Filemaker FMP URLs

Jeremiah HammondSenior Technical Project Leadhttps://www.dbservices.com

FMP URLS

Questions

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don’t get to your question, please send it to fba@dbservices.com

Agenda

What’s an FMP URL?Structure of FMP URLsUnlocking the Potential of Web ViewersDemosAdditional Resources

About DB Services

•We are a team of analysts, developers, and designers creating custom applications to make your organization more effective and efficient. Learn more about our FileMaker services on our website.

•If you leave this presentation wanting learn more! Check out our FileMaker Blog where we post new content each month.

•To learn more about DB Services, check out our website at www.dbservices.com

Background

Work

Read more on me on our website, https://www.dbservices.com/, in the About section

• Member of FM Academy• Article included in FM Newsletter• Global presence (Canada, Europe,

Africa)• Team focused on adding value

• Tech Lead at DB Services• Certified in 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10• Working in the FileMaker industry

for over 8 years• Sponsor at FileMaker Developer

Conference

About You

Have you ever used an FMP URL to build a feature in a FileMaker

system?

What’s an FMP URL?

What’s so special about FMP URLs anyway?

+ =FMP URL

Magic Hat Image from http://files.softicons.com/download/web-icons/magic-people-icons-by-dapino/png/256x256/magic_hat.png

Structure of an FMP URL

fmp://[[account:password@]netaddress]/databasename[?script=scriptname[&param=scriptparameter]

[&$variablename=value]]

Structure of an FMP URL

fmp://[[account:password@]netaddress]/databasename[?script=scriptname[&param=scriptparameter]

[&$variablename=value]]

fmp://

Structure of an FMP URL

fmp://[[account:password@]netaddress]/databasename[?script=scriptname[&param=scriptparameter]

[&$variablename=value]]

fmp://JohnDoe:ifdg4Life@

Account Password

Structure of an FMP URL

fmp://[[account:password@]netaddress]/databasename[?script=scriptname[&param=scriptparameter]

[&$variablename=value]]

fmp://JohnDoe:ifdg4Life@127.0.0.1

Account Password IP Address

Structure of an FMP URL

fmp://[[account:password@]netaddress]/databasename[?script=scriptname[&param=scriptparameter]

[&$variablename=value]]

fmp://JohnDoe:ifdg4Life@127.0.0.1/Invoices.fmp12

Account Password IP Address File Name

Structure of an FMP URL

fmp://[[account:password@]netaddress]/databasename[?script=scriptname[&param=scriptparameter]

[&$variablename=value]]

fmp://JohnDoe:ifdg4Life@127.0.0.1/Invoices.fmp12?script=HelloIFDG

Script

Structure of an FMP URL

fmp://[[account:password@]netaddress]/databasename[?script=scriptname[&param=scriptparameter]

[&$variablename=value]]

fmp://JohnDoe:ifdg4Life@127.0.0.1/Invoices.fmp12?script=HelloIFDG&param=abc

Script Script Parameter

Structure of an FMP URL

fmp://[[account:password@]netaddress]/databasename[?script=scriptname[&param=scriptparameter]

[&$variablename=value]]

fmp://JohnDoe:ifdg4Life@127.0.0.1/Invoices.fmp12?script=HelloIFDG&param=abc&$showExtraDialog=1&$

extraDialogMessage=Hiya

Variable 2

Variable 1

Special Placeholders for IP Address

~ fmp://~/Invoices.fmp12?script=HelloIFDG

$ fmp://$/Invoices.fmp12?script=HelloIFDG

* fmp://*/Invoices.fmp12?script=HelloIFDG

Best Practices

URL Encoding

Dynamically generating file and script names

The Essentials

To recap, there’re only three required components to an FMP URL: fmp://, IP address, and file name (no ext)

fmp://127.0.0.1/Invoices

This is a valid FMP URL

Everything else is optional

Unlocking the Potential of Web Viewers

Image from http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140903193524/computerscience/images/c/ce/Javascript_logo_unofficial-300x300.png

FMP URL+

Calling the FMP URL in Javascript

Self.Location or Window.Location

Data URLs

Getting Javascript Files into a Web Viewer

Some Things to Keep in Mind

FMP URL script is asynchronous

Embedding Javascript in FileMaker calc = hard to read

URL encode on the Javascript side

There’s a way around the 2048 character limitation on Windows

Web viewers can’t be used everywhere

Takeaways

The world of Javascript is at your disposal

Can solve problems that were previously not possible without a plugin

Must have some comfort with web languages

Keep as much of the business logic in FileMaker as possible

Additional Resources

Starting Points

A collection of FMP URL, Web Viewer and Data URL examples

http://blog.jsfmp.com/post/95206822956/collection-of-fmp-url-web-viewer-data-url-examples

Limitation Info & Workarounds

Browser URL Length Restrictionshttp://www.boutell.com/newfaq/misc/urllength.html

The FileMaker Web Viewer as a Javascript Calculation Engine (Workaround to Character Limitation on Windows)http://www.seedcode.com/filemaker-webviewer-javascript-calculation-engine/

Web UI Controls & JS Libraries

Native Web 2.0 Controls in FM 12Layoutshttp://buzz.beezwax.net/2012/04/21/native-web-2-0-controls-in-filemaker-12-layouts

jQuery Demo Sitehttp://jqueryui.com/menu/