[FX.php List] New to FX: A few basic questions

[Bob Patin]

I second others' advice not to use scripts if at all possible with  
PHP. So far I've been able to do some fairly complex things with PHP  
without any scripting; between the wealth of PHP scripts and  
functions available on the web, and PHP's flexibility when compared  
to CDML or Lasso, I think you'll quickly find it to be much easier to  
work with.

Look into session variables; they're immensely valuable and very easy  
to use; not having to deal with tokens as I did with CDML was such a  
relief!

Have fun!

Bob Patin
Longterm Solutions
bob at longtermsolutions.com
615-333-6858
http://www.longtermsolutions.com

   CONTACT US VIA INSTANT MESSAGING:
      AIM or iChat: longterm1954
      Yahoo: longterm_solutions
      MSN: tech at longtermsolutions.com
      ICQ: 159333060


On Apr 4, 2007, at 8:11 PM, Vision Computer Consulting wrote:

> Thank you Kevin and Alex for your help.
>
> Here is a link to FM error codes,
> http://www.briandunning.com/error-codes/?source=FileMaker
>
> Stephen Calia
> Vision Computer Consulting
> info at visioncomputerconsulting.com
>
>
> On Apr 4, 2007, at 5:49 PM, Kevin Futter wrote:
>
>> On 5/4/07 10:09 AM, "Alex Gates" <alex at gandrpublishing.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Stephen-
>>>
>>> I can only help with one of your questions as I'm relatively new  
>>> to this
>>> as well.
>>>
>>> The answer to 1 is yes.  The field that you are retrieving data  
>>> from has
>>> to be on the layout you specify.
>>>
>>> Sorry I can't help with anything else -
>>>
>>> Alex
>>>
>>> Vision Computer Consulting wrote:
>>>> 1. I was a lasso programmer who has been doing PHP/MySQL for the  
>>>> last 4
>>>> years, but I remember that we created a layout that had all  
>>>> fields on it
>>>> to make them accessible to lasso. What I have noticed is that,  
>>>> unless
>>>> the related field is on the layout you are accessing, data in  
>>>> that field
>>>> can't be retrieved. I know that in recent versions of Filemaker  
>>>> one can
>>>> grab data from many layers of related layouts.
>>>>
>>>> That is a long way of asking whether the field you are  
>>>> retrieving data
>>>> from has to be on the layout you specify in SetDBData?
>>>>
>>>> 2. Is data entry FM session based or transaction based?
>>>>
>>>> 3. I am using PHP to do data validation (especially  date and  
>>>> time). Any
>>>> hints on how to format date and time in such a way that FM won't  
>>>> throw
>>>> and error? How do I setup Filemaker to best accept date and time
>>>> information?
>>>>
>>>> 4. Is it a good idea to run FM scripts from FX? If so, any  
>>>> suggestions
>>>> on when it might appropriate to use FX to run an FM script?
>>>>
>>>> Thank you in advance for your help.
>>>>
>>>> Stephen Calia
>>
>> 1. Alex is right - all fields (and value lists) you need must be  
>> on the
>> layout you specify.
>>
>> 2. I'm not sure - I assume it's transacted-based, but that's just an
>> educated guess.
>>
>> 3. Normally FM accepts dates separated only by periods (.) or
>> forward-slashes (/). IIRC, anything else is invalid for a  
>> FileMaker date -
>> off the top of my head mind. Your safest be is just to make sure  
>> that any
>> dates you submit to FM are formatted that way. Remember,  
>> everything you pass
>> to FM (or *any* database) via the web is a string, FM makes it  
>> into whatever
>> data type is specified by the target field definition, as long as it
>> qualifies.
>>
>> 4. No, it's best to avoid running internal FM scripts from the  
>> web, for a
>> variety of reasons - they can compromise security, there can be  
>> data sync
>> issues, they can be expensive server-side and slow down the  
>> transaction
>> queue, etc. I've done it, but only as a last resort.
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> Kevin Futter
>> Webmaster, St. Bernard's College
>> http://www.sbc.melb.catholic.edu.au/
>>
>>
>>
>> ##################################################################### 
>> ################
>> This e-mail message has been scanned for Viruses and Content and  
>> cleared
>> by MailMarshal
>> ##################################################################### 
>> ################
>>
>> This e-mail and any attachments may be confidential. You must not  
>> disclose or use the information in this e-mail if you are not the  
>> intended recipient. If you have received this e-mail in error,  
>> please notify us immediately and delete the e-mail and all copies.  
>> The College does not guarantee that this e-mail is virus or error  
>> free.  The attached files are provided and may only be used on the  
>> basis that the user assumes all responsibility for any loss,  
>> damage or consequence resulting directly or indirectly from the  
>> use of the attached files, whether caused by the negligence of the  
>> sender or not. The content and opinions in this e-mail are not  
>> necessarily those of the College.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> FX.php_List mailing list
>> FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
>> http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list
>>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> FX.php_List mailing list
> FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
> http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list