Solutions to search a large related FMDB

[DDaniel]

Hello,

I have to develop a database in filemaker (5.5, Win NT) with a lot of relations sometime going through many files. I would like to offer the user a simple << google-like >> search utility across mutiple fields (ANDed keywords). For example in a db with four searchable fields with the query "red apple" would yeld each record which have a "red" in one field an "apple" in another and anything in the two others (and possibly "red apple" in one and anything in the others, etc, ...)

I think I already know the techniques to do so in fm. That is either use a calculation field which concatenates info of searchable fields, and then search on this field. Either by using a multiple OR query. However I the former spoils resources, and the latter is limited when it comes to search in say 10 fields with four ANDed keywords. It would use 10*9*8*7 = 5040 requests.

I would like to use a SQL query to do this search. I think it is not possible to do such a query inside fm. So I tried to put the files of the DB as data sources via ODBC and access them via another FM db which would be the consultation database. But filemaker refused to talk to my fm odbc fm data sources.

Using filemaker to consult the database is not a condition for me. We just want to use fm to input data. Could any one point out solutions to dynamically query the fmdb with a sql query and present data to the user (windows NT, MS-Access is installed). What about then going on the web with such a solution ?

Thank you for your answers.

Daniel