Web Publishing: PHP Overview

New with FileMaker Server 9, create PHP-based data-driven web pages.

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What is it?

PHP is the most popular language for building data-driven web pages with over 25 million websites. The PHP Site Assistant and FileMaker API for PHP work together to give you a fast way to create data-driven websites.

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What does it allow you to do?

  • Publish information from a FileMaker Pro database to websites
  • Capture information in FileMaker Pro that is gathered from the Web
  • Create new FileMaker Pro solutions combining a Web-based front-end with a rich, FileMaker back-end
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PHP Site Assistant for Quick Results

The PHP Site Assistant asks step-by-step questions to produce PHP-based web pages based on your FileMaker Pro layouts. Choose from some of the most popular Web uses, such as data collection, list searching, and database record editing. These pages can be published as is or edited using the HTML editor of your choice.

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For the PHP developer: Comparing SQL and FileMaker Pro Databases

SQL Databases FileMaker Pro

Logic is written in PHP, a programming language.

Logic is written in FileMaker Pro, an easy-to-use database that combines graphical layouts, scripting and database functions in one seamless package.

If you need to change the logic, you have to change the logic on every web page.

If you need to change the logic, you change the logic once in FileMaker Pro and the change flows through to every web page.

If you need a report, you'll need a reporting package that queries the SQL database.

You can use FileMaker Pro to create layouts and reports, save them as a PDF or as Excel, and email them to colleagues.

As an experienced PHP developer, you can work directly with the FileMaker API for PHP, and have access to the full power of FileMaker Pro and PHP. Or you can save time and start with the code generated by the PHP Site Assistant feature. Try it yourself and see how easy it is – !

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What does it include?

FileMaker Server installs everything you need to use PHP including the PHP engine, the PHP Site Assistant, the FileMaker API for PHP, sample code, and documentation. If you already have PHP 4.3 or higher, you can choose to keep your existing installation. See system requirements for more on supported configurations.

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How do I get it?

  • Try FileMaker Server 9 Advanced for 30 days.
  • Purchase FileMaker Server 9 or FileMaker Server 9 Advanced.
  • Join the FileMaker Technical Network and use the included FileMaker Server 9 Advanced Development license. This license lets you build and test solutions (but is not for production systems).
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Resources

Documentation and Notes

PHP Architect magazine published 2 feature articles during the FileMaker API for PHP Public Beta:

Videos and Web Seminars

Search Knowledge Base

View a list of common PHP questions and answers.