FileMaker Pro 9 Bible by Ray Cologon
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Book Reviews of FileMaker Pro 9 Bible
Book Review: Everything You Need to Know About FileMaker
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been using FileMaker for nearly 15 years and have seen (and read) Ray Cologon's thousands of postings on various on-line forums. In fact, I always make it a point to read every one of Mr. Cologon's postings -- even though I may skip the postings of others -- because I know Ray has thoroughly researched and tested every little thing that he writes, and he is always very clear in his descriptions.
The same applies to this book. He starts with the assumption that you don't know much about FileMaker or relational databases, and through its 700+ pages (and on-line sample databases for each chapter) he carefully explains and demonstrates concepts, techniques, shortcuts, and step-by-steps for nearly everything FileMaker.
There are many books on the market -- particularly for earlier versions of FileMaker -- that cover the Basics of FileMaker, and Ray spends 260 pages with this and with overall database concepts that prove very helpful in understanding the FileMaker model. But unlike other FileMaker books that I've seen, Ray takes it beyond the basics and covers intermediate and more advanced subjects that will provide a terrific reference as your skills grow. I consider myself to be an advanced FileMaker developer, yet have still learned something or otherwise had my eyes opened on nearly every page of the advanced chapters.
This book is NOT targeted at regular FileMaker users who just need to search, sort and export data. But I highly recommend this book for anyone who is comfortable with computers and wants or needs to become more productive with their data.
Book Review: A great comprehensive tome of FileMaker Pro knowledge
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been a fan of the FileMaker Pro Bible Series for quite a few revisions now. The goal of the series, as I've come to understand it, is to provide a comprehensive text covering most of the resources and techniques needed to truly leverage FileMaker Pro. This book takes this to a new level with a thoroughness that I believe must be due to this version's author.
No single book can cover every topic in both the simplicity and the depth that every reader may want, but I think this book covers that range better than most I've read. It has invaluable sections introducing the reader to very necessary basic concepts, such as database design and data modeling for FileMaker Pro, and yet gets into lots of more advanced techniques such as modular code design, logging techniques, recursion through custom functions, and more.
I would not suggest using a book like this for learning a subject, like FileMaker, from start to finish. Rather I'd suggest it, as a very comprehensive tome of FileMaker Pro knowledge -- knowledge that would take many years of developing complex systems to learn for oneself -- all presented in an easy to reference format.
From a seasoned developer standpoint, I think the advanced topics and provided examples (by the master of excellent example files, Ray Cologon), are more than worth the price of entry. I highly suggest this book to anyone who uses FileMaker Pro, at any level.
Book Review: Keep this one handy...
Summary: 5 Stars
Anyone working with FileMaker Pro will want to keep this book in arms reach.
I'm not one to read a book cover-to-cover or even read a manual and I usually dive right in whenever I install a new program or an update comes out. Only when I get stuck or I look for an answer or an alternative way to approach a problem, do I pick up a book or dig through the manual. When I reach that point with FileMaker Pro, you can bet this will be the book I'll search in first.
One example is the section on keys. It's a great help and explores many options even creating unique identification (UID) values. This is so important in maintaining data integrity.
The book is comprehensive and designed to help you become more productive with FileMaker Pro regardless of your skill level. From the what, why and how of databases to data modeling and Cartesian joins to advanced features and building efficient code and efficient solutions, this book is an excellent reference.
Not only is it a reference, but it includes many short tutorials and examples. Advanced features and in depth areas of the book refer back, and point you in that direction, to previous material already covered.
Whether you read the book cover-to-cover or you search the well-crafted table of contents or the index for specific material, you'll find the FileMaker Pro 9 Bible the best FileMaker Pro companion to help you succeed.
Book Review: At last a good FileMaker book!
Summary: 5 Stars
The authors of the FileMaker Bible have written the most comprehensive book on FileMaker ever attempted. There are parts of this book that document aspects of FileMaker development that have probably never been documented or explained outside of the actual source code, and this book explains them in a clear, concise and unambiguous language. This book is an essential for every FileMaker developer.
The biggest advantage of this book is that it's very thorough - quite often technical books will explain one side of an issue, or leave out details, or present ideas in ways that could be interpreted ambiguously. When you read a section of the FileMaker Bible, you get with a complete and accurate view of the ideas at hand without confusion or ambiguity.
This book also fills a need from a new developer starting out to someone who's been working with FileMaker for a while. The sections work through from basic to advanced in a way that works well, but also means it's full of snippets of useful information for someone who has a high level of experience in FileMaker.
I'd recommend this book over any other FileMaker book. Most of the other books I've seen either parrot parts of the FileMaker Help (errors, omissions and all), or only cover one aspect of FileMaker. This book is all new material, and leaves no stone un-turned. Well worth the money.
Book Review: Maybe not the bible, but it is comprehensive
Summary: 5 Stars
FileMaker Pro 9 Bible is not an easy read. There are many books on this same subject that engage the reader with a more accessible style (such as, FileMaker Pro 10: The Missing Manual). However, in my opinion. it is an excellent book for the FileMaker user who wants to go the next step, the intermediate to advanced user. So far, I have found everything I need in creating database builds.
Other reviewers noted that the publisher printed the pages with gray ink. I see this technique used in other tech books. I suppose publishers expect that this feeble safeguard will increase sales by keeping users from copying what they need. All this does it make a difficult book more difficult to read with little effect on copying because of copiers that compensate for light print. Matter of fact, because the book is large and difficult to easily carry, I have copied some pages for later use.
This may not be the ONLY FileMaker book you will need, but it comes close.