FileMaker to MySQL Connection

[Todd Daniel]

I have a personal project where I have multiple lists that I would like to make available online. Exporting the files as HTML and then uploading them is a nice solution.

However, uploading them as a MySQL database is even better because then I could provide search functions and other features for the viewer.

Does anyone have experience with exporting FileMaker files for use with MySQL? I don't mind saving the FileMaker files as .csv and then uploading them.

One reason I'd like to go to MySQL is that AT&T Yahoo has an inexpensive service with an excellent MySQL administrator's console.

If anyone knows of any third party programs, middleware, or any other solutions to this challenge, please let me know.

Todd Daniel


And now a joke for your enjoyment:

Putin, Bush, and Bill Gates are invited to meet God

He tells them:
"I gathered the three most important people of the world to pass on my message: Tomorrow, I will destroy the earth!"

Putin goes to his council and says:
"I have 2 pieces of bad news:
1)   God exists and
2)   He will destroy the earth tomorrow."

Bush goes to the White House and says
"I have good and a bad news:
1)   The good news is that God exists!
2)   The bad news is that He will destroy the earth tomorrow."

Bill Gates enters Microsoft and says: "I have 2 pieces of good news:
1)   I'm one of the three most important people on earth and
2)      No more Vista bugs!"

[Lee Hoong]

I have a personal project where I have multiple lists that I would like to make available online. Exporting the files as HTML and then uploading them is a nice solution.

However, uploading them as a MySQL database is even better because then I could provide search functions and other features for the viewer.

Does anyone have experience with exporting FileMaker files for use with MySQL? I don't mind saving the FileMaker files as .csv and then uploading them.

One reason I'd like to go to MySQL is that AT&T Yahoo has an inexpensive service with an excellent MySQL administrator's console.

If anyone knows of any third party programs, middleware, or any other solutions to this challenge, please let me know.

Todd,

You might want to take a closer look at FileMaker Pro 9, which was released this morning.  It provides virtually-seamless integration of external data-sources such as MySQL, SQL Server and Oracle.

Lee.

[Todd Daniel]

What amazing good fortune! I just learned about FileMaker 9 this evening and it has just the new features I'm looking for. Today is Christmas Day for all of us FileMaker fans!!!!

Todd

[Todd Daniel]

RE: SQL access with FileMaker Pro 9

Dear Fellow FileMaker Zealots,

For those who are following this thread, here's where I'm at so far:

1) Once again Mac discrimination has come into play. If you are a Mac owner, you have to purchase the ODBC drivers from a third party: Actual Technologies - http://www.a...ologies.com/ Cost is $30.

2) In my search so far, it appears that typical host providers don't like it when someone tries to make a connection to a SQL database on their server. I will keep researching this. What this could mean is that a person would have to have their OWN server before they can access it.

Reporting from the trenches,

Todd Daniel

[Lee Hoong]

RE: SQL access with FileMaker Pro 9

For those who are following this thread, here's where I'm at so far:

1) Once again Mac discrimination has come into play. If you are a Mac owner, you have to purchase the ODBC drivers from a third party: Actual Technologies - http://www.a...ologies.com/ Cost is $30.

I don't agree with the "Mac discrimination" characterization here.  The fact is that Apple does not provide free ODBC drivers to OS X users as Microsoft does for WinXP (Vista?) users.  The OS X ODBC drivers from Actual Technologies have been "blessed" by FileMaker, i.e. provide the most reliable (tested) connectivity between FMP and a supported SQL source.  Use of ODBC drivers from other vendors should work also.

2) In my search so far, it appears that typical host providers don't like it when someone tries to make a connection to a SQL database on their server. I will keep researching this. What this could mean is that a person would have to have their OWN server before they can access it.

This makes sense from a security perspective, especially if the SQL source holds proprietary or restricted data.  There are very few publicly-accessible SQL databases online - most of these are from academic institutions, as you might expect.  The more common scenario would be FMP access to an internal SQL data source (e.g. a corporate SQL Db), in which case, your best bet would be to contact the Db admin to request an appropriate account for access (read-only or read-write).

Lee.

[Todd Daniel]

My hosting company has agreed to give me direct access between my local FileMaker database and MySQL. The only catch is that I have to purchase a static IP, which I am doing. The other requirement is that I must swear to never again insult Vista.

Okay, I take back the part about "Mac Discrimination." Vista actually does have some occasional advantages over Tiger, such as the ability to instantly see your wireless connection speed at the bottom of the screen. Sometimes you get free things with Vista and other times you get free things with OS X. Like my old roommate once said after stealing my last beer: "It all comes out in the wash."

This makes sense from a security perspective, especially if the SQL source holds proprietary or restricted data.  There are very few publicly-accessible SQL databases online - most of these are from academic institutions, as you might expect.  The more common scenario would be FMP access to an internal SQL data source (e.g. a corporate SQL Db), in which case, your best bet would be to contact the Db admin to request an appropriate account for access (read-only or read-write).

Lee.
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