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One of the best kept secrets of FileMaker Pro 9 would have to be the addition of support for the data protocol. The data protocol is not a FileMaker creation, but its support is new to the application, and it should be a welcome addition to both developers and end-users alike. Now that FileMaker’s web viewer control supports this protocol, it means that the viewer itself no longer has to look to a web site on the world-wide-web or even one that is stored locally on the end-user’s computer. Rather, it can now display an HTML document that is being created on-the-fly, even one that is based on solution specific data for instance. This opens up all sorts of new doors to what FileMaker Pro can accomplish natively.
In the example illustrated in this image, you’ll see a standard FileMaker Pro portal on the left hand side, allowing the end-user to customize label names for the months, as well as the quantity value of Widgets sold that particular month.
On the right hand side, you’ll see a dynamically generated HTML bar-graph that was created on-the-fly with the use of this data protocol. Since this graph is dynamic, new data will be displayed within it as added in the portal on the left.
This particular type of graph is highly customizable, and simple to set up. It involved the use of only one script, which generates HTML based on your data. You should note that the month with the highest number of Widget sales displays its data in a different colour. Also, the x-axis labels scale according to the maximum number of widgets sold.
The Bottom Line
The usage of data protocol can enrich the end-user’s experience by using graphics and various elements that many are already familiar with from everyday Internet usage. This technology can also reduce development costs, since plug-ins that were previously needed for this type of functionality no longer need to be purchased.
