.

1. Click Next to select the FileMaker Pro database that you want your Web audience to have access to.

Selecting the FileMaker Pro database

On the Database Selection panel in the FileMaker Connection Assistant, you see the names of databases running on the server you specify.

To select a database:

1. In the IP Address text box, type the IP address of the computer where the FileMaker Pro database is open.
   
   Click This computer to enter the IP address of the computer you are working on. To connect to a server on the network, ask your network administrator for the IP address of the remote computer you want to access.
   
2. Type your user name in the User Name text box, and then type your password in the Password text box.
   
   If your database file is set up to use the Web Security database, enter your user name and password. If your database file is using FileMaker Pro access privileges for security, enter only the password. See the FileMaker Pro documentation for more information on security and access privileges.
   
3. Click Connect to server.
   
   A list of databases appears in the scrolling list of the Database Selection panel of the assistant.
   
4. Select the database you want, then click Next.

Important If the connection to a FileMaker Pro database is unsuccessful, you will want to verify the following:

• The files you want to access are running either on your own computer or over the network.
  
• The IP address is correct.
  
• The password and user name are correct.
  
• The Web companion is set up in the FileMaker Pro application, and Web sharing is set up for the database file.

Choosing a FileMaker layout

On the Choose a FileMaker Layout panel, you can choose the FileMaker layout containing the fields you want. The fields on the layout you select will be used by the assistant to create the pages of your site. Make sure the layout contains all the fields that will be used for the entire site, which may include fields for searching and sorting the database as well as fields that will be used to create new records and to display record information. Select the layout name in the Layout pop-up menu, and then click Next to continue with the FileMaker Connection Assistant.

Setting features and privileges for your Web audience

On the Feature Selection panel in the FileMaker Connection Assistant, you set options for how you want your Web audience to interact with your database.

Using the assistant, you can create forms in your Web pages that allow your Web audience to:

• search the database and view the search results in a list of records on a page
  
• see a detailed view of each record in the search results
  
• edit, delete, and/or duplicate a record in the detailed view of the search results
  
• add records to the database
  

The options you select on the Feature Selection panel determine which pages the assistant creates. The assistant creates a page for every option you select as well as pages for displaying replies and error messages.

If you select this option on the Feature Selection panel	The assistant creates these pages	With these filenames
Search a database for specific information and return a list of results	Index page Search page Search Results page Error page	default.htm search.htm search_results.htm search_error.htm
View details on individual records returned from a search	Index page Search page Search Results page Details page Error page	default.htm search.htm search_results.htm record_detail.htm search_error.htm
Edit individual records	Index page Search page Search Results page Details page Edit Reply page Error pages	default.htm search.htm search_results.htm record_detail.htm record_detail_reply.htm search_error.htm record_detail_error.htm
Delete individual records	Index page Search page Search Results page Details page Delete Reply page Error pages	default.htm search.htm search_results.htm record_detail.htm record_detail_reply.htm search_error.htm record_detail_error.htm
Duplicate individual records	Index page Search page Search Results page Details page Duplicate Reply page Error pages	default.htm search.htm search_results.htm record_detail.htm record_detail_reply.htm search_error.htm record_detail_error.htm
Add new records to a database	Index page New Record page New Record Reply page Error page	default.htm new.htm new_reply.htm new_error.htm

When you click Next, the FileMaker Connection Assistant displays additional panels for setting options for each page, based on your selections.

For example, if you create a site that lets your Web audience only search and view records, the FileMaker Connection Assistant creates the following pages:

• an default.htm that is an entry point into the pages of your Web site that access a FileMaker Pro database
  
• a search.htm page for submitting a search request to the FileMaker Pro database
  
• a search_results.htm page for displaying search results
  
• a details.htm page for viewing details for a single record
  
• a search_error.htm page for displaying an error (for example, "zero records found") in processing the search request, which can prompt the viewer to submit the request again.
  

  

The FileMaker Connection Assistant creates all the necessary pages and saves them in a folder you specify. You can edit the pages further using the Claris Home Page editing tools and the FileMaker Connection Libraries. Choose FileMaker Form Library or FileMaker Reference Library from the View menu (Windows) or the Window menu (Macintosh).

Setting Search options

You can specify which database fields you want to appear in the Search page of your Web site. In addition, you can specify whether the search information for each field is to be defined by your Web audience, whether the search is fixed, or a combination of fixed search criteria and criteria specified by your Web audience.

The Web audience can type search criteria in the search fields and specify field comparison operators. For example, in a search for a name in the Name field of a database, your Web audience can type search criteria in the field, and then they can choose "begins with" from the field comparison pop-up menu. If the Web viewer typed "Ignat" in the Name field as the search criteria, then the search results return records where the first characters of the Name field begin with that string of characters (for example, Ignat, Ignatius, Ignatowski).

In a fixed search, you predefine the search criteria (including the field comparison operator) for each field in the search. Your Web audience does not need to type search criteria in a field or choose the field comparison operator.

You can use a fixed search to allow your audience to search for and display a set of records that is of interest only to them. For example, if your database contained daily menu information, your Web audience might be accessing your site to see only the menu choices for the day. Your fixed search would be on today's date, and the search results would display records (menu information) only for the current date.

To set up the Search page:

1. Select a field in the Fields list. Then click the Add button. Repeat for each field that will appear in the Search page.
   
   All the fields you add appear in the Fields on Search page list.
   
2. Select a field in the Fields on Search page list.
   
   The field label is the name of the field as it will appear to your Web audience.
   
   You can change the field label by typing over it in the Field label text box.
   
3. Set the search options for the selected field.

   Click	To
   Specified by Web user	Have search results based on search criteria your audience specifies for that field.
   Fixed ("canned") search	Have search results based on the operator and search value you specify for that field.

   • If you selected Specified by Web user, choose a field comparison operator from the Operator pop-up menu, and then go to step 5.
     
   • If you selected Fixed, choose the operator for the field, and then continue.
     
     The operator you choose determines how records match the search criteria entered into a particular field. This determines which records are displayed in the search results.

     Choose this field comparison operator	To show these search results to your Web audience
     Equal to	Records that match the search criteria exactly
     Not equal to	All records except those that match the search criteria
     Less than	Records with values less than the search criteria
     Less than or equal	Records with values less than or exactly equal to the search criteria values
     Greater than	Records with values greater than the search criteria
     Greater than or equal	Records with values greater than or exactly equal to the search criteria values
     Contains	Records that contain the character or string of characters specified in the search criteria
     Begins with	Records with the character or string of characters specified in the search criteria at the beginning of a value
     Ends with	Records with the character or string of characters specified in the search criteria at the end of a value

4. For a fixed search, type the search value in the Search value text box (For example, for a field called "Shift," you might type "Full Time" to find only full time employees). Then go to step 8.
   
   You can type FileMaker Pro search symbols in addition to or instead of text you type here. For example, to find records with today's date in a date field, type two forward slashes (//)in the Search value text box for the date field.
   
   Note The Search value text box is not available unless the Fixed ("canned") search option is selected.
   
5. For a Web user-defined search, you need to specify the HTML format (radio buttons, check boxes, pop-up menu, text field, or text area) for the field in the Field format pop-up menu.
   
6. To use a value list from the FileMaker Pro database, choose Pop-up menu, Radio button, or Check box in the Field format pop-up menu.
   
   Note The Values list text box is not available if the field format is text, text area, image, or read-only text.
   
7. Type the name of the value list in the Value list text box.
   
   Note The Number of items visible and Allow multiple selections options are available only when the field format selected is a pop-up menu.
   
8. Repeat steps 3 through 7 as appropriate for each field in the Fields on Search page list.
   
9. Click Next.
   
   The Search Page Logical Operator panel appears.

Setting the Search Page logical operator

The Search page logical operator determines how records are searched when a search request is submitted.

If the option is set to OR, the records in the search results are returned based on the search criteria matching one or more fields. If the option is set to AND, the records in the search results are returned based on all the search criteria matching.

To set the logical operator for all searches made by your Web audience, click Fixed. To let your Web audience choose the logical operator for their searches, click User specified.

After setting the Search page logical operator, click Next. The Search Results panel appears.

Setting options for the Search Results page

Once a search request is submitted, the search results are returned to the Web viewer as a list of records that display on a separate Search Results page. You set options for this page on the Search Results panel in the FileMaker Connection Assistant.

To set up the Search Results page:

1. Select a field in the Fields list. Then click the Add button. Repeat for each field that will appear in the Search Results page.
   
2. Set the option for the number of records to display per page in the Matches per page area of the panel.
   
   The Specified by user option adds a pop-up menu element on the Search page, where the Web viewer can make a choice for the maximum number of records that will display per page of their search results.
   
3. Click Next.
   
   The Sort Results panel appears.

Setting a sort order for search results

On the Sort Results panel, you can specify whether the results for the search are sorted or not.

• If you choose the Yes - Specify a predetermined sort order option, the search results are sorted before they are displayed in the search results page. For this choice, you choose the fields to sort by, and choose the sort order (ascending, or descending) in the next panel of the assistant.
  
• If you choose the Yes - Allow the Web user to select a field to sort with option, the Search page contains a pop-up menu of all the fields featured on the Search page and a pop-up menu of the sort order choices (ascending, descending). The Web viewer can make the choices for sorting the records that are returned as search results.

After setting the sorting options, click Next. If you selected the Yes - Specify a predetermined sort order option, the Predetermined sort order panel appears. Otherwise, panels for setting up any remaining pages in your Web site appear.

Setting a predetermined sort order for search results

You can choose to sort search results so that records return to your Web audience in a specified order.

To set a predetermined sort order for your search results:

1. Select a field from the Search Results fields list.
   
2. Click Add.
   
3. Choose a sort order for the field.
   
   Ascending is the default value. Descending sorts the records from greater values to lesser values.
   
4. Repeat these steps for as many fields as you want to sort on.
   

After setting the predetermined sort order for your search results, click Next. Panels for setting up any remaining pages in your Web site appear.

Setting options for the Details page

The assistant creates the Details page to display an individual record on an entire page. The Details page for a record appears in the browser when a Web viewer clicks the link (the contents of the first field for that record) in the list of records displayed in the Search Results page.

If you selected record modification privileges on the Feature Selection panel, your Web audience can edit, delete, or duplicate individual records from the Details page.

To set up the Details page:

1. Select a field in the Fields list. Then click the Add button. Repeat for each field you want to appear in the Details page.
   
   The field label is the name of the field as it will appear to your Web audience.
   
   You can change the field label by typing over it in the Field label text box.
   
2. Select a field in the Fields on Details page list.
   
3. Specify the HTML format (radio buttons, check boxes, pop-up menu, text field, text area, or read-only text) for the field in the Field format pop-up menu.
   
   Note If you did not choose Edit Individual Records on the Feature Selection panel, the Field format pop-up menu, Values list text box, Items visible text box, and Multiple selections check box are not shown.
   
4. If you want to format the selected field as a pop-up menu, check boxes, or radio buttons, see step 6 to use a value list defined in the FileMaker Pro database.
   
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 as appropriate for each field on your Details. page.
   
6. Click Next.
   
   If you selected record creation privileges on the Feature Selection panel, the next panel that appears is the New Record panel.

Setting options for the New Record page

If you design your site so that your Web audience will be able to create new records, you can set options for information they can type and submit as a new record in the New Record Page panel.

To set options for the New Record page:

1. Select a field in the Fields list. Then click the Add button.
   
   Note FileMaker container, calculation, summary, and related fields cannot be used to create a new record from the New Record page.
   
2. To change the field label of a field, select the field in the Fields on New record page list and change the field label by typing over it in the Field label text box.
   
3. Specify the HTML format (radio buttons, check boxes, pop-up menu, text field, or text area) for the field in the Field format pop-up menu.
   
4. If you want to format the selected field as a pop-up menu, check boxes, or radio buttons, see step 6 to use a value list defined in the FileMaker Pro database.
   
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 as appropriate for each field in your New Record page.
   
6. Click Next.
   
   The Additional Pages panel appears.

The Additional Pages panel appears and displays information about additional reply and error pages that the assistant creates based on the features and privileges you set in previous panels. Click Next, and then the Style panel appears.

Setting style options for the FileMaker Pro form pages

On the Style panel of the FileMaker Connection Assistant, you set the page background and text style of your FileMaker Pro form pages.

The assistant provides a list of pre-made styles and displays an example of each one on the left side of the Style panel. You can change the text and background color of these styles and use your own GIF image for the background if you want.

To set the basic page style for your FileMaker Pro form pages:

1. Select a style in the Style scrolling list.
   
2. Click Custom to enter custom values for the color of text and links as well as the color of the background.
   
   The Custom Style panel appears.
   
3. Make your selections for text color and background in the Custom Style panel.
   
   • To use an image for the background, select Image in the Background area of the panel, and then select the image name from the pop-up menu.
     
   • To import an image, select Import Image in the Background area of the panel, and then click Browse to locate the image on your computer.
     
4. Click Next to continue with the assistant.

The Final hints and suggestions panel appears. Click Next, and the Location panel appears.

Finishing up with the assistant

The last step before finishing the FileMaker Connection Assistant is to specify a location and folder for the files. On the Location panel, click New Folder to create a new folder for your site; or click Existing Folder to specify the name and location of an existing folder that will contain your FileMaker Pro form pages. Then click Create to create the pages.

The FileMaker Connection Assistant creates the FileMaker Pro form pages based on the options you specified and inserts all the necessary CDML tags and links. Claris Home Page displays your site in the Site Editor, and opens the ReadMe file for the site you just created with the assistant. You can double-click the icon of any page in the Site Editor to open it and make changes. See Using the Site Editor for information on using the Site Editor.

Be sure to click the Consolidate button on the Site Editor toolbar to copy the image files into the new site folder.

The pages created by the FileMaker Connection Assistant are designed to be used right away without modification. For information on transferring your pages to a server, see Copying your files to FileMaker Pro and Testing the database in your site for information on testing the site.

If you want to customize the appearance of the pages you created with the assistant, you can use the Claris Home Page editing tools to make changes. You can use the FileMaker Connection Libraries to edit and expand the database functionality of the site and to create new FileMaker Pro form pages as well. See the following sections "Editing FileMaker Pro form pages" and "Using the FileMaker Connection Libraries" for more information.

Note Some of the CDML tags in the FileMaker Pro form pages that the assistant creates are required tags. It is better not to edit the required CDML tags in the pages the assistant creates. Changing a required CDML tag (such as the filename of the database the entire site depends on) in one file requires changing the database filename in other files that refer to it. See Editing required CDML tags for more information.