Opening a File


If you're working alone and this is your first time using FileMaker, you may not have any records to view. Never fear. To spare you the bother of having to create some records just for viewing, we'll be using some of the existing records that came with your copy of FileMaker. If you already have a FileMaker database to work with, feel free to use it.

By the way, when you first open a FileMaker file it automatically appears in Browse mode, which enables you to look at a record without worrying about the layout or how it'll print. For more on each of FileMaker's four modes, see page 19.

To open a FileMaker database file

1.

If you haven't started the FileMaker program, do so now by either choosing Programs\FileMaker Pro from the Start menu (Windows) (top, Figure 4.1) or double-clicking the FileMaker Pro icon in the FileMaker Pro 8 folder (Mac) (bottom, Figure 4.1).

Figure 4.1. To launch FileMaker, use the Start menu (top, Windows) or double-click the icon in the application's folder (bottom, Mac).


2.

A dialog box will appear asking whether you want to create a new file using a template, create a new empty file, or open an existing file. Select Open an existing file and click OK (Figure 4.2).

Figure 4.2. When FileMaker's opening dialog box appears, choose Open an existing file and click OK.


3.

If you've turned off the opening dialog box (see the first Tip on page 35), you still can open an existing file by choosing File > Open (Figure 4.3). Or use your keyboard: (Windows) or (Mac).

Figure 4.3. You also can open an existing file using FileMaker's File menu.


4.

At this point, you can open a FileMaker file you may already have, in which case navigate your way through the dialog boxes to find it. If you don't have your own file, see the next step to open the example file featured in this chapter.

5.

Use your Web browser to reach this book's companion Web site: www.waywest.net/filemaker/ and click the Examples link. Then download the Chapter 4 file, which includes SamplePeople.fp7. Once you've downloaded and opened the Chapter 4 file, open SamplePeople.fp7 by double-clicking it (Figure 4.4).

Figure 4.4. Download this chapter's example file, SamplePeople.fp7, from www.waywest.net/filemaker/.


Tip

  • Don't be confused by fact that FileMaker 8 uses the same file ending as FileMaker 7: .fp7.




FileMaker Pro 8 for Windows and Macintosh(c) Visual Quickstart Guide
FileMaker Pro 8 for Windows & Macintosh
ISBN: 032139674X
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 184
Authors: Nolan Hester

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