ISO FileMaker Magazine

In Part 2 of our exploration of Smart Solution Architecture, we delve into the fascinating aspects of structuring your FileMaker solution. While the 'common' method of structuring a FileMaker solution might be the simplest, it doesn't necessarily guarantee optimal performance.

As the development of your solution evolves, increased complexity naturally accumulates a few 'cobwebs' and you may encounter potential slowdowns. In order to avoid or diminish this, you'll want to be aware of all the possiblities.

If your goal is to craft a solution that seamlessly blends aesthetics, performance, and ease of maintenance, the FileMaker development environment offers a wealth of possibilities to tap into. The good news is that it's not only entirely achievable but can also be an enjoyable endeavor. This video guides you through additional options for structuring your solution. The exciting part is that FileMaker's ability to facilitate communication between files, regardless of their location, and the indifference of FileMaker's Relationship Graph to data location, empower you to design highly creative solutions.

Give this video a watch if you aim to explore the variety of ways you can create a solution which leverages all of FileMaker's advantages while sidestepping some of its shortcomings.

FileMaker development is an exhilarating journey which empowers you with the ability to have complete control over the data you want to manage and manipulate. Yet, at times, it can be a test of patience as you strive to achieve the desired results - especially as you're learning. The good news is that, in the vast majority of cases, what you aim to accomplish is not only feasible but likely easier (and faster) to accomplish than in many other development environments.

Although I may be a bit biased, I can unequivocally affirm that FileMaker's environment frequently delivers outcomes that go beyond mere acceptability for your software requirements. The challenge with FileMaker lies in its legacy, which may not be immediately evident or well-understood when you embark on your journey with it. Discovering resources like these videos help to gain insights into how choosing one solution architecture path over another can yield specific consequences.

What's fortunate is that FileMaker development offers the flexibility to rectify even the most misguided decisions regarding your data presentation. While shifting your data structure into a different format can be somewhat more complex, wrapping a new user interface around your existing data can be quite straightforward. This first video in a two-part series aims to present various options and methods for crafting intelligent solution architecture when building your application within Claris FileMaker.