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Accessing external data sources

You can connect to and work with data in external data sources in much the same way that you work with data in the current, active FileMaker file. For example, you can:

•	create tables in the relationships graph for external FileMaker files and ODBC data sources

•	work with data from external files in FileMaker fields and layouts

•	add supplemental fields to ODBC tables to perform unstored calculations or to summarize data in the ODBC tables

•	add, change, and delete external data interactively

•	create relationships between fields in FileMaker tables and fields (also called “columns”) in ODBC tables

•	construct SQL queries for importing via ODBC. See Querying an ODBC data source from FileMaker Pro.

Notes

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There are other ways to link with ODBC data sources besides using FileMaker Pro as an ODBC client application. You can write SQL queries to use FileMaker Pro as a data source. See Sharing FileMaker Pro data via ODBC or JDBC, FileMaker ODBC and JDBC Guide, and FileMaker SQL Reference for more information.

•	For an overview of the various ways of working with ODBC data sources, see Using ODBC and JDBC with FileMaker Pro.

•	You cannot modify the schema of external ODBC data sources using FileMaker Pro.

•	If table names change in an ODBC data source, you can use the Manage Database dialog box to re-link to the ODBC table. See Restoring links to ODBC data sources.

•	ODBC data sources are also referred to as external SQL sources (ESS).

Related topics 

Adding tables to the relationships graph