Showing posts with label FileMaker Go. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FileMaker Go. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

FileMaker Pro vs Access Update

I am working on a second tutorial for the eBook I am writing about using spreadsheets and databases for data analysis.  The FileMaker Pro database I have created has only two tables and four layouts, but it is over 500 MB in file size.  The comparisons I have thus far are:

  • Access allows you to easily format text as zip codes and phone numbers, but FileMaker Pro does not
  • Access allows you to do a Compact and Repair, but FileMaker does not have that feature in the menu
  • Creating a button to open a URL was very easy with FileMaker
  • Creating list features with Value Lists in FileMaker is child's play - so easy!
  • FileMaker Pro works on the Mac and Windows computers and provides a 30-day free preview, but Access works only on Windows computers
  • After you create a database with FileMaker Pro, you can sync it to your iPad or iPhone FileMake Go app.  Once it is synced, you can edit the database and enter data (a real plus!).  FileMaker Pro has settings for themes that work best on the iPad and iPhone.
  • Calculating an age is more complex calculation in FileMaker (although may be more accurate) than using Access.
  • If/then and other mathematical calculations are basically the same in both database software packages.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

eBook Progress

I have been writing an eBook, Introduction to Data Analysis for Healthcare Professionals: Spreadsheet and Database Applications, for several weeks. As noted previously, the plan is to have the book in the Apple iBooks store at no charge.  I plan to use iBooks Author, so for the moment, am writing the book using MS Word.  To prepare the text for iBooks Author, I will save the text as a text file (.txt).  Once the final draft is completed, I will copy the text into iBooks Author.  The next steps will be to add the graphics and video files. I will design the videos as the last.The videos will be created using ScreenFlow.

I am considering publishing a version in the Amazon bookstore as an ePub file.  I will copy the text from MS Word into Apple iWork Pages and save the file in the ePub format. Of course the ePub book will not have the interactive features that are possible with iBooks Author. 

I have chapters about spreadsheets and databases in a good working draft form.  I have started a chapter on using FileMaker Pro tutorials.  I will be covering the following:
  • Spreadsheet software
    • Microsoft (MS) Excel
    • Apple iWork Numbers
    • Google Drive Spreadsheets
    • Free spreadsheet software (desktop and cloud apps)
  •  Database software
    • FileMaker Pro (available for  MS Windows and Mac PCs - about, includes history
    • FileMaker Go
    • MS Access - about, includes history
    • Free database software (desktop and cloud apps)
  • Spreadsheet tutorials for using
    • MS Excel
    • Apple iWork Numbers
    • Google Drive Spreadsheets
  • Database tutorials for using
    • FileMaker Pro for the Mac (MS Windows users should be able to find equivalent menus)
    • FileMaker Go
    • MS Access
I welcome any suggestions for the eBook.