Hi there,

I have an offer to buy Scriptology Developer's Toolkit for $200. How does that compare to FileMaker Pro Advanced Scripting 5 volume CD set from MAC Academy? Which one would you rather get?

Thanks

Get the Toolkit. I am sure that both are good, but Matt Petrowski's work in the toolkit is very impressive.

I agree. Mac Academy does not focus all their efforts on just FileMaker Pro. I've seen some OLD Mac Academy FileMaker Pro videos, and they didn't impress me that much, but I still have my old Sciptology book by my side. (for FileMaker version 3).

Right now I am reading Special Edition Using FileMaker Pro 5 by Rich Coulombre, and Jonathan Price. The first chapter was VERY helpful. (design analysis, planning, documenting, client management, etc..). Not much as far as Web development, so I've ordered and started reading Lasso Professional 5 Developer's Guide (With CD-ROM) by Duncan Cameron, and Bill Doerrfeld. I'm only a few pages into it so I can't comment on it yet.

What's in the Toolkit that's not in Scriptology the book (and CD that comes with it)?

there is a big difference between the scriptology book, and the 4 cd set. the cd set it worth the money, especial at $200. it has a lot of FMP files on it that help a great deal development, and Matt also goes over more advanced things than are covered in the scriptology book. the dev. kit makes the scriptology book like beginner techniques. these are the chapters of the scriptology dev. kit. the first 3 cds are video, the last cd is all audio. id get the dev. kit.

cd 1-3

Getting Started

About the tools

Calculations

Cross-platform

Data Structure

Intefration

Interface Design

Layout Skills

Plug-ins

Scripting

Time Savers

Templates Overview

Calendar file

Directory file

Faxes file

Help file

Reports file

Search file

Startup file

Users file

Wizard file

the audio cd has these tracks:

introduction

authors background

being a filemaker pro developer

making money with filemaker pro

working with people

running a consulting business

selling commercial solions

on the other hand, John Mark Osborne is the author of the MacAcademy FMP 5 Scripting series. i have the 5 cd set on scripting from MacAcademy, and they have a lot of great stuff on ScriptMaker. one tip though, if you buy them from Jogn Mark Osborne's site, you also get all the technique files he is discussing in disc 3,4 and 5. if you buy those CDs from MacAcademy (like i did) you dont get the technigue files. i emailed JMO and he sent me the technique files since i had bought things from his site in the past.

so the 5 cd scripting set is also great, but its only on ScriptMaker (which is not a bad thing). the 4 cd dev. kit has more than just stuff on scripting. it also has a lot of resources like a code db, a apple script db, an apple script converter db etc, technique files, template files, a full invoicing solution.

so i guess it depends on what you want i guess. the dev. tool kit sure shows you how to put a spit polish shine on your solutions. the scripting set from JMO demenstrates a heck of a lot of calculations.

Is it possible to purchase the Scriptology Developer's Toolkit without taking the class?

Yes, goto www.scriptology.com and you'll see the toolkit for sale.