Welcome to the world of FileMaker. From the start, one of the most important
things to understand is that FileMaker is far more than just a database
application.
FileMaker is nearly unique in the world of software. It is a powerful database
system that can manage and store a wide range of information, it’s
an application for end users (like Microsoft Excel or Intuit’s Quicken), and
it’s also a robust rapid application software development platform.
When you hear people speak about FileMaker, keep in mind they might be
viewing it from any one of these different perspectives. An IT professional
likely sees FileMaker as a database engine that fits into a larger security
and network infrastructure. An end user is probably thinking about a
specific solution built with FileMaker Pro and how it helps make her work
more efficient. A software developer might see FileMaker as one of many
tools he employs in building a wide range of applications.
This book was written with an eye toward the FileMaker developer community.
If you’re mostly interested in learning how to use the essential
features of the FileMaker application, though, this book might not be for
you. Although some introductory chapters are included to be as comprehensive
as possible, the focus is on an audience that is largely familiar
with the essential operations of FileMaker already and is interested mostly
in topics for the beginning to advanced developer.