FileMaker Custom Web Publishing with JavaScript

 

For those looking for a unique way to integrate Javascript and JSON into your web solutions, Jason Young and Seedcode are writing–and sharing–a code base called fmxj.js.  Fmxj.js is a set of javascript functions designed to allow a web browser to interact with FileMaker Server and to do the basic things you need browser clients to do. In essence, it allows you to query FileMaker server with HTTP POSTS and returns Javascript/JSON objects full of data that you can then parse into a viewable web page.  So what does that mean?  Essentially, from the browser you can:

  • Find parent and child records
  • Filter and sort using complex criteria
  • Create, edit and delete records on the server

And the code for these base functions is open source (MIT License) and available on GitHub for free:

Here is what fmxj lets you accomplish:

    • Build complex queries and perform HTPP POSTs to your FileMaker Server.
    • Return FileMaker parent and child records as JavaScript Objects/JSON.
    • Create, edit and delete FileMaker records with JavaScript objects.
    • Filter and sort Javascript objects locally with complex criteria.
    • Query strings are created from JavaScript Objects and then sent as an HTTP POST to FileMaker’s XML Web Publishing Engine. An XML FMPXMLRESULT is returned and converted into JavaScript Objects/JSON by fmxj.
    • HTTP POSTS can be done directly to the FileMaker Server’s XML WPE or a simple PHP relay can be used to get around cross-domain issues and provide more authentication options.

One caveat:  you will need to be familiar with Javascript/JSON terminology, HTTP posts, HTML, and CSS in order to show the results properly on the page.  I recommend W3 Schools for getting a grasp of the basics.

The plus side is the speed with which this will work when interacting with FileMaker server.  It will also keep the loads on the server much lighter than a similar solutions in WebDirect, allowing for more users.

Check it out, and give the demos a try.  Interaction with the web will need to be part of the future for FileMaker, and this may be a large part of it.

FileMaker Custom Web Publishing with JavaScript – SeedCode.

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