JDBC: FM 7 as a data source

[PTNorman]

I've just discovered that while FileMaker Pro 7 includes JDBC support, it is implemented in such a way as to make it impossible for FileMaker databases to be used as data sources. This functionality is required to use WebObjects and Filemaker 6 via the WooF plugin.

Does anyone have any idea why this has been dropped in FileMaker 7? Is anyone aware of FileMaker's plans? To perhaps include this facility in FileMaker 7, via an update, for instance?

It seems strange that this was dropped. The question for me is: was it dropped due to development time or product strategy? That is, was it taking the developers too long to incorporate this functionality in time for release, or has it been dropped because FileMaker wants customers to use the builtin web-publishing features of FM 7?

Check out the related statement by Woof's developer:

http://www.360works.com/woof_fm7.html

Check out the FileMaker site's note regarding JDBC and using FM7 as a data source:

http://www.filemaker.com/products/fmsa_overview.html#access

Any thoughts? Thanks for any input/ideas/suggestions!

-Peter

Version: v6.x

Platform: Mac OS X Panther

[Steven H. Blackwell]

This is a bit outside my area of expertise so I hesitate to go into it in any detail. Both ODBC and JDBC functionality are now going to be principally server based using FileMaker Server 7 Advanced.

Steven

[Wim Decorte]

AFAIK FM7 can only act as a datasource to the localhost only. You can not connect to it from another machine on the network. That functionality is now server-based as Steven indicates. And that's the way it should be since it provides much better stability.

HTH

Wim

[Mariano Peterson]

Does this mean I can expect FM7's data access components to run outside the user context, and instead in the system context, as a service?

[Steven H. Blackwell]

There will be an exhaustive tech Brief on this avaialble soon. Please check back to:

www.filemaker.com/upgrade/techbriefs.html

If it doesn't appear in a week or so, remind me and I'll inquire further.

Steven

[Leader]

This is at least the 2nd or 3rd time over the years that FM's parent has taken features out of the base product and required you to pay more $$$ to get the more expensive FM version. We've all had smallish clients willing to license FM Pro for a few hundred bucks, but they choke when you say, "Oops, FM took out the myxlkj3 feature, so you have to now buy the $2500 Server."

[JMP]

In response to your posting about JDBC/ODBC support in Filemaker 7 has there been a TechBrief posted yet?

[JMP]

So this capability to serve as an ODBC/JDBC data client or source on local host is essentially the same capability that was provided in Filemaker 6?

[schwa]

Has anyone gotten any information on this? We've been trying to get some straight answers from FileMaker, but keep hearing vague responses. What we want to do is the following: make a query, via JDBC, from a Solaris box to FM7 Advanced running on Windows. Is this possible?