Custom Web Publishing

This series of blog posts break down the steps for publishing databases on the web using FileMaker's API for PHP. It's written with the following people in mind:

• Those whose FileMaker skills are beyond beginner but not necessarily advanced
• Those who know a little HTML
• Those who are new to PHP but are willing to learn the very least
• Those whose main job is not database or web development
• Those who need to meet standards for accessibility and branding at the University of Minnesota

The articles are grouped into five parts:

1. Setting up your server [Not ready yet.]
2. Preparing your database
1. Organize Your Solution
2. Enable Web Publishing
3. Create Web-Specific Layouts
3. Coding pages
1. Build a Simple Search
2. Organize Your Files
3. Build a Specific Search
4. Sort Your Results
5. Paginate Your Results
6. Build a Search Form
7. Process the Search Form
8. Add Elements to Search Form
9. Display Results in a Table
10. Build Detail Page
11. Show Container Image
12. Build a Form to Add a Record
13. Process the New Record
14. Build a Form to Edit a Record
15. Process the Edit
16. Process a Delete
17. Wrap Up
4. Making forms and tables accessible
1. Accessible Forms
2. Accessible Data
5. Nesting your site within a University template
1. Build a Simple CSS
2. Work with Your Site Administrator
3. Paste into the Template
6. Beyond Basics
1. Multiple Searches on a Single Page
2. Working with Checkboxes
3. Error Trapping
4. Re-Using Code
5. Batch Edits

This series doesn't cover PHP Site Assistant. PHP SA is a fantastic tool and easy enough you need no documentation. The PHP code it generates is so savvy it obscures lessons for beginners. Concepts the newbie needs to understand are shuttled off to functions stored in neighboring files. And since every solution seems to require customization, it's easier to work with your own code rather than pick through the code of an advanced developer.

What you need

• a properly set up server as explained in Server Setup
• a FileMaker database hosted on the server
• a web browser to develop and test your solution
• an html editor like TextMate, TextWrangler or PageSpinner

Additional Resources

FileMaker
FileMaker Server 10 Custom Web Publishing
English tutorial files that ship with FileMaker Server

PHP
PHP Manual
PHP Tutorial from w3schools

HTML and Accessibility
Accessibility topic on A List apart
Accessibility and Usability of eCommunication Standards
Accessibility of Information Technology

University
Web Templates

Get Started ->