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FileMaker Training Series (FTS) Sessions FTS | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Vendor Demo
| Day/Time | Session Name | Track  |
Level |
Included in Gold Package or separately for $99 each
 Tuesday10:00 a.m. |
Introduction to the FTS Track (No Fee Required) | Session - FTS | General |
Cristoffer Ippolite (iSolutions, Inc.)
Session Description This session will be open to all DevCon attendees and is designed to discuss the FileMaker Training Series (FTS) track and various topics covered in the particular sessions. Attendees will be introduced to the sessions and also how they may help you prepare for FileMaker Certification. This session is ideal for anyone attending the FTS Track or for those interested in enhancing their skills and learning directly from FileMaker Authorized Trainers.
Products & Technologies
- FileMaker Product Line
What You Will Learn
- Preview the FTS track sessions
- Introductions to the track speakers
- Housekeeping announcements
- Q&A on FTS Track
| Tuesday 10:30 a.m. |
FTS: Data Modeling | Session - FTS | Intermediate |
Rosemary Tietge (FileMaker, Inc.)
Session Description Understanding traditional methods for modeling a relational database is extremely valuable to the FileMaker developer. Entities, Attributes and Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERD) are tried and true concepts for building powerful applications from real-world scenarios. But how do we as FileMaker developers take a conceptual model and turn it into such an application? In this session, we'll explore the process of creating an ERD. We'll then look at the rich set of tools FileMaker provides for translating the diagram into an effective solution. Note: An additional fee is required for all FTS sessions. Attendees will receive one DVD of the FTS materials for one or more sessions (includes modules, videos, exercise and demo files).
Products & Technologies
- FileMaker Product Line
What You Will Learn
- Building a conceptual data model
- How relationships work in FileMaker
- Entity Relationship Diagram vs. the Table Occurrence Graph
- Using the Anchor-Buoy approach to understanding context
| Tuesday 1:30 p.m. |
FTS: Calculations | Session - FTS | Intermediate |
Alexei Folger (FileMaker, Inc.)
Session Description Calculations are, along with scripting, the most essential part of most FileMaker solutions. It's safe to say that all solutions contain calculation fields. But beyond this, calculations are used throughout FileMaker solutions for things such as field auto-entry and validation options, tooltips, filtered portals, conditional formatting and scripts, among others. Because calculation formulas are used so pervasively throughout FileMaker Pro, mastering calculations is one of the crucial steps to becoming a proficient developer. This session will pay particular attention to this diversity of uses. This session assumes participants have a basic understanding of the concept of calculated data and at least a passing familiarity with the FileMaker calculation dialog box. We will build several calculations from the ground up in the course of covering various functions and their use in practical context, giving participants a more concrete and in-depth understanding of how, where and why to use calculations to greatest effect. Note: An additional fee is required for all FTS sessions. Attendees will receive one DVD of the FTS materials for one or more sessions (includes modules, videos, exercise and demo files).
Products & Technologies
- FileMaker Pro
What You Will Learn
- Understand the different types of calculation functions, and which are most common and useful.
- Be able to create calculations.
- Understand the the places calculations are used throughout a database and some contexts in which they add significant power.
- Understand the basics of how to use custom functions and why they are useful.
| Tuesday 3:45 p.m. |
FTS: Scripting | Session - FTS | Intermediate |
Matthew O'Dell (FileMaker, Inc.)
Session Description One of the most important and powerful tools in FileMaker Pro is the Manage Scripts feature, which allows you to create scripted routines that can then be triggered in a variety of ways. Scripts can serve a wide range of purposes, including automating everything from simple navigation tasks to complex reporting and workflow needs. Despite their variety of purposes, there are common design patterns-sequences or arrangements of script steps-that serve as the building blocks for script after script. This session will cover some of these basic design patterns such as interacting with the user, finding data, error trapping, navigating to related records, and looping over a set of records. By focusing on these common patterns, you will learn the building blocks necessary for creating scripts in your own database solutions. Note: An additional fee is required for all FTS sessions. Attendees will receive one DVD of the FTS materials for one or more sessions (includes modules, videos, exercise and demo files).
Products & Technologies
- FileMaker Pro
What You Will Learn
- Learn common scripting patterns
- Create scripts that interact with users, perform finds, and manipulate data
- Use loops to perform iterative tasks
- Set up layout and object level script triggers
| Wednesday 10:45 a.m. |
FTS: Reporting | Session - FTS | Intermediate |
Bob Bowers (Soliant Consulting, Inc.)
Session Description This session will be based on materials from the first two lessons of Module 7 of the FileMaker Training Series (FTS) materials. It will focus on the mechanics of creating both basic and advanced subsummary reports, including how to use layout and summary fields. Attendees will also learn how to use scripts to incorporate reports into the user workflow. Note: An additional fee is required for all FTS sessions. Attendees will receive one DVD of the FTS materials for one or more sessions (includes modules, videos, exercise and demo files).
Products & Technologies
- FileMaker Pro
What You Will Learn
- How to create basic and advanced subsummary reports
- How to incorporate a report into the user workflow
- How to work with layout parts
- How to work with summary fields
| Wednesday 2:00 p.m. |
FTS: Intermediate & Advanced Techniques | Session - FTS | Intermediate |
Aaron Gutleben (Soliant Consulting, Inc.)
Session Description This session presents specific techniques that FileMaker Pro developers often face in real-world situations. The techniques presented focus on sorting portal records, implementing custom menus and designing a dynamic sub-summary list view. This is a hands-on session where attendees will implement the discussed techniques into an existing FileMaker database. Note: An additional fee is required for all FTS sessions. Attendees will receive one DVD of the FTS materials for one or more sessions (includes modules, videos, exercise and demo files).
Products & Technologies
- FileMaker Pro Advanced
What You Will Learn
- Learn how to sort records within a portal
- Understand a technique for creating a "filtered sub-summary list"
- Learn how to implement custom menus in a FileMaker Pro solution
| Thursday 9:00 a.m. |
FTS: Connectivity | Session - FTS | Intermediate |
Mark Richman (Skeleton Key)
Session Description This session covers some of the ways in which FileMaker Pro can share data using ODBC, a database interchange technology. We'll demonstrate how you can easily import data from other sources, such as SQL databases, into your FileMaker Pro solution, and we'll show you how you can make data from your FileMaker Pro solution available to other programs that use ODBC. We'll demystify the basics of these features and discuss some important considerations when choosing which approach is the best fit for a given situation. Note: An additional fee is required for all FTS sessions. Attendees will receive one DVD of the FTS materials for one or more sessions (includes modules, videos, exercise and demo files).
Products & Technologies
- FileMaker Pro
- FileMaker Server
- ODBC
- External Sequel Sources (ESS)
What You Will Learn
- Understand the different ways of getting data into and out of FileMaker Pro using ODBC technologies
- How to use the ODBC Import feature to perform an import or a synchronization of data from an ODBC data source
- How to use the ESS feature to integrate SQL data sources directly with your FileMaker Pro solutions
- How to use a FileMaker Pro solution as an ODBC data source
| Thursday 2:00 p.m. |
FTS: FileMaker Go | Session - FTS | Intermediate |
Aaron Gutleben (Soliant Consulting, Inc.)
Session Description FileMaker Go provides a way for users to go "mobile" with any application, but developers need to be aware of the caveats presented by a mobile environment. This session takes attendees through Module 13 from the FileMaker Training Series by introducing FileMaker Go, focusing on layout design considerations, discussing supported and unsupported script steps, how to handle unsupported steps and then spends some time on advanced topics. In the advanced topics discussion, attendees will learn about handing off complex routines to FileMaker Pro, transactional processing of related records and the new URL scheme which allows FileMaker Go to interact with with other iOS applications. Note: An additional fee is required for all FTS sessions. Attendees will receive one DVD of the FTS materials for one or more sessions (includes modules, videos, exercise and demo files).
Products & Technologies
- FileMaker Pro
- FileMaker Server
- FileMaker Go
What You Will Learn
- Introduction to FileMaker Go
- Designing layouts for mobile use
- Calculations and scripting in FileMaker Go
- Advanced techniques
| Friday 10:45 a.m. |
FTS: Web Publishing | Session - FTS | Intermediate |
Cristoffer Ippolite (iSolutions, Inc.)
Session Description The web technologies in FileMaker Server (and Pro) allow you to give your solutions a very broad reach. However, there are some trade offs to be aware of, which this session will discuss in detail. Web technologies allow users to interact with a FileMaker Pro solution using only a web browser. This session will discuss both Instant and Custom Web Publishing options available as well as considerations for both. There will also be discussion on setting up Web Publishing and the required Server components and additional software you will need to publish your FileMaker data to the web. Additional things you will learn: - XML Grammars - URL Syntax - PHP Site Assistant - Preparing for Certification, What's next? Note: An additional fee is required for all FTS sessions. Attendees will receive one DVD of the FTS materials for one or more sessions (includes modules, videos, exercise and demo files).
Products & Technologies
- FileMaker
- FileMaker Server
- PHP Site Assistant
- Instant Web Publishing
- PHP
What You Will Learn
- Web Publishing options avail and their required Server version
- Instant Web Publishing Review
- PHP Site Assistant
- Server components setup
| Friday 12:00 p.m. |
Preparing For Certification: Next Steps (No Fee Required) | Session - FTS | General |
Cristoffer Ippolite (iSolutions, Inc.)
Session Description Preparing for the FileMaker Certification Exam doesn't stop here. This session will review all the resources available to those who wish to properly prepare for the exam. Recommended reading and additional study guides will be reviewed as well as a discussion on how and where to take the exam. This session will provide tips for proper preparation for those taking the exam, allowing attendees to prepare the "next steps" for preparing for certification. Attendees will also have time to ask questions about Certification. (Lunch will be provided at this session.)
Products & Technologies
- All
What You Will Learn
- Exam logistics
- How the exam process works
- Additional resources for preparing for the exam
- Next Steps for becoming certified