Something Between 'Full Site' and Find/List view

[JerrySalem]

I am building a PHP site for a database. It is not for users to add data, just for information purposes.

I would like the user to enter find criteria, get a list view, and be able to drill down to a form view page.

The site assistant seems to give you all or nothing choices. Is there any trick to building the three 'layout' solution that I want.

Or am I stuck with using the site assistant to build an entire site, then cut away the edit pages, and reports pages that I don't need?

[Baloo]

Depending on how familiar you are / want to get with PHP and web page development, you could just build your own pages using the PHP API.

Take a look at the API example code included with FM Server. Here's where the installer put it on my Mac.

/HD/Library/Filemaker Server/Examples/PHP/API Examples

I don't know where the installer places it on a Windows server

[JerrySalem]

Thanks for that pointer.

I didn't know about that tutorial.

I don't don't mind having to rework the web pages, I was hoping for some type of shortcut so I can use the site assistant to only include those features I select without manually removing them.

Jerry

[Baloo]

It's not a tutorial just a simple site using the API. IMHO it's way easier to deconstruct than the site assistant's code.

Also from my experience with the site assistant: if it doesn't spit out exactly what you want, you'll save yourself truckloads of time just starting from scratch.

[gwjo]

I find it really frustrating trying to edit the php pages generated by the site assistant. Does anyone have, or can point me to, a guide that explains the syntax needed for the API? My php expert colleagues tell me that it is not standard php and that I should establish the logic behind it so that we can build up a site from scratch. Any ideas would be appreciated.

(The old Claris homepage, that I used in producing web applications for FM4.1 had a library of html compatible code for all the interfacing commands - something like this for FM php would be absolutely great!)

Thanks,

George

[Genx]

Does anyone have, or can point me to, a guide that explains the syntax needed for the API? My php expert colleagues tell me that it is not standard php

Rubbish. It is a series of classes written in "standard php" - if your collegues say this then they must also think that half of the libraries out there are not "standard php".

The best place to start would probably be a google search for "FileMaker PHP API documentation" the first hit for which brings up the following: http://www.filemaker.com/downloads/pdf/fms10_cwp_php_en.pdf . Look at chapter 5 in particular which is titled "Using the FileMaker API for PHP"

Edited July 11, 2009 by Guest

[Baloo]

Rubbish. It is a series of classes written in "standard php"

True, but If one's only exposure to the API is via the Site Assistant's output I can certainly see how one would come to that conclusion.

The Site Assistant is not the API; it is a wizard which spits out (IMHO) a bunch of garbage PHP code that uses the API. Your colleagues are correct that you're better of starting from scratch than attempting to tweak the site assistant's code. Between the White paper Genx pointed to and the API example code included with FMS (see my earlier post) any decent PHP programmer should be able to figure out how to get started.

[Genx]

True, but If one's only exposure to the API is via the Site Assistant's output I can certainly see how one would come to that conclusion.

I guess I could agree with that - that being said, stating that something is not "standard php" is a bit of a broad stretch. Even the messiest code is still standard. To clarify I despise the code that the site assistant generates. I just took a look at the FM sample code however and I have to say it has improved significantly.