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| Learn FileMaker Pro 9 (Wordware Library for FileMaker) | 
 enlarge | Author: Jonathan Stars
Publisher: Wordware Publishing, Inc.
Category: Book
List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $25.97
You Save: $13.98 (35%)
New (26) Used (3) from $19.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 62307
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 550
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 6 x 1.3
ISBN: 1598220462
Dewey Decimal Number: 005.7565
EAN: 9781598220469
ASIN: 1598220462
Publication Date: November 25, 2007
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
Best book for beginner-to-intermediate January 11, 2008
20 out of 23 found this review helpful
Stars quickly introduces the concepts you need to design a truly useful database. Most other books (including the three mentioned at the end of this review) discuss each module of FileMaker separately and in the abstract, similar to the FileMaker User Guide, leaving you wondering how to get started designing your own database. For example, most books defer "related tables" until halfway into the book because relationships are considered a difficult topic, but Stars introduces related tables in a very basic way in chapter 2.
Perhaps the best feature of Stars is that he offers far more practical tips, including pitfalls to avoid, than any other book I've read.
Stars explains how to design a database the way you'd do it in real life. He initially designs an elementary database, then adds more sophisticated features. (One of the beauties of FileMaker is that you don't need to design an all encompassing database in one fell swoop. You can start simple, then add features a little at a time, and adapt existing features to your evolving needs.) He uses many brief examples throughout the book, so there is no problem understanding the examples if you jump in the middle of the book.
I agree with Stars' philosophy that it is hard to learn FileMaker by reading a book cover-to-cover away from your computer. His book is designed to be read while you are near your computer so you can experiment with his examples. FileMaker is well adapted for learning by experimentation. (If you are beyond the neophyte stage, the book is self-explanatory without requiring access to a computer.)
The downside of Stars is that he is not the most articulate writer, so a few explanations are too vague. However, you almost always can understand him by context or by briefly experimenting with his examples.
Stars is much better for beginning-to-intermediate FileMaker users than the FileMaker Bible, FileMaker Missing Manual, or Que Special Edition. Stars has far more practical advice than the first two. The Que book is too difficult for a neophyte and covers only selected topics in depth. Although the Missing Manual is thicker than Stars, it actually conveys less information because it consumes too much space with the mechanics of pressing each button in a series of dialog windows. Stars presents the same info more concisely, yet is even more approachable for a neophyte.
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