[FX.php List] PHP direct access of FileMaker data

[Chris Hansen]

This is the case with with most databases I've looked at.  Databases  
usually have multiple ways of accessing them, of which ODBC is only  
one.  Also, keep in mind that ODBC!=SQL, and different databases tend  
to have their individual features which depart from both standards.   
So, if you're using PHP's MySQL functions to access MySQL, no, you  
aren't using ODBC; if you're using the ODBC functions, that's another  
matter.

Finally, with FileMaker, and many other databases, ODBC imposes  
something of a performance penalty compared to the direct API because  
of the addition of another layer of software -- the driver.  (In the  
case of FileMaker, I suspect that there's another API built in which  
is what everything else talks to, and which has not been opened up,  
but I have no direct information or evidence to support that...)

--Chris Hansen
   FileMaker 8 Certified Developer
   FileMaker 7 Certified Developer
   Creator of FX.php
   "The best way from FileMaker to the Web."
   www.iViking.org


On Nov 16, 2007, at 3:58 PM, Gjermund Gusland Thorsen wrote:

> The direct access to FileMaker is called XML RPC, ODBC is a detour.
>
> ggt
>
> On 11/16/07, Glenn Singleton <glenn at thesingletons.id.au> wrote:
>> I agree with everything below, and I must ask, what db can I read
>> directly ? mySql and the rest (that I can think of) dont have direct
>> access, they use ODBC to connect or am I missing something ? At least
>> with PHP that is the case, isn't it ?
>>
>> Filemaker comes with ODBC support, have you investigated that ? If
>> you have trouble doing that, then get the client to hire a qualified
>> Filemaker person for 1 hour to setup scripts to export exactly what
>> you want, how you want it.
>>
>> On 17/11/2007, at 1:40 AM, Derrick Fogle wrote:
>>
>>> Open an FM database in a text editor. See the data, in plain text?
>>> Sure, it's possible. Just difficult to reverse-engineer the file
>>> format and not damage the database in the process of reading it.
>>>
>>> Look at CAFEphp. See it connects to FM without server? Sure, it's
>>> possible. It's not even that expensive, and fairly easy.
>>>
>>> Look at FM Server. See it has a PHP API? Sure, it's possible. Just
>>> a little expensive, and a little difficult. But, it works really
>>> well once it is set up.
>>>
>>> The simplest solution to your problem, from my perspective, is
>>> modifying the export of the data from the customer's database so
>>> that you have all the data from all the tables to mirror in your
>>> MySQL DB. I see little difference between the meaning of the
>>> phrases "don't/doesn't want" and "not possible" in the context of
>>> this thread. Dozens of FM developers on this list could create
>>> output scripts that would give you exactly what you want, given a
>>> chance and fair payment.
>>>
>>> Directly reading the FM files themselves is by far the most
>>> difficult. But it is possible, and you have at least 3 other
>>> options which just vary in expense and difficulty.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Nov 15, 2007, at 10:00 PM, Paul Novitski wrote:
>>>
>>>> As a programmer it's hard for me to take it seriously when someone
>>>> says, "it's not possible."  'Difficult' and 'expensive' I can
>>>> understand, but 'impossible' doesn't seem credible.
>>>
>>>
>>> Derrick Fogle
>>> derrick at fogles.net
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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