fmSQL Synch (v2.0)

Installation

The following instructions will assist you in filling out the details needed for connecting to your SQL database and setting up the files/tables to be synchronized. But first, you will need to ensure you have the required software properly installed. This includes:

• SQL Plugin
• JDBC driver for your database (tested with com.mysql.jdbc.Driver)
• Mac OSX
• FileMaker v7 or higher (tested with FM v7)

fmSQL Synch

You will need to copy the fmSQL Synch folder to your hard drive before running it. It will not run successfully from the locked disk image. Launch fmSQL Synch by double-clicking the "Synching.fp5" file; it has the correct password pre-programmed into it.

Extra plugins (optional)
The GCS template (demo) databases use some additional plugins such as the oAzium Portal Filter if you have them installed. They are not required, but some features work better if you have them installed.

The fmSQL Synch Demo is setup to work with the GCS Template (demo) databases. You can also use the fmSQL Synch demo with your own FileMaker files, but you will need to make modifications as described in FileMaker database integration.

The fmSQL Synch Demo also requires that demo tables are created in the SQL database. The Setup Assistant will create them for you if desired.

SQL Plugin

The first thing you will need is the SQL Plugin from Rumora Automatisering en Advies. The latest version (at time of writing) is SQL Plugin 2.1.4. The plugin is commercial software but a demo version is available which you can use for testing fmSQL Synch. A copy of the plugin is also included in the fmSQL Synch folder. If you purchase a copy of fmSQL Synch bundled with SQL Plugin, then you will receive a serial number to activate the SQL Plugin.

To install SQL Plugin, follow the instructions in the ReadMe file that comes with the download. Here is an excerpt from the SQL Plugin ReadMe:

Installation

1. Drag the plug-in into Filemaker Pro extensions folder (usually /Applications/FileMaker Pro/Extensions).
2. Drag the file JDBCPlugin.bundle to into folder /Users/Shared.
3. Drag the file JDBCPlugin.jar to into folder /Library/Java/Extensions.
4. Install third party JDBC driver.

Note: JDBC drivers on Mac OS X should be placed in /Library/Java/Extensions/. However, the driver can be placed anywhere in the Java classpath.

After installing the SQL Plugin you will need to re-launch FileMaker if it was already running.

JDBC Driver

You will also need a JDBC driver for your database. fmSQL Synch has been developed for use with mySQL but any database which has a JDBC driver should work. The mySQL JDBC driver is available at http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/j/3.1.html. And you can get information about the driver at http://www.mysql.com/products/connector/j/index.html. The latest version (at time of writing) is MySQL Connector/J 3.1.12. The driver is free to download and its use is licensed under the GPL. The mySQL driver has been included in the fmSQL Synch package for your convenience.

Mac OS X

1. See step 4 above (Installation for SQL Plugin). Copy the file "mysql-connector-java-3.1.12-bin.jar" from the folder "JDBC Drivers" to /Library/Java/Extensions/.