Ted, Simple layout changes, etc, can be made without extensive FileMaker knowledge. Serious changes, however, benefit greatly from a deep understanding of FileMaker. Get what you can from the User Guide (out of the box or available inexpensively on request if you placed a volume purchase. Like most other software manuals, it could be better. 3rd party books run the spectrum from wonderful to useless & that varies widely according to your level of understanding. One of the best sources is the Scriptology book and other Iso products ( http://www.isoproductions.com/ ). There are also excellent seminars but they tend to be pricy ($300-900) and mostly available in places like Arizona or the Bay Area. One of these is http://www.fmptraining.com . Most medium to large cities have a computer training school or two and often they teach at least a basic class in FMP. Companies sending several students often get large discounts, as much as 50% or more. As a nonprofit, ask if you can benefit from the same pricing. Finally, I've learned much from dedicated mailing lists, such as the one hosted on the Blue World site http://www.blueworld.com/blueworld/lists/filemaker.html . Sometimes the volume on this list can be daunting, so I'd suggest a Digest subscription to begin with. Discussion lists such as this take dedication and patience, but you can learn much from them over time, including techniques that you would never even guess existed from a reading of the Users Manual. HTH, Gary > -----Original Message----- > Date: 27 Oct 2000 14:27:54 -0600 > From: Ted Fickes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: FileMaker knowledge & training > > Jackie's question about the FileMaker user manual and/or which 3rd party > book would be helpful raises a question I've had for a while. > > While not absolutely necessary, I think that folks 'getting under the > hood' > with ebase would have generally more pleasant and more productive > experiences if they had a better grounding in how to use FileMaker. You > don't need to be a certified FileMaker administrator (if any such thing > exists) to add fields but there are a lot of ebase functions really force > you to work with FileMaker terminology and interfaces. > > Does anybody have any experiences or thoughts about this...including > disagreeing? Any sense for how much FileMaker training is sufficient for > various levels of work with ebase? Where/how folks can get more > experience > with FileMaker in a more productive way than stumbling through edits to > ebase? Any place online with a good FileMaker tutorial or free/cheap > training module? > > Ted > > > Ted Fickes > Environmental Law & Policy Center > 35 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 1300 > Chicago, IL 60601 > 312-795-3724 > 312-795-3730 (fax) > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > The Midwest Environment Online at http://www.elpc.org > >
