FileMaker Pro 14: The Missing Manual

Chapter 3. Getting to Know FileMaker Go

The first two chapters were all about FileMaker Pro on a Mac or PC. When you create databases, that’s where you spend most of your time. But these days, technology users are less inclined than ever to be bogged down by a desktop—or even laptop—computer. In 2010, FileMaker responded to this desire by introducing FileMaker Go for iOS. A free download from the App store, Go lets you use FileMaker solutions on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch. In FileMaker Go, you can do just about everything you did in Chapters Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, but because Go is built to work with the strengths and limitations of the touchscreen interface, everything will look a bit different. Don’t worry, however—you already know the foundational concepts. This chapter simply illustrates how they’re applied in the iOS.

Note

The figures in this chapter are taken from FileMaker Go on an iPad. Everything shown here works the same on an iPad Mini, iPhone or iPod touch, it’s just a bit smaller.

Hello Go

At its heart, FileMaker Go is a FileMaker client application. Any database built with FileMaker Pro’s built-in set of tools will open in Go and run as intended. Given the complexity FileMaker is capable of, and the restrictions inherent in a handheld device, that seamless compatibility is a laudable achievement. Still, it’s important to recognize that FileMaker Go doesn’t replace FileMaker Pro. Because Go is strictly a client app, you can’t use it to create new databases or modify ...