Review of FileMaker Pro Business Applications: For versions 8 and 8.5 (Paperback)

Just popped on to Amazon to see what other books are for Filemaker Pro and thought I would check the rating of the book I am currently using.

Lets me describe the book by chapters:
1: Describing a DDB
2: Other Filemaker products you can buy
3: Installing the program and viewing existing DDB records.
4: Starting to build a DDB, making fields, adding tables, and lists
5: Different types of fields; text, number, date, calculation....
6: Layout types, standard, columnar, table, label
7: Relational Database Design. How to make relationships
8: Calculation fields
9 Using script maker
10: Planning a business solution

11-22: Part two (starting at page 143), each chapter describes one of the authors DDB's and how he made it. The problem is he says, `put a portal here' but does not tell you how, or how to actually get the data to pop into the windows the way you need it to. He leaves out critical details that prevent you from creating something.

Part III (have not read this part yet)
Deployment options
Server 8
Security issues
Getting Data into and out of
FM with other applications
Web publishing

Ch. 7 was the only chapter that was of any use to me!
The book:
Does not describe very well when or why to use various things (portals, look-ups),
I can not figure out how to make a Portal that works properly
I can not figure out how to make a Look-up that works properly
I had to download one of the authors DDB's and dissect it to figure out how to make a relationship work properly.

I'm buying another book!
Rob

Product Description
The ability to manage information is the key to businesses thriving in an increasingly competitive market. With FileMaker® Pro Business Applications, small business owners and workgroup managers can find out how to write custom database applications in order to add value to critical business information. After demonstrating how easily a database can be written using FileMaker Pro, this book presents a set of 11 business database case studies, all of which can be easily adapted by readers for their own data management requirements. The final section of the book offers ideas on deploying database solutions over a network and the web.Learn how to: Build a database and design layouts. Create relationships between tables. Automate tasks using scripts and buttons. Secure data through the use of accounts and privileges. Exchange data with other applications.

About the Author
Arthur W. Evans has been designing database solutions for business, government, education, and charity sector clients using FileMaker for over 16 years, having first used FileMaker to analyze coastal erosion rates around the UK for his doctoral thesis. He has helped clients ranging in size from one-person bands to the United Nations add value to business information using FileMaker Pro, and has also written training materials and technical papers for FileMaker, Apple, and Claris. His professional practice, AWE Consultancy, is a member of the FileMaker Solutions Alliance and has offices in London and Northern Ireland.

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