From the course: FileMaker Pro Essential Training

Introducing the FileMaker platform - FileMaker Pro Tutorial

From the course: FileMaker Pro Essential Training

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Introducing the FileMaker platform

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- [Instructor] Before we get started with our exercises, I'd like to take a moment to first introduce you to the different products in the FileMaker platform. The FileMaker 19 platform is really a set of tools and technologies that enable you to create, deploy and manage custom business apps. Now, you can create these custom business apps on either Mac or Windows and then deploy them for access to users that are using iOS devices or even web browsers. First in the platform is FileMaker Pro. And this is the standard user version of FileMaker Pro that is actually desktop software that can run on Windows and Mac, allowing you to design and build custom apps. Now, you can also use FileMaker Pro to access and use FileMaker custom apps that were built by others. And also, it's all you're going to need to use all the different exercises in this title. FileMaker Pro has a set of advanced tools which are general preference settings that extend the functionality of FileMaker Pro. It also has some interesting tools that developers find useful, like data viewers or script debuggers. These advanced tools also allow you the ability to create things like custom menus and custom functions that can be used by other people that are accessing your app. These additional tools in FileMaker Pro are an essential part of a developer's toolkit, making them a must-have product for those that'll be creating or maintaining FileMaker apps. Next is FileMaker Server. FileMaker Server's an application that either gets installed on premises on either one to two dedicated server machines that you manage or in the cloud. FileMaker Server allows you to deploy custom apps that can be shared amongst many different users. And all of those users can access them at the same time. So essentially hosting a file in FileMaker Server allows you to enable multi-user access to your custom apps. Deploying custom apps on FileMaker Server also allows access to FileMaker apps using FileMaker WebDirect, which is a web browser technology, or even using custom web technologies, or even the FileMaker Data API. All of these technologies would require that your app be hosted on FileMaker Server. So in addition to allowing multi-user access, it also allows you additional security layers, access to the Data API and even some web publishing. The FileMaker platform also has a really exciting option for sharing your databases to anyone using an iOS device. Anyone who has an iOS device that wants to gain access to one of your FileMaker-hosted custom apps or even a local file that you've created, would need to go to the iTunes store and download an app called FileMaker Go for 19. This app can be downloaded for free on the iTunes store. And once installed on an iOS device, will allow users to access your custom apps, including on an iPad, an iPhone or an iPod touch. This app can provide access to files that are either hosted locally, or transferred over to the device, or multi-user files that are currently hosted on FileMaker Server. I previously mentioned FileMaker WebDirect. This isn't so much a product as it is a deployment option. FileMaker WebDirect runs custom apps directly in a web browser on either desktops, or devices like tablets or phones. And with FileMaker WebDirect you don't need coding tools like you would normally with web applications, like HTML or CSS, JavaScript or PHP. Instead, using your existing FileMaker skills, you can go from creating a custom app, to making it accessible in a web browser in just a few clicks. This does require that you host your app on FileMaker Server. Other than that, it's pretty easy to deploy to a browser. Apps deployed on FileMaker WebDirect will look and act just like they do on the desktop applications and they'll give your users familiar functionality, such as desktop-style interaction, live updates and automated processes. FileMaker actually does have a product that's called FileMaker Cloud. This is the FileMaker Server's product bundled together with hosting. It allows you to be able to provide secure, reliable access to your custom apps for users that either have FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Go or WebDirect, all without the administrative hassle. FileMaker Cloud will run on AWS servers, and it provides the easiest and most affordable way to manage and run your custom apps, all without having to set up your hardware, manage your own hardware, deal with updates, deal with all the security settings and even certificates, while still being able to enjoy the benefits of FileMaker Server. Understanding the entire FileMaker platform can help you plan for your current and future custom app needs and to use the right products that work together across iPad, iPhone, Windows and Mac desktops or even the web to streamline your business.

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