Filemaker WebDirect Guide File Maker Pro 14 Web Direct Fm14 En

User Manual: filemaker FileMaker Pro 14 - WebDirect Guide Free User Guide for FileMaker Software, Manual

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FileMaker® 14
WebDirect Guide
© 2015 FileMaker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
FileMaker, Inc.
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FileMaker and FileMaker Go are trademarks of FileMaker, Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries. The file folder logo
and FileMaker WebDirect are trademarks of FileMaker, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
FileMaker documentation is copyrighted. You are not authorized to make additional copies or distribute this documentation
without written permission from FileMaker. You may use this documentation solely with a valid licensed copy of FileMaker
software.
All persons, companies, email addresses, and URLs listed in the examples are purely fictitious and any resemblance to
existing persons, companies, email addresses, or URLs is purely coincidental. Credits are listed in the Acknowledgements
documents provided with this software. Mention of third-party products and URLs is for informational purposes only and
constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. FileMaker, Inc. assumes no responsibility with regard to the
performance of these products.
For more information, visit our website at http://www.filemaker.com.
Edition: 01
Contents
Chapter 1
Introducing FileMaker WebDirect 5
About this guide 5
About FileMaker WebDirect 6
How FileMaker WebDirect works 7
FileMaker WebDirect architecture 7
Implicit interaction model 8
How FileMaker WebDirect renders a layout 8
How web technologies affect your solution 9
FileMaker WebDirect requirements 10
Connecting via the Internet or an intranet 11
About accessing databases with FileMaker WebDirect 11
Other ways to publish FileMaker data on the web 11
Chapter 2
Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 12
Step 1: Plan your FileMaker WebDirect solution 12
Purpose of the solution 12
Number of web users 12
Devices that access the solution 12
How much of the solution FileMaker WebDirect will access 13
Plug-ins 13
Step 2: Understand the capabilities of FileMaker WebDirect 13
Step 3: Optimize performance 14
Improving HTML performance 14
Improving CSS performance 15
Step 4: Design layouts for mobile browsers 15
Step 5: Set the solution icon and options for layouts, views, and tools 16
Setting the solution icon 16
Setting the initial layout and view 16
Hiding the menu bar and status toolbar 16
Step 6: Set up tasks for web users 17
Specifying the sort order 17
Working with graphics, sounds, and movies 17
Working with virtual windows 18
Importing and exporting data 18
Step 7: Enable users to log out of the solution 19
Step 8: Review the functions, scripts, and script triggers in your solution 19
Functions 19
Scripts 20
Script triggers 21
Step 9: Set up external data sources 22
Setting up external ODBC data sources 22
Setting up external FileMaker data sources 22
Step 10: Document your solution 22
4
Chapter 3
Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 23
Sharing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 23
Choosing which users can access a solution 23
Uploading a FileMaker WebDirect solution to FileMaker Server 25
Changing FileMaker WebDirect settings in Admin Console 25
Limiting the list of solutions in FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center 26
Choosing a language for FileMaker WebDirect 26
Checking the maximum number of connections 26
Enabling SSL encryption 27
Disconnecting inactive web accounts 27
Accessing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 28
Linking to a database from an HTML page 28
Using a custom homepage 29
Chapter 4
Testing, monitoring, and securing a solution 30
Testing your database with a network connection 30
Testing your database without a network connection 30
Monitoring web activity with log files 30
Securing your data 31
Appendix A
Design considerations 32
General considerations 32
Mobile browsers 33
Fields 33
Pop-up menus and drop-down lists 33
Checkbox sets and radio button sets 33
Container fields 34
Panel controls 34
Web viewers 34
Object states 35
Borders and padding 35
Hidden conditions 35
Tab order 36
Multi-file solutions 36
Index 37
Chapter 1
Introducing FileMaker WebDirect
FileMaker WebDirect™ is a FileMaker® client that enables users to interact with your solutions on
the web. You create solutions using FileMaker Pro and then host, manage, and configure your
solutions on FileMaker Server.
Web users don’t need to install additional software—anyone with a compatible web browser and
access to the Internet or an intranet can connect to your FileMaker WebDirect solution to view,
edit, sort, or search records if you give them access privileges. With FileMaker WebDirect, edits
made in the web browser are automatically saved on the server, and the server automatically
pushes updates to the web browser.
Important Security is important when you publish data on the web. Review the security
guidelines in FileMaker Pro User’s Guide and FileMaker Pro Help.
About this guide
This guide provides the following information:
1Chapter 1, “Introducing FileMaker WebDirect,” describes FileMaker WebDirect and explains
how it works.
1Chapter 2, “Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution,” steps through the process of creating
or extending a solution for FileMaker WebDirect.
1Chapter 3, “Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution,” explains how to publish a database on
the web as a FileMaker WebDirect solution.
1Chapter 4, “Testing, monitoring, and securing a solution,” summarizes areas of your solution to
test and secure.
1Appendix A, “Design considerations,” lists aspects of FileMaker Pro solutions that behave
differently in FileMaker WebDirect.
FileMaker documentation uses “publishing on the web” to refer to solutions that users can access
on the Internet or on an intranet using a web browser. In this guide, the term “web user” refers to
someone accessing a FileMaker Pro database published on the web using FileMaker WebDirect.
“Solution” and “database” are terms for what FileMaker Pro creates and what web users access
via FileMaker WebDirect.
This guide uses “FileMaker Pro” to refer to both FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Pro Advanced.
Important You can download PDFs of FileMaker documentation from
http://www.filemaker.com/documentation. Any updates to this document are also available from
the website.
Chapter 1 | Introducing FileMaker WebDirect 6
About FileMaker WebDirect
FileMaker WebDirect combines aspects of a modern web application and a desktop application,
bringing FileMaker Pro features to your solutions on the web. With FileMaker WebDirect, you can:
1easily and quickly deploy a solution to anyone with a compatible web browser without using web
authoring tools or other technologies
1access data from most modern browsers, whether from a home office or while traveling
1import or export records and container data
1deploy a customized web application by hiding and locking the menu bar and status toolbar
Built on advances in web technologies (HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript), FileMaker WebDirect
enables your solutions to do much of what FileMaker Pro can do, but within the constraints of
modern web browsers.
FileMaker WebDirect works best when you are:
1deploying FileMaker Pro solutions intended primarily for web browsers
1extending existing solutions to include remote users outside the team or organization
For particular groups of users, you can choose to add or modify only the layouts they need. For
example, if warehouse workers only need to fulfill orders in your order management solution,
then you may only need to add invoice layouts that work well in a browser.
If you plan to extend an existing solution for web users, you should expect to make changes to
your solution for the best possible user experience. Though you may need to make some changes
to your solution using FileMaker Pro, you won’t need to write any PHP, HTML, CSS, or JavaScript
code. See chapter 2, “Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution,” for more information.
A FileMaker Pro layout displayed in a web browser with FileMaker WebDirect
Chapter 1 | Introducing FileMaker WebDirect 7
How FileMaker WebDirect works
FileMaker WebDirect runs in a web browser and uses these standard web technologies:
1HTML5 to define the structure of the page
1CSS3 to control the appearance of the page
1JavaScript to enable interactions (for example, clicking buttons and switching tab panels)
1HTTP/HTTPS and WebSocket protocols to communicate between the web browser and the
web server
HTML5 and CSS3 are evolving standards and are implemented differently across web browsers.
How your FileMaker WebDirect solution works can vary according to how the web browser
conforms to these standards, how the browser’s JavaScript engine performs, and how the
browser parses and renders CSS. One advantage of using these web standards is that as web
browsers become faster and more compliant with the standards, your FileMaker WebDirect
solution will benefit from these improvements.
FileMaker WebDirect architecture
The architecture of FileMaker WebDirect bridges two different environments: the web browser and
FileMaker Server. In the web browser, FileMaker WebDirect runs as a client that interacts with a
solution hosted on FileMaker Server.
FileMaker Server comprises the following components:
1Database Server: Hosts the solutions you share with all FileMaker clients (FileMaker Pro,
FileMaker Go®, and FileMaker WebDirect). As the core component of FileMaker Server, it
handles everything about your solution including layouts, data, scripts, script triggers, user
account authentication, and record locking.
1Web Publishing Engine: Translates the layouts, interactions, and data defined by your
FileMaker Pro solution into HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and data for the web browser. In real
time, the Web Publishing Engine (WPE) creates the user interface from your FileMaker Pro
layouts to work in the web browser.
1Web server: Communicates with web browsers using HTTP/HTTPS and WebSocket protocols
to serve your FileMaker Pro solution as a web application.
Web browser
Web Server Web Publishing
Engine Database Server
FileMaker WebDirect architecture
HTTP/HTTPS
WebSocket
FileMaker Server
Chapter 1 | Introducing FileMaker WebDirect 8
FileMaker Server responds to requests from the web browser as follows:
1. The Database Server sends layout information and data from a hosted solution to the WPE.
2. The WPE translates layouts and data from the solution into HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript code
and data for the browser.
3. The web server sends the translated layouts and data from the WPE to the browser.
In the web browser, FileMaker WebDirect renders the HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript code
generated by the WPE; captures user clicks and key presses; and sends these interactions to the
Database Server to be processed.
Implicit interaction model
To enable your solution to behave more like an application, FileMaker WebDirect implements an
implicit interaction model. In FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Go, users are accustomed to
committing changes in fields, clicking buttons to show custom dialog boxes, seeing data as it is
being updated by other users, and seeing conditional formatting change as conditions change, all
without explicitly submitting their changes or refreshing the display. FileMaker WebDirect brings
that same level of implicit interaction to users on the web.
A connection between a web browser and a server starts when the browser sends a request to
the server; the server then sends back data in response. To enable FileMaker Server to push data
to the browser when the browser hasn’t requested anything, FileMaker WebDirect employs the
WebSocket protocol and a technique called long polling. Once FileMaker WebDirect establishes
a connection to FileMaker Server, the web browser and server communicate as needed to update
records, change layouts, perform scripts, and more.
How FileMaker WebDirect renders a layout
For every object on a layout, the WPE generates a unique ID. When a web user interacts with an
object, the browser detects the interaction and sends the object ID and interaction to the WPE and
then to the Database Server, which controls the entire operation. The Database Server processes
the interaction and sends a response; the WPE converts the response to HTML5, CSS3, and
JavaScript code and then sends it to the browser.
For example, you’ve designed a FileMaker WebDirect solution that has one layout containing a
button that’s set up to run the Show Custom Dialog script step. To access the solution, a web user
types the URL in a browser or clicks a link. The request to open the solution comes to the web
server, which passes the request to the WPE. The WPE tells the Database Server to open the
specified database. The WPE authenticates the user with the Database Server, opens a session,
and performs other startup activities. If the user is allowed to open the database, the Database
Server passes information about the layout and button to the WPE. In real time, the WPE
generates the code to represent the layout and the button, including the formatting information for
the button’s pressed and hover states and a unique ID for the button. When the user clicks the
button on the layout, the browser sends the click along with the button’s ID to the WPE. The WPE
tells the Database Server that the button was clicked; the Database Server runs the script step,
responds that the script ran successfully, and tells the WPE to display the custom dialog box. The
WPE generates the code for the custom dialog box and then sends it to the web browser to
display.
Chapter 1 | Introducing FileMaker WebDirect 9
How web technologies affect your solution
Even though FileMaker WebDirect runs in a web browser, you don’t need to be a web expert to
make your solution work well in FileMaker WebDirect. You do need to follow some simple design
principles.
1Layouts should reflect standard best practices on the web.
Every object, style, image, and interaction on a layout means more data transferred from the
Database Server to the web browser, so make wise decisions about what to include on a layout.
Most web applications don’t have hundreds of interactive objects or large, high-resolution
images because web browsers cannot render them quickly enough and can be slowed by poor
network connections.
1Keep in mind that your solution is running on the web, so limitations inherent to the web remain.
For example, if the CSS standard doesn’t define a property for a particular style, that style won’t
be displayed in your FileMaker WebDirect solution.
1There are some things you can do in FileMaker Pro that you should avoid in your
FileMaker WebDirect solution.
Some features, like opening multiple windows, don’t translate well to the web. Other features,
like rich text, simply don’t work. Consider designing a new solution specifically for
FileMaker WebDirect, or extending the portions of your existing solution that make the most
sense on the web. See “Step 2: Understand the capabilities of FileMaker WebDirect” on
page 13.
While designing your solution, keep in mind these important implications of how
FileMaker WebDirect works:
1The Database Server does most of the work for the FileMaker WebDirect client. (By
comparison, FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Go clients share the workload with the Database
Server when they access hosted solutions.) For example, key presses and mouse clicks that
are handled by FileMaker Pro must be sent from FileMaker WebDirect to the server. The
Database Server also sets record locks, activates script triggers, fetches data, and manages
layout and data caches.
1Clicking through an object stacked in front of another object is not supported on the web. For
example, in FileMaker Pro, if a rectangle is in front of an image that is set up to run a script, the
click passes through the rectangle to the image behind and runs the script. On the web, clicking
stacked objects doesn’t pass the click through to an object behind; therefore in
FileMaker WebDirect, clicking these stacked objects doesn’t run the script. An alternative
approach is to assign the script to the front-most object. The same limitation applies to placing
an object on a tab label; clicking the object doesn’t cause the tab panel to switch. Instead of
putting an object (like a field) on a tab label, use a calculation to control the tab name.
1Script steps that affect windows work differently in FileMaker WebDirect than in FileMaker Pro.
FileMaker Pro supports a multiple document interface, so a solution can open multiple
windows. Because web browsers employ a single document interface, if your
FileMaker WebDirect solution uses the New Window script step, the new window is stacked in
front of the current window within the same browser window. In many cases, using popovers or
slide controls can provide a better user experience than windows. See “Working with virtual
windows” on page 18.
Chapter 1 | Introducing FileMaker WebDirect 10
1For security reasons, browsers run web applications like FileMaker WebDirect with limited
access to system resources. (This limited environment is called a sandbox.) For example,
FileMaker WebDirect can’t access arbitrary locations in the file system, so the Import Records
and Export Records script steps work differently than in FileMaker Pro.
1Many tasks—such as CSS cascading, determining focus, propagating events, and
tabbing—are ultimately controlled by the web browser and behave differently than in
FileMaker Pro. For example, FileMaker WebDirect intercepts Tab key presses and sends them
to the Database Server to determine the next object in the layout’s tab order. But at some point,
pressing the Tab key exits the webpage and enters the web browser’s interface (for example,
the address bar). Another example is event propagation: browsers enable web applications to
respond to a click only after the click happens, unlike FileMaker Pro, which enables your
solution to respond via script triggers before, during, or after a click.
1Objects in HTML5 observe a true parent-child hierarchy—that is, a child object is always
contained within a single parent object. For example, an image that extends across the
boundary between the header and body parts of a layout in FileMaker Pro displays exactly as
it is placed, spanning both parts. However, in FileMaker WebDirect, the image can be in only
one part, so the image is cropped at the boundary between the parts it spans.
For detailed information, see chapter 2, “Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution.”
FileMaker WebDirect requirements
To publish databases using FileMaker WebDirect, you need:
1a Windows or OS X computer running FileMaker Server
1access to the Internet or an intranet
1one or more FileMaker databases
You must convert files created in FileMaker Pro 11 and earlier to the FileMaker Pro 12 format.
For more information on file format conversion, see FileMaker Pro Help.
1a web browser for accessing your solutions
The supported web browsers are:
Note
On Android, FileMaker WebDirect supports Google and ATOK input method editors (IMEs).
For information on the minimum hardware and software requirements, see
http:/www.filemaker.com/r/fms-specs.
Windows OS X iOS Android
Internet Explorer Safari Safari Chrome
Chrome Chrome
Chapter 1 | Introducing FileMaker WebDirect 11
Connecting via the Internet or an intranet
When you publish databases on the Internet or an intranet, the host computer must be running
FileMaker Server, and the databases you want to share must be open.
In addition:
1It is strongly recommended that you publish your database on a computer with a full-time
Internet or intranet connection using TCP/IP. You can publish databases without a full-time
connection, but they are only available to users when your computer is connected to the
Internet or an intranet.
1The host computer should have a dedicated static (permanent) Internet Protocol (IP) address
or a domain name. If you connect to the Internet with an Internet service provider (ISP), your IP
address might be dynamically allocated (it is different each time you connect). A dynamic IP
address makes it more difficult for users to locate your databases. If you are not sure of the type
of access available to you, consult your ISP or network administrator.
1While a web user is connected to a FileMaker WebDirect solution, he or she should use a single
ethernet, Wi-Fi, or mobile (4G or LTE) network connection with consistent signal strength and
connectivity. Loss of network connectivity—which can be caused by intermittent signal or by
switching between networks—can cause FileMaker WebDirect to disconnect from the server.
1Consider using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption to secure communication between
FileMaker WebDirect and FileMaker Server. See “Enabling SSL encryption” on page 27.
About accessing databases with FileMaker WebDirect
By default, FileMaker Server supports one FileMaker WebDirect or one FileMaker Go connection
at a time. To share information with multiple simultaneous web users, you can purchase additional
concurrent connections at the FileMaker Store. See http://www.filemaker.com.
Other ways to publish FileMaker data on the web
In addition to FileMaker WebDirect, there are two other ways to publish your data:
Static publishing: If your data rarely changes, or if you don’t want users to have a live connection
to your database, you can use static publishing. With static publishing, you export FileMaker Pro
data to create a webpage that you can further customize with HTML. The webpage doesn’t
change when information in your database changes, and users don’t connect to your database.
See FileMaker Pro Help.
Custom Web Publishing: To integrate your FileMaker database with a custom website, use the
Custom Web Publishing technologies. See FileMaker Server Custom Web Publishing Guide.
Chapter 2
Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution
With FileMaker WebDirect, you can host FileMaker solutions for web users and extend existing
solutions to the web for occasional or remote users.
If you are modifying an existing database for use with FileMaker WebDirect, consider creating new
layouts specifically intended for web browsers.
If you are designing a solution that will be accessed by both FileMaker WebDirect and FileMaker Pro
network clients, design with web users in mind to ensure compatibility across both technologies.
Note For a full description of FileMaker Pro features and functionality, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Follow the general steps below to design a FileMaker WebDirect solution. For more design tips,
see appendix A, “Design considerations.”
Step 1: Plan your FileMaker WebDirect solution
A well-planned FileMaker WebDirect solution promotes consistent:
1data entry
1data retrieval
1access for multiple concurrent users
To ensure that your solution provides a reliable experience for web users, you should identify
potential problems and modify your solution accordingly.
Purpose of the solution
Determine the purpose for your solution, or the problem you want to solve. If the solution solves
multiple problems or tracks multiple kinds of data, identify how you will split the solution into
several layouts and tasks.
Layouts should have unique names, even if they are organized in different folders in the Manage
Layouts dialog box.
Number of web users
The number of concurrently connected web users directly affects the performance of all connected
web browsers. You may need to evaluate the hardware and network configuration of your
FileMaker Server installation if it does not support the number of concurrent users you require.
For recommended hardware configurations for FileMaker Server, see the FileMaker Knowledge
Base at http://help.filemaker.com.
Devices that access the solution
Devices vary by hardware and network performance, screen size, and resolution. If you identify
which devices will access your solution, you can design layouts with the devices’ capabilities in mind.
Devices with limited processing capabilities may render layouts and communicate with
FileMaker Server slower than devices with more robust hardware configurations.
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 13
How much of the solution FileMaker WebDirect will access
Based on the solution’s purpose, the maximum number of concurrent web users, and the devices that
will access the solution, decide which layouts and features will be accessed by FileMaker WebDirect.
Plug-ins
When using third-party plug-ins with a FileMaker WebDirect solution, only use plug-ins that have
been enabled for the WPE. (In general, a plug-in designed for use only with FileMaker Pro will not
be compatible with the WPE.) For information on installing plug-ins on FileMaker Server, see
FileMaker Server Help.
Step 2: Understand the capabilities of FileMaker WebDirect
FileMaker WebDirect brings many FileMaker Pro features to your solutions on the web, including:
1implicit record commits
1data entry validation
1conditional formatting
1modern layout themes
1script triggers
1quick find
For information about how web users interact with FileMaker WebDirect solutions, see “Implicit
interaction model” on page 8.
Although FileMaker WebDirect is very similar to FileMaker Pro, it does not have all the features of
a FileMaker Pro network client.
1Web users can choose layouts and different layout views, but they cannot add, delete, or modify
fields, layouts, scripts, relationships, value lists, or other database schema.
1FileMaker WebDirect does not support Table View. Script steps or script step options that
change the view to Table View are not supported. If a layout’s default view is Table View, the
layout displays in a different view. If no other views are enabled, the layout displays in List View.
1FileMaker WebDirect does not allow users to click objects that are located behind other layout
objects, even if the front-most objects are transparent or if users click empty space in an object
group. Rather than stacking multiple objects:
1use calculated values for tab labels
1add icons to buttons instead of stacking images in front of buttons
1group multiple objects and apply button settings to the group
1FileMaker WebDirect offers limited text styles: rich text, highlighting, paragraph text styles, and
tab stops are not supported.
1FileMaker Pro Advanced custom menus have no effect in FileMaker WebDirect solutions.
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 14
Step 3: Optimize performance
As the host for the solution, FileMaker Server processes data entered through FileMaker WebDirect,
performs calculations, runs scripts, and processes script triggers. The web browser renders layouts
and communicates the web user’s actions to FileMaker Server. For an example of how
FileMaker WebDirect and FileMaker Server communicate, see “FileMaker WebDirect architecture”
on page 7.
How efficiently FileMaker WebDirect can perform these tasks is affected by:
1the processing capabilities of the web user’s device
1the number of web users concurrently accessing the solution
1the quality of the web user’s network connection
1the amount of data transferred between FileMaker Server and the web browser
1the frequency with which the web browser communicates with FileMaker Server
The web browser communicates with FileMaker Server whenever:
1a record is created, opened, committed, or deleted
1the current record is changed
1the layout is changed
1a calculation is evaluated
1a script is performed
1a script trigger is activated
To improve the overall performance of your FileMaker WebDirect solution, you should minimize
the amount of data transferred between FileMaker Server and the browser, the frequency with
which the browser communicates with FileMaker Server, and the amount of processing the web
browser must perform when rendering each layout.
Keep the following best practices in mind:
1In List View and portals, minimize the number of layout objects displayed simultaneously.
1Minimize the number of portals and panel controls.
1Minimize the use of unstored calculations and script triggers.
Improving HTML performance
Reduce the amount of HTML transferred between FileMaker Server and the web browser to make
layouts change faster, records load faster, and script triggers activate faster.
To reduce the amount of HTML in your solution:
1create several layouts with a minimum of objects rather than one layout with many objects
1reduce the number of tooltips on each layout
1keep image sizes appropriate for web use
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 15
Improving CSS performance
Reduce the amount of CSS in the solution to improve the web browser’s layout rendering
performance. Layouts with large amounts of CSS may load slowly, particularly on devices with
limited processing capabilities.
To reduce the amount of CSS in your solution:
1choose or create simple themes, such as themes that do not use gradients or image slices
1create custom themes and custom styles rather than overriding existing themes and styles
1reduce the use of object states on each layout object
1minimize conditional formatting
Step 4: Design layouts for mobile browsers
Web users access FileMaker WebDirect solutions with mobile devices that have different screen
sizes and resolutions. To provide an optimal experience for mobile browsers, identify the target
devices for your solution, and design your solution to adapt to each device.
Keep these points in mind:
1Design each layout for the smallest device in a range of devices, and configure the auto-resize
options for layout objects to expand based on the web browser’s height and width.
1In some mobile browsers, users may not be able to view objects near the bottom edge of a
layout if the layout is larger than the mobile device’s viewable area.
1Mobile browsers can’t zoom out beyond the area that is displayed when the web user enters
the layout.
1In some browsers, zooming in to the layout may lead to unexpected results.
1Use the OnLayoutSizeChange script trigger to change layouts if the browser dimensions
change to be greater or smaller than a certain height or width, such as when a mobile browser
changes orientation.
1To make it easy for web users to read and select the objects on small screens, use one of the
Touch themes or increase the size of fonts and layout objects.
1Make fields large enough to display and print the data contained in the field. In the web browser,
fields don’t expand when they are active and field contents are truncated if the contents don’t
fit within the field boundaries.
1To allow users to commit records, design a scripted button or leave enough inactive space on
the layout so that web users can click outside fields on small screens.
1FileMaker WebDirect does not support saving snapshot links, importing records, exporting
records, or exporting the contents of container fields from mobile browsers.
1When a solution launches from the Home screen of an iOS device, the solution opens in a full-
screen web browser window, minimizing the web browser controls and increasing the space
available for layouts. If you require mobile web users to launch the solution from the Home
screen, add instructions to your solution’s documentation. See “Step 10: Document your
solution” on page 22.
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 16
Step 5: Set the solution icon and options for layouts, views, and tools
You should set an identifiable solution icon, direct web users to layouts appropriate for their
devices, and display the tools applicable to your FileMaker WebDirect solution.
Setting the solution icon
The solution icon identifies your solution in FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center and distinguishes
it on that server. You can specify a custom icon or choose a pre-designed icon from a list. See
FileMaker Pro Help.
Setting the initial layout and view
When a FileMaker WebDirect solution is set to perform a script at startup, users see the results of
that script each time they open the solution. To determine which layout and view web users see
when they open the solution, use the OnFirstWindowOpen script trigger with a startup script that
includes the following script steps:
1Go to Layout [ ]
1Enter Browse Mode [ ]
1View As [ ]
To send web users to layouts appropriate for their devices, identify which devices and web
browsers are running your solution. See “Functions” on page 19.
You can also specify a starting layout in the FileMaker Pro File Options dialog box. See
FileMaker Pro Help.
Hiding the menu bar and status toolbar
The controls and options in the menu bar and status toolbar allow users to create, edit, delete,
import, export, find, and sort records; switch views and modes; open Help; and so on. If you want
to present your own interface for performing tasks, you can hide the menu bar and the status
toolbar when the file opens.
To suppress FileMaker WebDirect controls, set the menu bar and status toolbar to hide by default
in the FileMaker Pro File Options dialog box. See FileMaker Pro Help.
For multi-file solutions, you must suppress FileMaker WebDirect controls in each file.
To prevent web users from being able to create new records:
1hide the menu bar and the status toolbar
1use the FileMaker Pro Manage Security dialog box to edit record access and creation privileges
Important When you suppress the FileMaker WebDirect controls, web users are completely
dependent on your scripted buttons. You must include buttons that let web users navigate and log
out of the solution as well as perform other tasks. Thoroughly test your solution to make sure you
have provided users all required functionality. See “Testing, monitoring, and securing a solution”
on page 30.
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 17
You can include scripted buttons on your layout to:
1add, select, navigate, and delete records
1import and export records
1specify search criteria and perform find requests
1sort the records
1change layouts and layout views
1continue or cancel scripts that may have paused
Provide documentation to help users interact with your solution, as the instructions included in
FileMaker WebDirect Help may not apply. See “Step 10: Document your solution” on page 22.
Step 6: Set up tasks for web users
In addition to entering or modifying data, your solution may require web users to perform other tasks.
Specifying the sort order
Web users can sort data based on fields on the current layout. To control which fields web users
can sort:
1hide the menu bar and the status toolbar, then create buttons that are scripted to sort the data
1use the Manage Security dialog box to restrict access to layouts with a user’s account
Working with graphics, sounds, and movies
Container fields store and display pictures, sounds, movies, and files. Container data can be
embedded inside the solution itself or stored externally.
Note FileMaker WebDirect does not support container data that is linked by reference.
Referenced container data displays as a static icon and can’t be exported.
You can optimize container fields for static content or for interactive content:
1By default, container fields are optimized for static content. Web users can’t play video or audio
files, or open PDF files. Web users see either a static graphic or a link to the container field object.
1Container fields optimized for interactive content allow web users to play media files and to
interact with PDF files. To optimize the container field as an interactive container, select the
Interactive content option in FileMaker Pro using the Inspector.
Note Web users insert a file as interactive content by dragging the file into the container field.
You can define scripts that use the Insert Picture, Insert Audio/Video, and Insert PDF script
steps.
Web browsers provide inconsistent support for media files, and browser versions may vary on
different operating systems. Some browsers may not correctly insert, display, or play certain
media files. For example, video files may play as audio files if the video file format is not supported
by the browser or operating system.
Web users may be prompted to unblock content before it can be played.
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 18
Web users may be prompted to install browser plug-ins. For example, web users may be
prompted to install Windows Media Player or QuickTime Player to play media files. If you know
which browser your web users will use, then test your media files with that browser.
The recommended file types appear in the table below.
Working with virtual windows
Web users can navigate between multiple virtual windows in a single web-browser window to view
a solution in different layouts, views, modes, and so on. Only one virtual window displays in the
browser window at a time, but inactive virtual windows remain open when they are not visible.
Virtual windows are opened, closed, and manipulated using script steps. For information about
individual script steps, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Keep these points in mind:
1If you open a new virtual window with the New Window script step, provide scripted buttons to
navigate and close the virtual windows.
1Close unused virtual windows with the Close Window script step.
1If you design a script to perform an external script from a FileMaker data source and you want
to return to the original window, add a Select Window [Current Window] script step immediately
after the Perform Script step in the original script.
1If you use the Exit Application script step or close the last virtual window with the Close Window
script step, the script ends the user’s session and takes the user back to FileMaker WebDirect
Launch Center.
Importing and exporting data
Web users may need to share data between the solution and another application. In
FileMaker WebDirect, web users can import and export the following file formats:
Note To import from a FileMaker Pro file, web users must have access to an account in the file,
and the account must have the FileMaker WebDirect extended privilege enabled.
Exported or saved files are downloaded to the web browser’s default download location.
For this kind of media Use these recommended file types
Video file .mp4
Audio file .mp3
Image file .jpg, .png, .gif
File format Import Export
FileMaker Pro X
Tab-Separated Text X X
Comma-Separated Text X X
DBF X X
Merge X X
Excel X
HTML Table X
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 19
Step 7: Enable users to log out of the solution
It is important that web users properly close their sessions by opening the menu bar and then
clicking Log Out. If they close the browser window or quit the browser before logging out, their
sessions may still be open, which might:
1prevent others from accessing the solution if the maximum number of connections has been
reached
1prevent the solution from running scripts assigned to script triggers (see “Script triggers” on
page 21)
1cause a script to continue running until the specified timeout occurs, which may lead to
unexpected results
1make data vulnerable to hackers until the specified timeout occurs
To minimize these situations, set the session timeout to a short amount of time or create a scripted
button to safely log out web users. See “Disconnecting inactive web accounts” on page 27 and
“Working with virtual windows” on page 18.
Note If you hide the menu bar, create a scripted button to log out web users. See “Hiding the
menu bar and status toolbar” on page 16.
Step 8: Review the functions, scripts, and script triggers in your solution
Some functions, scripts, and script triggers are not supported in FileMaker WebDirect or perform
differently than in FileMaker Pro. Review all calculations and scripts in your solution to make sure
they perform the desired tasks.
Functions
Functions in FileMaker WebDirect are useful for generating or manipulating data.
For information about individual functions, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Keep these points in mind:
1To create conditional behaviors based on the type of client, use the Get(SystemPlatform)
function. If the function returns 4, the current user is accessing your solution with
FileMaker WebDirect.
1You can detect the operating system and web browser running your solution by using the
Get(SystemVersion) function. If you have difficulty identifying the device, use
Get(WindowWidth) and Get(WindowHeight) to identify the appropriate layouts for the device.
1When the GetLayoutObjectAttribute function acts on a web viewer or a chart in
FileMaker WebDirect, the content and source attributes return an empty string.
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 20
Scripts
FileMaker Pro scripts are useful for automating frequently performed tasks or for combining
several tasks. When used in FileMaker WebDirect, scripts can allow web users to perform more
tasks, or to easily perform a series of tasks simply by clicking a button.
FileMaker WebDirect supports more than 100 script steps. To see which script steps are
supported, open the Script Workspace window in FileMaker Pro, click , then choose
FileMaker WebDirect. Dimmed script steps are not supported in FileMaker WebDirect.
Although many script steps work identically in FileMaker WebDirect, several work differently, such
as the Windows script steps.
For information about individual script steps, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Keep these points in mind:
1Use accounts and privileges to restrict the set of scripts that a web user can execute. Verify that
the scripts only contain script steps compatible with FileMaker WebDirect, and only provide
access to scripts that should be used from a web browser.
1Consider the side effects of scripts that execute a combination of steps that are controlled by
access privileges. For example, if a script includes a step to delete records and a web user does
not log in with an account that allows record deletion, the script does not execute the Delete
Record/Request script step. However, the script might continue to run, which could lead to
unexpected results.
1You can set scripts to run with full access privileges to perform tasks that you would not grant
individuals access to. For example, you can prevent users from deleting records with their
accounts and privileges, but still allow them to run a script that would delete certain types of
records under conditions predefined within a script.
1If a script encounters an unsupported script step (a step that is not compatible with
FileMaker WebDirect) or an unknown script step (a step that is obsolete or unrecognized), the
script step is skipped and the script continues to execute.
1In FileMaker WebDirect, scripts can't access the client's file system. Web users must select files
to import or insert, and exported or saved files are downloaded to the web browser's default
download location.
Show script steps that
are compatible with
FileMaker WebDirect
FileMaker Pro Script Workspace window
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 21
1Script steps can’t enter a field if access to the field is restricted by either the Browse Mode or
Find Mode option in the Inspector.
1If the Pause/Resume Script step pauses a script and the web user is idle for longer than the
session timeout specified in the FileMaker Server Admin Console, the web user’s connection
will close and the script will end early, which may lead to unexpected results. See
“Disconnecting inactive web accounts” on page 27.
1Any script that uses a portion of field data should include the Set Selection script step because
FileMaker WebDirect can't detect selections made by the user. This includes script steps such
as Cut, Copy, Paste, Clear, Insert Text, Insert Calculated Result, Insert From Last Visited, Insert
From URL, Insert Current Date, Insert Current Time, Insert Current User Name, and Find
Matching Records.
1If a script sends an email message via an email client, limit the To, CC, BCC, Subject, and Body
fields to 2000 characters total. If the email message contains more than 2000 characters, the
web browser may not allow FileMaker WebDirect to send the message.
1Scripts in FileMaker WebDirect can't add attachments to email messages. Web users must
manually attach saved or exported files to email messages.
Script triggers
As in FileMaker Pro, user actions (such as the user clicking a field) and scripts can activate script
triggers in FileMaker WebDirect. For example, if a FileMaker WebDirect user clicks a field that has
an OnObjectEnter script trigger, the trigger is activated.
For information about individual script triggers, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Keep these points in mind:
1FileMaker WebDirect does not support the OnLayoutKeystroke and OnObjectKeystroke script
triggers.
1FileMaker WebDirect does not support using the OnObjectModify script trigger to monitor
keystrokes in a field (such as when a web user enters text via a keyboard, an input method
editor, or a predictive-text suggestion). Monitoring keystrokes with OnObjectModify may reduce
performance or lead to unexpected results.
1If a web user closes a browser window or clicks the web browser's Refresh button,
FileMaker WebDirect leaves the current session without logging out or activating the
OnWindowClose and OnLastWindowClose script triggers. If the web user clicked the Refresh
button, FileMaker WebDirect then creates a new connection to FileMaker Server, activating the
OnFirstWindowOpen and OnWindowOpen script triggers.
Chapter 2 | Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 22
Step 9: Set up external data sources
In addition to data entered by web users, FileMaker WebDirect solutions can access external
ODBC and FileMaker data sources.
Setting up external ODBC data sources
To support authentication with an external ODBC data source in FileMaker WebDirect, use
FileMaker Pro to store the user name and password for the external data source in the solution.
See FileMaker Pro Help.
If a solution is configured to use ODBC data source single sign-on, users will be prompted to enter
authentication information when attempting to access the ODBC data source.
For information about external ODBC data sources, see FileMaker Server Help.
Setting up external FileMaker data sources
To access external FileMaker data sources in FileMaker WebDirect, all referenced database files
must be hosted on the same FileMaker Server deployment as the FileMaker WebDirect solution.
To support authentication with an external FileMaker data source in FileMaker WebDirect, the
FileMaker WebDirect solution and the external data source should have matching account names
and passwords assigned to privilege sets with the FileMaker WebDirect extended privilege enabled.
If the web user's account name and password in the FileMaker WebDirect solution do not match
an account in the external data source, the user will be prompted to sign in to the external data
source when the FileMaker WebDirect solution attempts to access it.
For information about external FileMaker data sources, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Step 10: Document your solution
Provide documentation on a separate layout or webpage to explain how web users should interact
with your solution, especially if the solution includes many layouts and scripted buttons.
You should include the following information in your documentation:
1Browsing and finding records: Let web users know that they work with data in Browse mode
and search for records in Find mode. Instruct users how to create, edit, delete, find, and sort
records.
1Navigating the solution: Tell web users how to view records in appropriate layouts and views.
1Closing the session: Tell web users to open the menu bar and then click Log Out to properly
close their connection to FileMaker Server. For more information, see “Step 7: Enable users to
log out of the solution” on page 19.
1Layout objects: Create tooltips for layout objects to help web users understand how to interact
with the solution. Tooltip text appears in a web browser’s default text style.
1Pop-up blockers: Tell web users how to disable their browser’s pop-up blocker. Some pop-up
blockers prevent FileMaker WebDirect from sending mail.
Chapter 3
Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution
You can share layouts from your database on the web dynamically with FileMaker WebDirect and
FileMaker Server. If your server computer is connected to a LAN or WAN, you can share your
FileMaker WebDirect solution without requiring additional software.
Follow these steps to publish and manage a FileMaker WebDirect solution.
Sharing a FileMaker WebDirect solution
To publish a database on the web as a FileMaker WebDirect solution, use FileMaker Pro to
determine which user accounts can access the solution from a web browser and then upload the
database to FileMaker Server.
Choosing which users can access a solution
For web users to access a FileMaker WebDirect solution, each database file must be configured
to allow access to one or more privilege sets.
To configure a database for FileMaker WebDirect:
1. Open the database in FileMaker Pro.
2. Choose File menu > Sharing > Configure for FileMaker WebDirect to open the
FileMaker WebDirect Settings dialog box.
3. Choose the filename to publish on the web from the list of open files.
FileMaker WebDirect Settings dialog box in FileMaker Pro
Choose a file to
share on the web
Specify which
users can access a
published solution
Suppress the filename in
FileMaker WebDirect
Launch Center
Chapter 3 | Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 24
4. Choose which users can access the file.
Note If you change the FileMaker WebDirect access to file setting while users are logged
in, those users do not lose their connections and can continue using the solution until they log
out or their sessions time out. If you make other changes to FileMaker WebDirect settings while
guests are logged in to a solution, guests lose their connections and are returned to
FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each database you want to publish.
6. Click OK or choose additional settings.
Tip Select Don’t display on FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center in the
FileMaker WebDirect Settings dialog box to suppress a filename from appearing in
FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center. This is useful if your solution includes multiple files and
you don’t want all the filenames displayed.
7. Close the database.
Keep these points in mind:
1Assigning access to files in the FileMaker WebDirect Settings dialog box changes the extended
privilege settings in the associated user’s privilege set. You can review and modify the
Extended Privileges settings directly in the Manage Security dialog box. For more information
on setting or modifying access privileges, see FileMaker Pro Help.
1The list of open files and file access options in the FileMaker WebDirect Settings dialog box are
dimmed if you don’t have Full Access privileges or the privileges to manage the extended
privileges for a file.
1Web users can open solutions without specifying a password if the Guest account is set up for web
access or an account name and password are specified in the File Options dialog box in
FileMaker Pro.
1If a solution developer creates a script that includes the Re-Login script step, web users can
change their login accounts without leaving the solution (for example, to switch from the Guest
account to an account with more privileges).
Choose To
All users Provide access to anyone who has the IP address or domain name of the
server hosting the database.
Specify users by privilege set Allow select users access to the FileMaker WebDirect solution.
Users may be asked to enter their account name and password, defined in
the Manage Security dialog box, depending on the settings in the File
Options dialog box. See FileMaker Pro Help.
No users Prevent any user from accessing the FileMaker WebDirect solution.
Chapter 3 | Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 25
Uploading a FileMaker WebDirect solution to FileMaker Server
To make a FileMaker WebDirect solution available to web users, you must host the database files
in the solution on FileMaker Server. You can upload database files to FileMaker Server with
FileMaker Pro.
Note For information on manually uploading databases to FileMaker Server, see FileMaker Server
Help.
To upload a database using FileMaker Pro:
1. Choose File menu > Sharing > Upload to FileMaker Server.
The Upload to FileMaker Server dialog box appears.
2. In the Hosts list, choose the host you want to upload files to.
Or, for Host Address, type the host’s IP address or domain name (as host.domain.com).
3. Enter your FileMaker Server Admin Console name and password, then click Next.
4. Click Browse, select the database file that you want to upload, and click Open.
5. Select Automatically open databases (on server) after upload to make your
FileMaker WebDirect solution available immediately after the upload.
6. Click Upload.
FileMaker Pro updates the status for each file to indicate whether the upload was successful.
7. Click Done.
Changing FileMaker WebDirect settings in Admin Console
To change language and connection settings, run FileMaker Server Admin Console on a machine
that has network access to the FileMaker Server deployment that is hosting your solution.
Note For a full description of Admin Console features and functionality, see FileMaker Server
Help.
To start Admin Console:
1. Open a web browser and enter:
https://<host>:16000/
where <host> is the IP address or domain name of the master machine in your
FileMaker Server deployment.
Before the FileMaker Server Start Page appears, your web browser may ask you to respond to
a security message. This is normal behavior for the self-signed certificate that is included with
FileMaker Server. Select the option to continue. For information about using certificates with
FileMaker Server, see FileMaker Server Help.
2. Click Start Admin Console.
3. Enter the name and password for the Admin Console account, then click Log In.
Admin Console starts and displays the Status pane.
Chapter 3 | Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 26
Limiting the list of solutions in FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center
You can limit the list of hosted solutions displayed in FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center to only
those solutions each web user can access. Web users will be prompted for their account
information before they view FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center.
To limit the list of solutions:
1. Open Admin Console.
2. Click the Database Server > Security tab.
3. Select List only the databases each user is authorized to access.
4. Click Save.
Choosing a language for FileMaker WebDirect
By default, FileMaker WebDirect displays its interface, tooltips, and onscreen Help in your web
browser’s current language. If FileMaker WebDirect can’t detect the web browser’s language or
doesn’t support the web browser’s language, it uses the language specified in the Admin Console.
Choosing or changing the language has no effect on your actual data.
To specify the language:
1. Open Admin Console.
2. Click the Web Publishing > FileMaker WebDirect tab.
3. For Status Area Language, select the language to display.
4. Click Save.
Checking the maximum number of connections
By default, FileMaker Server supports one FileMaker WebDirect or one FileMaker Go connection
at a time. To share information with multiple simultaneous web users, you can purchase additional
concurrent connections at the FileMaker Store or by clicking Buy More Connections in the
General Settings > Connections tab of Admin Console.
When the maximum number of connections is reached, additional web users see an error
message in the web browser when they try to access the solution.
To view the maximum number of connections allowed:
1. Open Admin Console.
2. Click the General Settings > Connections tab.
3. View the Maximum connections number.
Chapter 3 | Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 27
Keep these points in mind:
1If you think the server has reached the maximum number of users erroneously, it’s possible that
a web user has not logged out of the solution properly. You can wait for the sessions to time
out, close the file to disconnect all web users from the solution, or disconnect specific web users
via Admin Console. See FileMaker Server Help.
1Web users should avoid accessing the same solution from multiple browser windows or in
multiple tabs of the same browser window. Each browser window or tab uses its own
connection to the server, which may cause the server to reach its maximum number of
concurrent connections quickly. See “Working with virtual windows” on page 18.
Enabling SSL encryption
Consider using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption to secure communication between
FileMaker WebDirect and FileMaker Server. SSL certificates digitally identify the sender, receiver,
or both parties to provide secure connections between FileMaker Server and FileMaker clients.
See FileMaker Server Help.
Important If you are not the server administrator, contact the server administrator before making
changes to FileMaker Server security settings.
Keep these points in mind:
1The standard FileMaker SSL certificate installed by default with FileMaker Server is available
only for test purposes.
1If you enable SSL encryption, you should import a custom SSL certificate from a Certificate
Authority supported by FileMaker. If you enable SSL encryption without importing a custom SSL
certificate, FileMaker WebDirect prompts web users with security messages and may not open
solutions in some web browsers.
1If SSL is enabled for database connections but progressive downloading is set to use an
unencrypted connection, images on layouts and data in interactive containers may not appear
in the web browser.
Disconnecting inactive web accounts
You can specify the amount of time web users remain connected to the solution when their session,
or connection to the web server, is idle. Sessions are considered idle when web users do not submit
requests from the web browser, such as finding, creating, or submitting changes, changing layouts,
and so on. A session also becomes idle when the web user closes the web browser window, moves
to another website, or quits the web browser without opening the menu bar and clicking Log Out.
To specify the duration that a session can be idle before it times out:
1. Open Admin Console.
2. Click the Web Publishing > FileMaker WebDirect tab.
3. For Session Timeout (minutes), specify the amount of time before disconnecting idle web
users (from 1 to 60 minutes), then click Save.
If you are concerned that web users might not log out of the solution properly, specify a short
session timeout. You can also create a scripted button to log out web users. See “Working with
virtual windows” on page 18.
Chapter 3 | Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 28
Accessing a FileMaker WebDirect solution
Web users access FileMaker WebDirect solutions via FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center.
FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center displays icons and names for each of the
FileMaker WebDirect solutions hosted on a FileMaker Server installation.
To prevent a solution from displaying in FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center, see “Limiting the list
of solutions in FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center” on page 26.
To access FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center:
1. Open the web browser and enter:
http://<host>/fmi/webd
where <host> is the IP address or domain name of the FileMaker Server deployment.
2. Click a solution’s filename to open the solution.
Keep the following points in mind:
1
In some cases, web users can type the domain and host name of the FileMaker Server host
rather than the IP address, for example
http://accounts.yourcompany.com/fmi/webd
.
Or, they can type the host name, for example
http://yourcompany.com/fmi/webd
.
Contact your Internet service provider or network administrator for information about mapping a
domain and host name to an IP address.
1To access a solution over a connection with SSL encryption, use https:// before the host’s
IP address or domain name. See “Enabling SSL encryption” on page 27 and FileMaker Server
Help.
Linking to a database from an HTML page
Rather than having web users type the IP address or domain name to access your solution, you
can create an HTML page that specifies a link to your solution.
Keep these points in mind:
1To link to a database or FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center over a connection with SSL
encryption, use https:// before the host’s IP address or domain name. See “Securing your
data” on page 31 and FileMaker Server Help.
1FileMaker WebDirect supports the / character before the database name in URLs and accepts
the following URL syntax: http://<host>/fmi/webd/<database name>.
1If you close your solutions frequently, or if web users access a number of solutions, consider
linking to FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center, which dynamically creates links for all
databases that are open and shared with FileMaker WebDirect.
To view Use this link
FileMaker WebDirect Launch
Center
http://<host>/fmi/webd
A particular database http://<host>/fmi/webd#<database name>
A particular database and run a
script
http://<host>/fmi/webd#<database name>[?script=<script name>
[&param=<script parameter>][&<$variable name>=<value>]]
Chapter 3 | Publishing a FileMaker WebDirect solution 29
1If possible, host solutions on a static IP address or use a domain name. In some environments,
a new IP address is assigned dynamically to a computer every time it reconnects to the
network.
1If a database name, script name, script parameter, variable name, or variable value contains
spaces or other special characters, replace the characters with the corresponding encoded
values required for valid URLs. For example, replace a space character with %20.
Using a custom homepage
To use a custom homepage for your FileMaker WebDirect solutions, place an HTML file in the web
server’s root folder. This folder is on the machine in your FileMaker Server deployment where the
web server is running. The following shows the default locations.
1For IIS (Windows) through HTTP or HTTPS:
[drive]:\Program Files\FileMaker\FileMaker Server\HTTPServer\conf
where [drive] is the drive on which the Web Publishing Engine component of your
FileMaker Server deployment resides.
1For Apache (OS X) through HTTP:
/Library/FileMaker Server/HTTPServer/htdocs
1For Apache (OS X) through HTTPS:
/Library/FileMaker Server/HTTPServer/htdocs/httpsRoot
You can create your own homepage, such as one that redirects web users to another page on your
website, or you can use the fmwebd_home.html file that is on the disk image as a basis for your
custom homepage. Be sure to make a copy of the original file before modifying it.
To access your custom homepage, use the following URL syntax:
<scheme>://<IP address>/<filename>
For example, if your custom homepage is xyz_home.html and your Web Publishing Engine’s IP
address is 192.168.123.101, you would direct users to the following URL:
http://192.168.123.101/xyz_home.html
To return web users to a custom homepage when they log out, add the homeurl parameter to
each FileMaker WebDirect solution's URL. For example:
http://192.168.123.101/fmi/webd?homeurl=http://192.168.123.101/
xyz_home.html#Contacts
You can set homeurl to the custom homepage's URL or any other URL.
Chapter 4
Testing, monitoring, and securing a solution
Before notifying web users that your FileMaker WebDirect solution is available, it is important to
verify that it looks and functions as you expect.
1Test features like finding, adding, deleting, sorting, importing, and exporting records with
different accounts and privilege sets.
1Verify that various privilege sets are performing as expected by logging in with different
accounts. Make sure unauthorized users can’t access or modify your data.
1Verify that all container fields store and display container data as expected. See “Working with
graphics, sounds, and movies” on page 17.
1Test all scripts and scripted buttons to verify that the outcome is expected. See “Scripts” on
page 20 for information on designing scripts that will work well in web browsers.
1Test your solution with different operating systems and browsers.
1If the webpages aren’t displaying properly, see “FileMaker WebDirect requirements” on
page 10 and review chapter 2, “Designing a FileMaker WebDirect solution.”
Testing your database with a network connection
To access a published solution, open a web browser, type the IP address of the FileMaker Server
deployment followed by /fmi/webd, and press Enter or Return. See “Accessing a
FileMaker WebDirect solution” on page 28.
Testing your database without a network connection
Test your database in all compatible web browsers on your FileMaker Server computer.
To access FileMaker WebDirect solutions on the host computer, open a web browser, type
http://127.0.0.1/fmi/webd, and press Enter or Return.
FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center should display a list of all open database files that have
FileMaker WebDirect enabled. If you don’t see an open, shared database listed, see “Accessing
a FileMaker WebDirect solution” on page 28.
Monitoring web activity with log files
Use the Log Viewer in FileMaker Server Admin Console to view activity, client access, and other
information about your FileMaker WebDirect solutions. For information on using the Log Viewer,
see FileMaker Server Help.
To log activity for FileMaker WebDirect solutions:
1. Open Admin Console. See “Changing FileMaker WebDirect settings in Admin Console” on
page 25.
2. Click the Web Publishing > General Settings tab.
Chapter 4 | Testing, monitoring, and securing a solution 31
3. Select Enable logging for Web Publishing, then click Save.
For a list of error codes and descriptions, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Keep these points in mind:
1Entries are added to a log file in the order that FileMaker Server processes them.
1You can also use FileMaker Pro functions to track user activity. See FileMaker Pro Help.
Securing your data
When you publish a FileMaker WebDirect solution, it is very important to determine who should
have access to the data and to specify which tasks users can perform. For more information on
securing your database, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Keep these security considerations in mind when publishing solutions on the web:
1User accounts operate the same regardless of which technologies clients use to access your
solutions. For example, if you create an account that restricts access to deleting records, users
who access the solution with that account name and password will not be able to delete
records, whether they access the data from FileMaker WebDirect, an ODBC data source, or
FileMaker Pro.
1When enabling access to solutions via FileMaker WebDirect, assign accounts and privilege
sets to web users rather than providing access to all users.
1If an account limits record-by-record browse privileges but does not limit the privilege to delete
records, it is possible for users to delete records they cannot view.
1Consider using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption to secure communication between
FileMaker WebDirect and FileMaker Server. See “Enabling SSL encryption” on page 27.
1As operating system vendors continue to patch security problems, they may disable certain
features, often in conjunction with security settings within the user’s web browser. Such
changes might disable or change the behavior of web viewers in FileMaker WebDirect. If such
changes affect your solution, tell users how to change security settings in their browsers to
allow web viewers to function properly, or ensure that the URLs used by your web viewers are
for trusted webpages only.
Appendix A
Design considerations
Although FileMaker WebDirect is very similar to FileMaker Pro, some aspects of FileMaker
solutions behave differently on the web. Keep the following considerations in mind as you design
your solution.
General considerations
1FileMaker WebDirect does not support gestures or animations.
1Modifying a solution while web users are connected could produce unexpected results. For
example, if you save changes to a layout that web users are accessing in List View, each web
user’s current record is changed to the first record in the found set.
1Use fonts that are installed on all target operating systems. If a font is not available to a web
browser accessing a FileMaker WebDirect solution, the web browser substitutes its default font
for the unavailable font.
1Objects and grouped objects should not span multiple layout parts. If an object or group of
objects spans multiple parts, it displays only in the layout part in which it is anchored.
1To identify the current record, style the layout body part’s Active object state to identify the
current record. The current record indicator is not supported in List View. See FileMaker Pro
Help.
1If you copy an object from a layout that uses the Classic theme, change the object to use a style
defined in the target layout’s theme.
1If layout text wraps to a new line, increase the size of the text boundaries in the FileMaker Pro
layout. For example, if the text is aligned left, drag the lower right handle slightly toward the
right.
1The highlight, superscript, and subscript conditional formatting options are not supported.
Underline, word underline, and double underline are all rendered as regular underline.
1Tooltips are not supported with the following layout objects: text, images, fields that do not allow
entry, merge fields, merge variables, portals, charts, and web viewers that do not allow
interaction.
1Popovers do not resize when the window resizes, so design popovers with the size of the web
browser window in mind. Resizing a browser window to be smaller than an open popover or
opening a popover that is larger than the current window could produce unexpected results.
1Make sure that all SVG files conform to the SVG standard. FileMaker WebDirect does not
support non-standard SVG files. See FileMaker Pro SVG Grammar for Button Icons.
1
When you print FileMaker WebDirect records, the web browser prints the records you see
onscreen. Printed pages may not match the layout you see onscreen and may contain layout parts
and objects that are not printed in FileMaker Pro, such as navigation parts and placeholder text.
Appendix A | Design considerations 33
1Keyboard shortcuts may not function when a menu is open, after a menu has closed, or when
a field is active on the layout.
1
FileMaker WebDirect displays scroll bars according to system preferences. FileMaker WebDirect
does not support the Show scroll bar option in the Portal Setup dialog box.
Mobile browsers
1Mobile browsers do not support the option to always show vertical scroll bars in portals.
1When a script step causes the cursor to enter a field, mobile browsers do not display an
onscreen keyboard.
1Set the FileMaker WebDirect language in FileMaker Server Admin Console before publishing
your solution. Some mobile browsers do not automatically update the FileMaker WebDirect
language after it is changed. To force a mobile browser to update the FileMaker WebDirect
language, clear the browser’s cache.
1PDF files in container fields appear as links. Web users must click the link to download and view
a PDF.
Fields
1If a field uses system formats to display data, FileMaker WebDirect uses the default system
formats for the location in which the solution was created. Default system formats affect date,
time, and timestamp formatting in fields, merge fields, and validation messages.
1Fields can’t auto-complete (type-ahead) field values based on existing values or value lists.
1Sideways text is not supported.
1Line spacing is not supported.
1If users add leading or trailing spaces before or after the data in a text field, the data may not
appear in the text field when the solution opens in FileMaker WebDirect. Tell users to avoid
adding leading spaces. If extra spaces are necessary, make sure the text field length is wide
enough to accommodate the extra spaces, or add a scroll bar to the text field.
Pop-up menus and drop-down lists
1Web users can’t edit value lists by using an Edit item and can’t enter values that aren’t in a value
list by using an Other item.
1Field controls for pop-up menus and drop-down lists do not display leading or trailing spaces
before or after the data for value list items.
Checkbox sets and radio button sets
1Fields that are formatted as checkbox sets or radio button sets organize values horizontally. To
display values vertically, decrease the field’s width.
1Radio button sets and checkbox sets display as standard HTML controls; they do not support
object styles. If they appear cropped, enlarge the fields on the FileMaker Pro layout.
Appendix A | Design considerations 34
Container fields
1Web users can insert a file of up to 300 MB into each container field. To insert files larger than
300 MB, use FileMaker Pro.
1Web users can work with files of up to 300 MB in interactive container fields. If a file is larger
than 300 MB, web users must export the contents of the container field to work with the file. To
work with files larger than 300 MB in interactive container fields, use FileMaker Pro.
1To allow web users to export data from container fields, set Available menu commands to All
in the Edit Privilege Set dialog box.
1To avoid cropping movies, make sure the container field is large enough to display the movie
and the movie controls.
1Plug-in files, XML files, and some sound files may display as a generic file icon when the files
are stored as a file in a container field.
1Only files should be entered as container data. Do not enter text, numbers, dates, times, or
timestamps into container fields.
Panel controls
1Minimize the use of custom styles applied to panel controls. If a custom style is applied to a
panel control, the custom style may appear on other panel controls on the same layout, even if
those controls have different styles.
1Objects placed on the tab label of a tab control are rendered in the panel area.
1Tab controls display with a line separating the tab label and the panel area.
1When designing slide panels in your solution, select Show navigation dots to allow web users
to navigate between slide panels with the slide control’s dots. Slide controls do not support
swiping through panels in the web browser. As an alternative, you can define scripts to control
the navigation between slide panels.
Web viewers
1Some webpages may not load correctly because of security features implemented by the
pages’ authors. Make sure to test all webpages you intend to display in the web viewer.
1Web users might be able to interact with web viewer content in a limited way, even if you clear
the Allow interaction with web viewer checkbox in the Web Viewer Setup dialog box. Limited
interaction can also occur even if a web viewer is defined as a button.
1Webpages that load code—such as JavaScript or references to Java, ActiveX, Flash, or other
plug-ins—run that code within the user’s web browser. Some web technologies may not be
supported or may be supported differently with FileMaker WebDirect. Security settings within
the user’s browser may also prevent the use of these plug-ins.
1If the contents of a web viewer contain one or more comments, use C style comments. C style
comments start with the characters /* and finish with the characters */. FileMaker WebDirect
does not support C++ style comments, which begin with the characters // and finish at the end
of the line.
1If the URL calculated by a web viewer does not include a colon (:), then FileMaker WebDirect
adds the scheme http:// to the beginning of the URL. To avoid errors, include the appropriate
scheme in the web address when you set up a web viewer.
Appendix A | Design considerations 35
1The Back and Forward options of the Set Web Viewer script step are not supported in
FileMaker WebDirect. To navigate backward and forward within a web viewer in
FileMaker WebDirect, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (OS X) within the web viewer and
choose Back or Forward. If the layout has more than one web viewer, the shortcut menu works
only with the web viewer that has most recently changed from one page to another, not
necessarily the one the mouse pointer is over.
1FileMaker WebDirect does not support web viewers whose content is itself published by
FileMaker WebDirect. No webpage displays in a web viewer if the web viewer URL contains
“/fmi/webd”.
1Content in a web viewer may have unintended effects on FileMaker WebDirect. Therefore you
must test the webpages you want to display within a web viewer. For example, a URL (either a
URL calculated from field data or a URL that the user specifies by clicking a link in a web viewer)
can specify a page that has the target=top attribute. This attribute causes the page to replace
FileMaker WebDirect in the web browser window.
Object states
1
Some object states, such as In Focus or Pressed, are not available for all objects or object parts.
1Specify a Pressed state for buttons that are from solutions created with versions of
FileMaker Pro earlier than version 12.0. Otherwise, the buttons will not display a Pressed state
when clicked.
Borders and padding
1Object borders with a thickness that is not a whole number are rounded down to the nearest
whole number. Thicknesses greater than 0 points but less than 1 point are increased to 1 point.
1If you apply a border to a layout part or a layout background, do not place objects on the border.
Otherwise, parts of objects that overlap the border will not render in the web browser.
1If you apply an image slice fill to a layout part or a layout background, do not place layout objects
on or near the image segments that border the layout part or layout background. Otherwise,
layout objects may not render as expected.
1Change an object’s padding to display the object’s contents a set distance from the object’s
border. FileMaker WebDirect does not support indentation.
Hidden conditions
1To hide an object in an object group, apply a hidden condition to the entire object group. Users
can’t click objects located behind hidden objects in object groups unless the entire object group
is hidden.
1If you apply button settings and a hidden condition to an object, apply the hidden condition last.
Otherwise, users may not be able to click objects located behind the object with button settings
when that object is hidden.
Appendix A | Design considerations 36
Tab order
1The tab order might vary from the tab order in FileMaker Pro. Different browsers might support
the tab order in a different manner.
1The tab order in a web browser includes edit boxes, drop-down lists, pop-up menus, drop-down
calendars, and portals.
Multi-file solutions
1FileMaker WebDirect must be enabled in all databases. If you don’t want related files to be
accessed directly, you can exclude a filename from FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center by
selecting Don’t display on FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center in the FileMaker WebDirect
Settings dialog box. See “Choosing which users can access a solution” on page 23.
1Create identical accounts, passwords, and privilege sets in each file in a FileMaker WebDirect
solution. When users enter the account and password for the first file, the information is used
to authenticate related files.
1Web browsers can’t display fields on a layout that are from another file, unless web users have
access to an account in the file, and the account has the FileMaker WebDirect extended
privilege enabled. This limitation also applies to calculation fields that are based on field values
from other files.
1When a solution contains references to a protected related file that it is not authorized to
access, web users cannot authorize access to the protected file in FileMaker WebDirect.
Consequently, when web users open the solution, the file does not contain any data from the
protected file. To prevent this, be sure to use FileMaker Pro to authorize all files that reference
protected files. For more information on authorizing access to protected files in a multi-file
solution, see FileMaker Pro Help.
Index
A
accounts and privileges
extended privileges 24
setting 24
testing 30
Admin Console
accessing 25
checking maximum number of connections 26
choosing a language for FileMaker WebDirect 26
limiting solutions by account 26
setting session timeout 27
audio files 18
authentication
external FileMaker data sources 22
external ODBC data sources 22
B
browsers, web. See web browsers
C
checkbox sets 33
Clear script step 21
Close Window script step 18
conditional formatting 32
connections, maximum number 26
container fields
design considerations 34
storing and referencing data 17
Copy script step 21
CSS3 in FileMaker WebDirect 7
custom homepages 29
custom menus in FileMaker Pro Advanced 13
Custom Web Publishing 11
Cut script step 21
D
Database Server 7
Delete Record/Request script step 20
designing solutions 12
disconnect
idle accounts 27
setting timeout 27
documentation, creating for solutions 22
drop-down lists 33
E
embedded container data 17
Enter Browse Mode script step 16
Exit Application script step 18
export data 11
Export Records script step 10
exporting, allowed file formats 18
extended privileges, setting 24
external data sources
FileMaker 22
ODBC 22
externally stored container fields 17
F
file formats, exporting and importing 18
FileMaker data sources, external 22
FileMaker Pro
publishing files from previous versions 10
static publishing 11
FileMaker Server
components 7
Custom Web Publishing 11
security 11, 27, 31
FileMaker WebDirect
concurrent connections 26
custom homepage 29
described 6, 7
dynamic IP address 11
requirements 10
static IP address 11
web user access, setting up 24
FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center
hiding files in 24
limiting the list of solutions by account 26
testing 30
filenames, suppressing in FileMaker WebDirect Launch
Center 36
Find Matching Records script step 21
functions, using in FileMaker WebDirect 19
G
Get(SystemPlatform) function 19
Get(SystemVersion) function 19
Get(WindowHeight) function 19
Get(WindowWidth) function 19
GetLayoutObjectAttribute function 19
Go to Layout script step 16
Guest account, with FileMaker WebDirect 24
H
HTML5 in FileMaker WebDirect 7
HTTP/HTTPS in FileMaker WebDirect 7
I
idle sessions, disconnecting 27
image files 18
implicit interaction model, described 8
Import Records script step 10
importing, allowed file formats 18
38
Insert Audio/Video script step 17
Insert Calculated Result script step 21
Insert Current Date script step 21
Insert Current Time script step 21
Insert Current User Name script step 21
Insert From Last Visited script step 21
Insert From URL script step 21
Insert PDF script step 17
Insert Picture script step 17
Insert Text script step 21
interactive containers 17
IP (Internet Protocol) address
dynamic 11
static 11, 29
ISP (Internet service provider) 11
J
JavaScript in FileMaker WebDirect 7
L
language, choosing for FileMaker WebDirect 26
log files 30
M
maximum number of connections, FileMaker WebDirect 26
menus, custom 13
monitoring web activity 30
movie files 18
N
network clients, solution design 12
New Window script step 18
O
Object states 32
ODBC data sources 22
OnFirstWindowOpen script trigger 16, 21
OnLastWindowClose script trigger 21
OnLayoutKeystroke script trigger 21
OnLayoutSizeChange script trigger 15
OnObjectEnter script trigger 21
OnObjectKeystroke script trigger 21
OnObjectModify script trigger 21
OnWindowClose script trigger 21
OnWindowOpen script trigger 21
OS X, FileMaker WebDirect requirements 10
P
Paste script step 21
Pause/Resume Script script step 21
Perform Script script step 18
popovers 32
pop-up menus 33
protected related files, unauthorized 36
publishing solutions
connecting to Internet or intranet 11
from previous versions of FileMaker Pro 10
R
radio button sets 33
Re-Login script step 24
requirements, FileMaker WebDirect 10
RTF (rich text formatting) 13
S
sandbox, described 10
script steps
Clear 21
Close Window 18
Copy 21
Cut 21
Delete Record/Request 20
Enter Browse Mode 16
Exit Application 18
Export Records 10
Find Matching Records 21
Go to Layout 16
Import Records 10
Insert Audio/Video 17
Insert Calculated Result 21
Insert Current Date 21
Insert Current Time 21
Insert Current User Name 21
Insert From Last Visited 21
Insert From URL 21
Insert PDF 17
Insert Picture 17
Insert Text 21
New Window 18
Paste 21
Pause/Resume Script 21
Perform Script 18
Re-Login 24
Select Window 18
Set Selection 21
Set Web Viewer 35
Show Custom Dialog 8
View As 16
script triggers
OnFirstWindowOpen 16, 21
OnLastWindowClose 21
OnLayoutKeystroke 21
OnLayoutSizeChange 15
OnObjectEnter 21
OnObjectKeystroke 21
OnObjectModify 21
OnWindowClose 21
OnWindowOpen 21
using in FileMaker WebDirect 21
scripts
testing 30
using in FileMaker WebDirect 20
39
security
See also accounts and privileges
considerations 31
data access 31
guidelines 5
Select Window script step 18
sessions, logging out 19
Set Selection script step 21
Set Web Viewer script step 35
settings
accounts and privileges 24
changing in Admin Console 25
language 26
monitoring activity 30
timeout 27
Show Custom Dialog script step 8
slide controls 34
solutions
accessing 28
designing 12
optimizing 14
testing before publishing 30
uploading 25
SQL data sources. See ODBC data sources
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption
considerations 11, 27, 31
linking to a solution 28
static container fields 17
static IP address 29
static publishing, in FileMaker Pro 11
status toolbar, changing language in 26
T
tab controls 34
testing a published solution 30
timeout setting 19, 27
tooltips, adding to solutions 22
U
uploading solutions 25
URLs, link to FileMaker WebDirect Launch Center 28
V
video files 18
View As script step 16
virtual windows, working with 18
W
web browsers
open database URL 28
plug-ins 18
Web Publishing Engine 7, 13
web server 7
web technologies
described 7
effects on designing solutions 9
web users
assigning access to solutions 24
tracking activity of 31
web viewers
designing 34
security 31
testing 35
Windows, FileMaker WebDirect requirements 10

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