FileMaker
FileMaker is a relational database from FileMaker, Inc. of Santa Clara, California, a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple, Inc. The database is suitable for Mac OS X and Windowsoperating systems.
The first version of today's FileMaker was created for the MS-DOSoperating system, and the first version for the Apple Macintosh was released in 1985, a year after the computer was introduced. The current version of FileMaker is offered for standalone workstations and developers, as well as server and server advanced versions, and also with reduced functionality as Bento. Versions for mobile devices were discontinued in 2008.
In contrast to the early versions, FileMaker has now become a relational database that also interconnects multiple tables. As a web database, FileMaker provides information over the Internet. The default FileMaker Pro view presents a toolbar that resembles a browser toolbar and contains functions that previously took several clicks to activate. To speed up searching in large-volume databases, FileMaker saves each find request, which can also be stored with a custom name.
In database practice, scripts for automating standard procedures are also very important in FileMaker. A "Script Trigger" functions like the macros of a spreadsheet and starts certain scripts automatically either after user behavior or after a time interval. Several object- and layout-based Script Triggers are included in the standard scope of the software.
FileMaker opens databases from csv, Tab, Excel or Bento formats. Later versions also process data from multiple SQL sources, including Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Oracle 11g and MySQLCommunity Edition. Forwarding data files as e-mail no longer requires a detour through an e-mail client, because FileMaker sends directly via SMTP.
Small by-product
In addition to the full versions, FileMaker also offers Bento, a low-cost database with reduced functionality. With Bento, small data collections can be created and enhanced with multimedia elements.
For event preparation, Bento also handles email from Apple Mail, as well as spreadsheets from Apple's Numbers, Microsoft Excel, and even AppleWorks, once very popular but now no longer supported by Apple. Since data from multiple application programs can be combined on one datasheet, there's no need to switch between programs. Bento is only available for Apple's Mac OS X and iPhone, however, because the software accesses media from Apple's own Quicktime, iPhoto, and iTunes applications.