Can FileMaker have hooks into MySQL?

September 30, 2005 1:58 PM

I have a MySQL database that contains two fields - name and e-mail - for a bunch of records. Separately I have a FileMaker 7 database that contains the same fields - name and e-mail - and contains other fields, like "notes". My question: can the FileMaker database, after polling the MySQL database, show name and e-mail as read-only; and then show the other fields as editable? i.e. if I make a change to the MySQL database, can I get it to show up in FM?

More generally, is there a way to get a FM7 database to poll a MySQL database and do things on that basis?

posted by mark7570 to computers & internet (2 comments total)

Let me say my Filemake knowledge is a little out of date (v. 6). FM Pro supports ODBC so yes it is technically possible but you'll need a piece of middleware, Lasso comes to mind. If this is a one-time once-in-a-while kind of thing you can just export the mysql data as a csv file and import it into FM. A little scripting and you could have it auto update but that's pretty cludgy.

If I were you I would dump FM and fold the data into the mysql db and slap a web front end on that bitch.


posted by Mr T at 3:43 PM on September 30, 2005

Yes. You need to connect your MySQL database to the system using MyODBC. From there FM should be able to recognize the database and perform queries on it.

I should add, however, that the creator of FileMaker is rabidly anti-everything-else-that-isn't-FileMaker, and is (in)famous for reinventing the wheel whenever possible, in some proprietary FileMaker-only design. While it's easy to jump into databases with FM, the formats, standards and conventions of FM are very dissimilar to the styles of more robust database packages, and making the transition can be a painful process. I advise you take Mr. T's suggestion and ditch FileMaker completely.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 11:15 AM on October 1, 2005