The document discusses an Anchor/Buoy (A/B) approach to the FileMaker 7 relational graph design. It aims to restore the simplicity of 6-style relationships while maintaining the power of 7-style relationships. The A/B approach divides the relational graph into table occurrence groups (TOGs) with each TOG containing one "Anchor" table occurrence on the left and any number of "Buoy" table occurrences strung off to the right. Layouts are only attached to the Anchor table occurrences.

1. Grappling with 7 (part 2) Kevin Frank 8/16/05

2. Grappling with 7 (part 2) Kevin Frank 8/16/05

3. Grappling with 7 (part 2) Kevin Frank 8/16/05 Still

4. Grappling with 7 (part 2) Kevin Frank 8/16/05 Still

7. Arcata, CA

8. How Many Of You...

13. If you have questions...

14. If you have questions... Please interrupt me and ask them.

15. If you have questions... I don’t mind... Please interrupt me and ask them.

16. If you have questions... I don’t mind... (at all). Please interrupt me and ask them.

17. I only have one request...

18. I only have one request...

19. Violators will face the wrath of

21. The Avenging Ninja

23. Ethan Frank

24. Ethan Frank Technical Assistant

25. Let’s start with a simple example

26. Let ( [VL = "Header"; L = ValueListItems ( Get ( FileName ) ;VL); X = PatternCount(L;"¶")+1; N = 1+Mod(X+gScriptParameter;X); E = MiddleWords(L;N;1); T = MiddleWords(FieldType (Get ( FileName ) ;E);2;1); P = gScriptParameter; G = GetField(E)]; Choose(P>2; Case(T="Number";Right("00000000"&G;8);G); Case(T="Number";1/(G+2); T="Date";Date(12;12;3000)-G; T="Hour";Time(23;59;59)- G; T="Text"; Substitute( Upper(G); ["A"; "z"]; ["B"; "y"]; ["C"; "x"]; ["D"; "w"]; ["E"; "v"]; ["F"; "u"] ; ["G"; "t"]; ["H"; "s"]; ["I"; "r"]; ["J"; "q"]; ["K"; "p"]; ["L"; "o"]; ["M"; "n"]; ["N"; "m"]; ["O"; "l"]; ["P"; "k"]; ["Q"; "j"]; ["R"; "i"]; ["S"; "h"]; ["T"; "g"]; ["U"; "f"]; ["V"; "e"]; ["W"; "d"]; ["X"; "c"]; ["Y"; "b"]; ["Z"; "a"] ) )))

27. ( just kidding )

28. Main Presentation: Anchor / Buoy A FM7 Relational Graph Design Approach

29. What is A/B ?

34. X X 6 7

41. It lets you concentrate on the trees without losing sight of the forest.

49. Of the three Database “Layers”...

50. Of the three Database “Layers”... Data

51. Of the three Database “Layers”... Data Business

52. Of the three Database “Layers”... Data Business Presentation

53. ERDs only describe this layer... Data

54. The RG is essential to all three layers Data Business Presentation

56. This is an ERD

58. FileMaker 7 is a great tool

59. … but it’s not the right tool for making ERDs

63. Another reason developers may find the FM7 RG confusing...

64. Another reason developers may find the FM7 RG confusing... it's different

65. Another reason developers may find the FM7 RG confusing... it's different AND THAT’S PUTTING IT MILDLY

67. Let's take a TRIP down...

68. Let's take a TRIP down... Memory Lane

73. =

74. =

75. In FM6: we named these...

76. In FM7: we name these...

77. Some Basic Terminology

84. Tables

85. TOs

86. TOGs

87. Some Benefits of the FM7 Relational Model

93. Benefits, shmenefits!

94. Benefits, shmenefits! In the good old days...

98. Some Potentially Confusing Aspects of the FM7 Relational Model

103. For example: In a typical FM6 solution tracking donors and donations... ID#_Donor Date Payment_Type Amount ID# First_Name Last_Name < etc. >

104. These are mutually bi-directional 10 relationships from Donors to Donations: 3 relationships from Donations to Donors:

105. These can only be resolved in one direction 10 relationships from Donors to Donations: 3 relationships from Donations to Donors:

108. Where am I?

109. Where am I starting from?

110. Where am I starting from? Where am I going to?

114. It’s easy to see where you’re going in FM7… Context is determined by where you start from

115. It’s easy to see where you’re going in FM7… Context is determined by where you start from

116. Contextual Food for Thought

138. Initially, a feeling of vertigo, or even existential nausea, is to be expected. -- Mike Harris, March 2004

139. Hmm… For every TO, I have to decide...

143. I wonder when we’re going to start learning about... ???

145. A/B in a Nutshell

149. Anchors Buoys

151. 1 Anchor per base table

153. Layouts X No Layouts

155. Page 1 Page 2 < etc. >

160. Color Coding & TO Naming Conventions

161. Legend at the top of the RG

165. Anchor Name

172. Buoy Name

173. Buoy Name

177. If you need to clarify the Buoy name

182. Abbreviated Anchor Names...

183. Abbreviated Anchor Names...

184. Abbreviated Anchor Names... … ensure that an anchor precedes its buoys in sorted TO lists

185. Some Benefits of the A/B Method

188. From this layout...

189. From this layout... … which is anchored to this TO

190. Donor Name comes from here...

192. No need to make any changes here

193. … or here

195. … ad infinitum In A/B, “Related” TOs are “Relevant” TOs

199. I’m confused --

200. I’m confused -- If my RG is broken into separate TOGs, how do I navigate between them?

201. I’m confused -- If my RG is broken into separate TOGs, how do I navigate between them? For example... How do I jump from a donation to the parent donor?

202. Grab your board & wetsuit, because it’s time to go...

203. TOG Surfing

204. To jump from a donation to the corresponding donor

205. To jump from a donation to the corresponding donor From the Anchor...

206. GTRR to the desired Buoy...

207. GTRR to the desired Buoy...

208. … but choose a layout attached to the corresponding Anchor

209. This works because… AND … share a common base table

210. This works because… AND … share a common base table

212. One Very Important Point

230. Since adopting A/B...