Re: filemaker db
On 09/04/03, Chris Tillman (tillman@voicetrak.com) wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 09, 2003 at 09:42:11AM +0200, Bernhard Mollenhauer wrote:
> >
> > I have two filemaker databases under MacOS 9.2 on my iMac. Now I want to change all Mac-stuff to debian gnu/linux. How can I use these db?s under gnu/linux? Must I learn (my)sql first or is there an easier way?
>
> AFAIK there is no filemaker clone, but FileMaker does offer a Linux
> version - maybe that's the server only.
Yes it is server only.
> mysql and postgresql are the two mainstream databases, they should be
> able to import any data if you exported it in a text format.
As a matter of interest there is a PHP module that allows you to
interface with the Filemaker Web server connector.
I have done a lot of work in Filemaker, and I still regard it as a
splendid tool for quickly creating useful lightweight systems. One
quickly runs into the seriously irritating aspects of Filemaker's
limitations:
- scripting by choosing from the pick list of script steps
- code libararies can't be moved between projects (unless you exactly
copy field names)
- it isn't truly relational
- debugging is very painful unless you have the FM6 Developer edition
- Unlimited + Server is very expensive
- getting it on the web is extremely tedious
I now do a lot of my work now with php or perl and postgresql. After
doing an outer join in SQL its difficult to go back to Filemaker!
(although developing those wonderful quick GUIs and sense of immediate
response are something you will miss).
Unless you want to learn a web 'language' like PHP/Perl and SQL you
might find it easier to adopt something like OMNIS, a RAD environment
for SQL databases available for Linux (something I've never used).
Another thought is that there are some very good webgui apps to
interface to the open source databases, mySQL in particular, which might
make the transition less painful.
--
Rory Campbell-Lange
<rory@campbell-lange.net>
<www.campbell-lange.net>
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