4th Dimension Learning Basics

Enter sample data Welcome to the 4th Dimension Learning Basics Part II by Jeff Hopkins - 02 February 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 As indicated in Part I, in the following document 4D will mean 4th Dimension and FMP will mean FileMaker Pro. The following document was created on a Macintosh. While there may be slight differences in some of the screen shots when using 4D for Windows, the same procedure should work on either platform. Many will say that you need to be a programmer to create 4D programs.

While it certainly doesn’t hurt, just as with FMP, there is much you can do without ever getting into programming or script writing. This part will take the reader through the development of a simple one Table flat file. With the exception of one simple calculation (called an “Object Method”) there will be no methods or calculations.

The reason I am doing this is because once you have mastered what follows you can go on to the really neat stuff - related files, methods, calculations, runtimes, compiled versions and web hosting. I have found keeping straight where you are in 4D to be the hardest part in the beginning because 4D does not always do what you may expect. I recommend creating several test databases as described in the Part and experiment with different options.

In some cases you will be pleasantly surprised, but in others you may get frustrated at first. Part II will show how to: Create a New Database Set 4D Database Properties Create Tables Create Data Fields Create Forms Create a Value List (Choice List) Enter Sample Data Database Creation Order It will help the new 4D developer to understand the correct order of creating a 4D database.

First a Table must be created. Next the Data Fields are created. Finally Input and Output Forms created. Calculations/Methods are created for the Data Fields. Note: There are many other details that must be done, but the above are basic for what is covered in this Part.

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

Going Back to Add or Edit a Table You may wish to go back and add new Data Fields or a new Table or Form. This is not as straight forward as might be expected. Let’s say you have been editing a Form and decide you want to add another Table.

Normally, while in Design mode you would select “New Table” from the Structure menu. But wait, there is no Structure menu. What happened? 4D has changed the Design mode Menu Bar.

You must close all the 4D windows (not 4D, just the open windows) and the Structure menu will reappear. Now you can see the Tables to edit or create new ones. You can also now edit and create data fields.

If you are shopping: Zoho Creator — A low-code app builder that plugs into the wider Zoho suite and prices per user rather than per app..

To edit or create new Forms, the Design mode Tools menu is always present so that should not cause confusion. Acknowledgments Special thanks to: James Fortier( jim40er@halcyon.com ) for supplying some of the resources and helping proof read the document. 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.