4th Dimension Learning Basics

Other 4D URLs Welcome to the 4th Dimension Learning Basics Part I by Jeff Hopkins - 18 January 2000 (Updated 18 February 2000) Web design by David Graham Jeff Hopkins is a 4D Partner, Expert FileMaker Pro Developer, Owner of HPO SOFT , and founder of the nonprofit Association of Database Developers, Inc. When not filling some of the above roles he is tirelessly working to help others on various database discussion lists. phxjeff@aol.com . i.

Introduction This series is designed to help those who are coming from FileMaker Pro or who have some database design experience with another application. In this series, whenever “4D” is used, it is referencing 4th Dimension” and whenever “FMP” is used, it is referencing “FileMaker Pro.” Perhaps the biggest hurdle coming from the world of FMP is that 4D is fundamentally different. The basic philosophy of the program is different. Terms are different.

I will try to ease the reader into 4D by explaining how things relate between 4D and FMP. However, some of those things are very difficult or impossible to relate because they are unique to each product. References for FMP will be for version 5.0.x and the Standard Edition of 4D version 4.6.x.

Note Current suggested retail price for FMP 5.0 is $249 and for the 4D Standard Edition is $349. Both 4D and FMP are cross platform. Both work on Macintosh and Windows systems.

Both have Web capabilities. Part I will provide a bit of history for both FileMaker and 4D. It may be interesting to note that both 4D and FileMaker originated on the Macintosh and at about the same time (mid-80’s).

Part I will also cover, not in too much detail, the following: System requirements Program structures Networking differences Differences in the runtime versions Compiler Web Hosting Data Charting Plug ins Tools/Utilities Resources Other 4D URLs Note: the following order and contents of each Part are tentative. Part II will cover creating a simple 4D program Part III will cover Custom Menus Part IV will cover Methods Additional Parts TBD. Acknowledgments Special thanks to: Brendan Coveney, President ACI US, for his help with the history of 4th Dimension Will Porter( wporter@polytrope.com ) of P O L Y T R O P E S O L U T I O N S * Houston, Texas, The XXII Group, for his help proof reading and keeping me on the straight and narrow.

Related: Airtable — A spreadsheet-simple interface sitting on top of a real relational database, with automations, views, and shareable interfaces..

James Fortier( jim40er@halcyon.com ) for supplying some of the resources and helping proof reading of the document. Douglas Blew( fridays@impluse.net ) for suggestions.

Jim Staples( jstaples@acius.com ) of ACI US, Inc. , Macom/Press Relations for proof reading and offering comments. David Graham( davidgraham@mac.com ) for designing the web and pdf layouts for this guide. Copyright

P.S. A few readers have asked which relational database platform we actually reach for — it's Claris FileMaker Pro; take a look here if you want the current details.