Table of contents
What is a FileMaker plugin?
For more than ten years, FileMaker Pro has had an interface for plug-ins that extend the functionality of FileMaker. Plugins provide new functions in FileMaker that can be called up in the "External functions" section of the formula editor. The handling for the developer corresponds to that of any other normal FileMaker function.
Functional enhancements for FileMaker databases
Most FileMaker plugins offer a collection of functions in a specific area. For example, there are numerous plugins available for receiving and sending emails or using FileMaker with groupware servers. Some FileMaker plugins provide an enormous amount of new commands for FileMaker databases - for example, the free Base Elements Plugin now has more than 50 functions, and the MBS FileMaker Plugin now offers more than 4,000 new functions.
32-bit and 64-bit versions available
FileMaker plug-ins can be available as 32-bit or 64-bit versions. The 64-bit version runs with FileMaker 14 and FileMaker 15. 32-bit plug-ins can be run with FileMaker 14 in 32-bit mode and often with all previous versions (up to FileMaker 7). The 32-bit mode of FileMaker 14 can be activated under Mac OS X in the info dialog of the program file in the Finder. Under Windows, the installation of a separate 32-bit version of FileMaker Pro is required.
Installing FileMaker plugins
FileMaker plug-ins can be installed in newer FileMaker versions in several ways. All FileMaker versions contain an "Extensions" directory in the program directory, into which any FileMaker plugins can be copied. After restarting FileMaker, the plugins copied into this directory are available in FileMaker.
In FileMaker 15 and FileMaker 16, FileMaker plug-ins can also be created using the [File > Preferences > Plugins] can be installed. After clicking on the button [Show plugin folder] This dialog opens a window in which the desired plugins can be copied.
FileMaker plugins can also be saved in a container field and installed via script. To do this, use the "Install plugin file" script command and select the container field in which the FileMaker plugin was saved as an option.
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