Linking FM to SQL Server via ODBC?

[Bryan VonDeylen]

We just switch our Student Information System from SASIxp and MacSchool to Infinite Campus, which uses Microsoft's SQL Server.

I know very little about ODBC, but I have purchased Actual Technologies, ODBC driver, and I can do ODBC imports with no problem. The Campus developer has even done some Stored Procedures for me to get information into FileMaker Pro.

BUT, after I get the information into FileMaker, I don't see how I can keep it updated, other than continually deleting all records and re-importing. Try to use the Match field to Update takes forever.

The Campus developer told me I should be able to "Link" Filemaker to Campus, but I don't see any information about this at all. They are MS Access people and claim Access can do this.

What I am after is this.

I want a Filemaker database that is always updated with the latest information from Campus. I would also like to be able to change some data in Filemaker and have it written back to the Campus database.

I would like to be able to do this on my OS X machine. I have both Filemaker Pro 6v4 and Filemaker Pro 7v2 for OS X.

I currently have the database on a FileMaker Pro Server, and I have just put in the order for FileMaker Pro 7 Advanced Server.

But the question goes back to ODBC. Can I make a link between FM and SQL Server?

thanks,

[email protected]

[laker_42]

Brian,

You can link FMP & SQL Server. It works really well to pull info from SQL into FMP as you have noticed but it takes some work to get it to go the other way. You have to build the SQL query in scripts and then issue the query against SQL Server. I have not issued an update statement from FMP to SQL but I can't imagine that you will get too good of performance. You may consider looking into some third party plug-ins to accomplish this. It will probably be a better & stronger solution. I can't remember any exact names but I know they are out there.

Your Access guys are right. Access does this very well compared to Filemaker. It would be awesome if FMP worked as well as Access as a front end to SQL Server. Maybe sometime in the future but not right now.

HTH,

John