FileMaker Plugins

Plugin Info: NetTools
Developer:	Acme Technologies
Current Version:	3.0.8
Current Ver (Mac):
Current Ver (Win):
Features:	FTP Network
FileMaker Vers:	7+
Platform:	Win + Mac
Single License:	$75
Dev License:	$350
Website:	acmetech.com
Last Updated:	February 2005

NetTools brings the most used Internet protocols into FileMaker Pro. You can interact with Web sites, FTP servers, lookup IP addresses or domain names, and check whether a domain name is available through public WhoIS servers.

Our NetTools customers have found some very innovative ways to integrate their databases with the Web. They use it to transfer form submissions and Web database data to their local FileMaker files; export records to a Web server’s CGI application; remotely manage Web servers (in various convoluted ways!); extract dynamic data from news and financial Web sites. One customer built a system in FileMaker to automatically order concert tickets through a public web site by filling in and submitting all the forms required during the purchase process. We use it to securely pull down orders from our online store.

Here’s a partial list of the http/https functions NetTools provides: upload FileMaker record data to a Web server, download text-based content directly to FileMaker records; upload and download any type of content to the local file system. Any HTTP request headers can be set (such as the User-agent header field). Filling out Web forms is simplified and streamlined. And private, password-protected Web pages can be accessed by supplying your username and password during the request.

Many of our users have written to tell us they manage portions of their Web site by generating static Web pages from FileMaker Pro record data then transferring it via FTP. NetTools supports nearly all features of the FTP protocol. You can get directory listings, create and delete directories on the server, transfer local files or records to and from the server, and much more!

NetTools can also be used to retrieve information from WhoIS databases (you might want to know if a particular domain name is available, or who owns it) and to resolve IP addresses to a domain name, or obtain an IP address for a given domain name. We’ve recently added minimal Telnet support, and a future release will include support for SSH.

Features:

• Download web content to FMP or local drive
• Upload record data to Web/FTP servers
• Create and submit Web forms
• Automatic Cookie handling
• HTTP file uploads
• Access password-protected Web sites
• Full FTP client functionality
• Resolve IP addresses/domain names
• Search public WhoIS domain name servers
• Consistent cross-platform interface
• Telnet/SSH (see note below)

Example Uses

• Export FileMaker records to FTP servers
• Integrate real-time Web content with your database
• Publish FileMaker data to static Web pages
• Automatically submit Web forms from FileMaker
• Grab real-time stock quotes, currency rates, …
• Synchronize Web databases with FileMaker Pro