Basic FMP PHP questions

[victorialine]

OK, I have done some research on using FMP and PHP and FX – but I still have some questions that I cannot find the answers to. I’ll set up what I understand and what my questions are, and I completely appreciate any assistance that anyone can give (to either correcting anything that I misunderstood, or answering a questions).

So, what I am going to use this for is a website for a company that does conferences and training courses. We want people to be able to search for courses by city, date, or subject matter.

To do this, we are going to need a webpage that gets the info from FMP. Here are things that I do understand:

the db has to be loaded on a server that is able to “serve out” FMP databases to the web pages.

For the server to be able to do that, it has to have FMP Server and PHP....and preferably FX:PHP.

PHP is the language on the webpage that says “hey, go look for this data from a database and bring it back to me” - as opposed to being simply what is written in HTML.

the best way for PHP to talk with FMP is for the server to have FX:PHP.

so then the webpage goes and gets the data (city/name of course, whatever was requested) and returns the data to the webpage for the user. (and in fact, if the user were to look at the source code, they would see HTML, not PHP)

it’s a pain in the rump to set up your own server, and for something like this (couple of web pages, versus, say, a university site with lots of dynamic pages), and therefore it’s advisable to use a outside server, such as Point In Space (don’t have to maintain server, don’t have to get FMP Server, load PHP, FX etc. etc. etc.).

OK, so that is what I think I understand.

(please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on any of that)

So, now for my questions:

the server has to have PHP and FX on it? The web mistress does not have to have PHP and/or FX on her computer?

the web mistress needs to know how to WRITE the PHP bits of code on the webpage in with the other HTML code on there? That is just the same as learning any other language (HTML, XHTML, etc.)

is there a way to “test drive” the FMP data on a web page to see if it is what we want to do, without signing up for a server agreement?

Is the PHP and FX bits of code that the web mistress would write the same? Is the difference between PHP and FX just on the server, or is it a different code on the web page?

are there security issues with doing this? Can this db be the same one that holds all the client data, or should they be separate databases for security reasons?

can the server that hosts FMP be different from the server that hosts the main website? Any reason to have them the same or have them different?

in terms of performing the search of the database (ex: show me all courses in Chicago, show me all courses in September) - can you point me in the direction of some good resources on how to code the webpage to perform that search. (I have looked at some PHP books, but was not sure when I was looking at them that they were exactly what I needed).... I’m sure that I’ll have to read around about this, but a good shove in the right direction would be most welcome.

is there any problem with writing the page with PHP/FX using GoLive or Dreamweaver?

Many thanks,

Vic

Edited July 20, 2006 by Guest

[Garry Claridge]

Re: OK, so that is what I think I understand.

(please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on any of that)

That is pretty good

So, now for my questions:

the server has to have PHP and FX on it? The web mistress does not have to have PHP and/or FX on her computer?

Correct

the web mistress needs to know how to WRITE the PHP bits of code on the webpage in with the other HTML code on there? That is just the same as learning any other language (HTML, XHTML, etc.)

Correct. Except learning PHP is a bit different to learning HTML etc because PHP is programming (with actions such as 'selection' and 'repetition'.

is there a way to “test drive” the FMP data on a web page to see if it is what we want to do, without signing up for a server agreement?

I believe Point-In-Space may have a test-drive service!

Is the PHP and FX bits of code that the web mistress would write the same? Is the difference between PHP and FX just on the server, or is it a different code on the web page?

FX is just adds some functionality to PHP. That is, it gives you functions for accessing the FMP database from within PHP.

are there security issues with doing this? Can this db be the same one that holds all the client data, or should they be separate databases for security reasons?

You can build in quite a bit of security.

can the server that hosts FMP be different from the server that hosts the main website? Any reason to have them the same or have them different?

Yes, it can be a different server (no problems with this at all).

in terms of performing the search of the database (ex: show me all courses in Chicago, show me all courses in September) - can you point me in the direction of some good resources on how to code the webpage to perform that search. (I have looked at some PHP books, but was not sure when I was looking at them that they were exactly what I needed).... I’m sure that I’ll have to read around about this, but a good shove in the right direction would be most welcome.

Try the FMWebSchool web site for tutorials and books etc.

is there any problem with writing the page with PHP/FX using GoLive or Dreamweaver?

Should be OK. However, a lot of people use a text editor.

Good Luck.

Garry

[John May - Point In Space]

OK - here's some answers:

- To use FileMaker with PHP requires using not just FileMaker Server, but FileMaker Server Advanced.

- FX.php is simply a class for PHP that helps with accessing FileMaker via its XML interface. What this means is FX.php is some pre-written code that makes communicating with FileMaker via PHP easier. Any server that runs PHP can run FX.php - it just needs to be installed in the root directory of your site.

- We do certainly offer FileMaker and (FX.)PHP hosting. All our accounts include a 30 day trial, so you can try it out and if you don't like it, cancel within 30 days for any reason and owe nothing. Details at www.pointinspace.com

- For training on FX.php programming, a great resource is FMWebSchool - www.fmwebschool.com

- You can certainly use your same database for normal FileMaker usage and (FX.)PHP interfacing. FileMaker 7/8 has a security system that lets you set different privleges for each interface type.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions as well. Thanks!

- John

[victorialine]

After these questions were answered, I spoke with John May, of PointInSpace via private email with some further questions. I am posting those questions and answers for the benefit of the forum. Thanks a MILLION you guys for answering my questions. You guys ROCK!

QUESTION:

Ok, a few more things that I'm still not clear on: You say FX.php is simply a class for PHP that helps with accessing FileMaker via its XML interface.

(And just so that you know, I deal with the database, but someone else is the web mistress)

OK, so I have no experience with accessing FM via the XML interface.... Is there anything that I need to do with respect to the programming of FM to be able to have it feed the website? Does the database just need to be uploaded on to the server and it's ready to go?

ANSWER:

You need to enable the fmxml extended privilege set. The FX.php instructions, I believe, cover this. Otherwise, this is certainly something we provide instruction on to our clients.

QUESTION:

Then if we had this set up, in order to change the data that shows up on the internet pages, we would just change the data in FM?

ANSWER:

Correct.

QUESTION:

Also, I understand the 30 day trial - the thing is that we are not close to going live with the new site (waiting on branding/new logo design work). However, I'm in the position of convincing others in the business that this is the way forward.

What I'd like to have is two things:

1. a short trial so that I can demo the use of it for the other people at the company, and 2. I don't know if it's possible to get some 'canned code' to be able to have the data show up on a web page... For demo purposes.

Would that be possible?

ANSWER:

We do not offer demo accounts, sorry, nor do we have any canned code. For the first, I would suggest joining the FileMaker Solutions Alliance to get a developer copy of FileMaker Server Advanced, which would let you develop/demo locally without needing a service like ours. You can get this with the lowest membership level, and it is limited to 3 IPs accessing it.

For canned code, I'd suggest checking out fmwebschool.com.

QUESTION:

So then - on sort of another topic with respect to FM and servers: If we had the full database (client data/registrations/marketing info etc.) on the server - in order to access it, would it be VIA the FM application? Or via a web browser? What do I have to do to access it?

ANSWER:

You can access databases running on a server like ours via any/all of the following:

FileMaker Network Sharing (logging in with a local copy of FileMaker)

Instant Web Publishing

XML/XSLT Custom Web Publishing

FX.php

Lasso

QUESTION:

Does it work the same as when I have the db on my computer (with, of course, the exception that I have to be online to access it)?

ANSWER:

Yes - exactly the same.

QUESTION:

It is easy to upload/download the database? Is it like uploading/downloading things to a website (via FTP)?

ANSWER:

Yes, we offer our Database Manager, which allows you to use FTP to upload/download your database without our intervention.

QUESTION:

With the db on the server, am I still able to deal with programming issues while it's there, or do I have to upload the newly programmed db?

ANSWER:

You can edit the live database on the server - no need to make changes locally + upload.

QUESTION:

One more question: you said: You can access databases running on a server like ours via any/all of the following:

FileMaker Network Sharing (logging in with a local copy of FileMaker)

Instant Web Publishing XML/XSLT Custom Web Publishing FX.php Lasso

What is the difference between using FX.PHP and XML/XSLT Custom Web Publishing?

I thought that using FX.PHP was using the custom web publishing - now I'm not sure if I need to go back to the drawing board to research this.

Would XML/XSLT would that be something that we would use to do the web pages that I mentioned - or would it just be for us to access our database oursleves?

(am crawling back over to google now....)

ANSWER:

XML/XSLT is another way of publishing your databases to the web, like FX.php or Lasso. I would highly suggest against it though, as it is very complicated, and not particularly flexible, and there isn't a lot of documentation available out there on such.

THANKS JOHN!!!