ISO FileMaker Magazine

These are often asked questions regarding setting up a new FileMaker database system. "How can I limit when the user can enter data into the field?" Or, the alternative, "Once the user enters data, how can I make sure they don't change it unless I want them to?"

Both of these types of questions can be answered using a variety of methods. The core to understanding their answers is that there's really only only two methods for limiting field access. One is controlling the display of the field and the other is truly limiting access to the field data itself.

Using the knowledge in this video you should be able to come up with a method which fits your exact situation. The video walks through the use of the various options which FileMaker provides for limiting access to a field. If you'd like to know which options you should use to control access, then give this video a view.

¿Has pensado alguna vez qué pasaría si perdieras justo ahora tu solución FileMaker? ¿Podrías recuperar fácilmente los datos? ¿Y la estructura de tablas y su correspondiente programación?
Las copias de seguridad es una parte muy importante que hay que considerar en todo proyecto de FileMaker. Por eso, conviene tener un plan de emergencia para evitar la pérdida de datos.
En este vídeo aprenderás a hacer copias de seguridad de tus archivos FileMaker, tanto si los estás usando en local como a través de FileMaker Server 17.

Buried within the layers of complexity inside any technical system are the simple settings of multiple parameters and/or settings. You simply need to get the right pieces into the right places. You know - like a jigsaw puzzle.

And, once the puzzle starts to reveal itself, the understanding of what the picture is becomes so much more clear. That's the goal of this particular video when it comes to connecting to the myriad of possible Google services.

FileMaker Pro, in the last few years, had improved by leaps and bounds with regards to working with external systems and services. With everything you need now built in the the native client, you can easily connect to Google's services and make the most of them right within your own FileMaker solution. You may just need a head start on the understanding in order to see the whole picture. Fortunate, that's exactly what this video will do for you. If you need to connect to Google services for any reason then look no further!

Using multiple files for developing a robust FileMaker solution can be pretty normal when you plan out the distribution of your data and servers. Some solutions benefit from breaking out part of the solution into one or more separate files.

So, whether taking the load off a given server or simply planning for quicker data access across multiple time zones, one of the bigger problems which pops up with your standard FileMaker accounts is password management. This is where it becomes much easier to use external authentication.

In earlier days, we only had access to Active/Open Directory or system accounts hosted on the same machine as FileMaker server. But, since FileMaker Server 16, we now have the ability to use external authentication through Oauth. This means we can use a third party like Amazon, Google or Microsoft in order to allow users to access solutions and manage their own passwords.

If you're looking for an easier way to manage the users of your solution, then you'll find out how it works and how to make it happen within this video about Oauth External Authentication.

Managing user accounts within FileMaker is pretty easy and straight forward. This, however, is an aspect of access control which only applies to what a user can do within the world of FileMaker's interface.

When it comes to your own solution's user interface, it doesn't exist until you create it. And, of course, FileMaker knows nothing about what you create. It's just a tool. This means it's up to you to add your own security controls.

In order to do this, you need to take advantage of all of FileMaker's security controls. Once you understand how to use these controls, you can create an access system which has various levels of access and allows some users to advance or reduce the access of other users. If you have a database which needs to have managers, employees and various levels of access then you need to watch this video.

FileMaker 16 added a variety of new features designed to support its new ability to interact with web services using JSON. One of those supporting features was the addition of more cryptographic functionality.

Previously, the only native feature available was an MD5 hash. At the time of it being added, it was already out of fashion as a security based feature, but it could be used to compare two things against each other.

By adding new encryption and decryption capabilities, we are now able to encrypt and decrypt data directly within the database itself. This means we can, if desired (and your security policies allow it), store things like credit cards and other sensitive information. While the functions themselves are pretty straight-forward, it’s always nice to know the ins-and-outs of how to implement a feature properly.

Security credentials, such as critical passwords, API secret keys and other methods of authentication are the gatekeepers to vast troves of data.

These are the pieces of information you want to be most careful with. You don't want to spread them all throughout your FileMaker solution making the "attack surface" an easy steal for anyone.

In this video you'll learn about how the Full Access settings apply to both custom functions and how this relates to scripts which reference those custom functions.

You'll get a quick lesson in how to handle the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) coding method of handling web services calls which need access to critical security credentials. If you're distributing a FileMaker file to any physical device or computer then the lessons in this video are super important!

There's nothing more heart wrenching than when you first realize that something horribly wrong has just happened. It's such a distinct feeling that we all know what I'm talking about.

Just imagine being at the airport and you've got your laptop bag just beside you. After going through security, you feel like you're ready to have a relaxing flight. As you turn to grab your bag, you suddenly realize it's gone! Jumping up, you scan around and see absolutely no evidence of anything having happened. Nothing.

I can't even type those words without having the feeling come over me. The same thing applies to a server administrator when they realize their server has been breached. Yet, it's our job to do our best to learn what we can about protecting our data.

Well, this video has a lot of the critical information you need to know about protecting your FileMaker files. No matter where you are in the learning curve about building a FileMaker system, the information in this video is must know type of knowledge.

If it hasn’t happened to you yet, then it will at some point. Your FileMaker solution will simply grow and grow and you’ll be adding complex layers of security and access as you develop.

As you add that security, your users may report back that they can’t do what they’re supposed to do. Maybe they’re locked out of a given layout with a giant gray screen with the small words of “No Access”.

Ughhh! What does your user do now? Why should you even be dealing with this issue?

What you really need is to make sure and use defensive scripting strategies where it becomes a small annoyance and you’re both notified and able to investigate why the user is reporting this issue.

In this video, you’ll find a wealth of information about navigating to layouts and how to defensively code against landing on that dreaded “No Access” layout.

The security of your FileMaker data should always be a top priority. If you don’t know how to implement FileMaker’s Privilege Sets, then you need to learn as quickly as possible.

While the dialogs for security can seem a bit obscure and difficult, it only takes a few trips in and out to get a feel for how you can lock things down.

In this video, I showcase a simple system I created which covers topics such as Granting full access to scripts and why, locking off security related fields, using Global fields and local fields for temporary access escalation and other security related items dealing with privilege sets.