Relationships Graphs and ERDs

Table of contents:

Chapter 5, "Relational Database Design," outlined some database theory that helps produce an ERDan entity-relationship diagram that shows the fundamental building blocks of a database system and the ways in which they relate. In Chapter 6, "Working with Multiple Tables," we showed how to use FileMaker's relationship tools to turn an ERD into a working FileMaker database. This might mislead you into thinking that the Relationships Graph is really the same thing as an ERD, and that the relationships you build there match one-to-one with the relationships you sketch out on your ERD.

In fact, there's a lot more to relationships in FileMaker. The Relationships Graph certainly handles all the structural relationships present on an ERD. But there are many other ways to use relationships in FileMaker. The ERD-based relationships are the structural core of any FileMaker database (or any relational database), but this chapter takes you beyond the core and shows you some other ways you can use relationships in FileMaker. It also delves further into the features of the Relationships Graph, and discusses different ways of organizing files, tables, and table occurrences in a FileMaker system.

Bottom line: The Relationships Graph is actually a superset of your ERD. It certainly has the ERD wrapped up in it, but it may well contain other important structures and relationships as well. Those techniques are the subject of this chapter.


Relationships as Queries

Part I: Getting Started with FileMaker 8

FileMaker Overview

Using FileMaker Pro

Defining and Working with Fields

Working with Layouts

Part II: Developing Solutions with FileMaker

Relational Database Design

Working with Multiple Tables

Working with Relationships

Getting Started with Calculations

Getting Started with Scripting

Getting Started with Reporting

Part III: Developer Techniques

Developing for Multiuser Deployment

Implementing Security

Advanced Interface Techniques

Advanced Calculation Techniques

Advanced Scripting Techniques

Advanced Portal Techniques

Debugging and Troubleshooting

Converting Systems from Previous Versions of FileMaker Pro

Part IV: Data Integration and Publishing

Importing Data into FileMaker Pro

Exporting Data from FileMaker

Instant Web Publishing

FileMaker and Web Services

Custom Web Publishing

Part V: Deploying a FileMaker Solution

Deploying and Extending FileMaker

FileMaker Server and Server Advanced

FileMaker Mobile

Documenting Your FileMaker Solutions



Using FileMaker 8
Special Edition Using FileMaker 8
ISBN: 0789735121
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2007
Pages: 296

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