Connect to IBM Cloud Object Storage Data Using the Script Function in Claris FileMaker Pro

Claris FileMaker is a low-code database application development tool that enables users to create custom apps for managing and organizing data. It combines a powerful relational database engine with an intuitive interface, allowing both technical and non-technical users to design and deploy applications across desktop, web, and mobile platforms.

In this article, we'll explore how to use the CData ODBC Driver for IBM Cloud Object Storage and FileMaker scripting to connect to IBM Cloud Object Storage data.

Create an ODBC Data Source for IBM Cloud Object Storage

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

Register a New Instance of Cloud Object Storage

If you do not already have Cloud Object Storage in your IBM Cloud account, follow the procedure below to install an instance of SQL Query in your account:

1. Log in to your IBM Cloud account.
2. Navigate to the page, choose a name for your instance and click Create. You will be redirected to the instance of Cloud Object Storage you just created.

Connecting using OAuth Authentication

There are certain connection properties you need to set before you can connect. You can obtain these as follows:

API Key

To connect with IBM Cloud Object Storage, you need an API Key. You can obtain this as follows:

1. Log in to your IBM Cloud account.
2. Navigate to the Platform API Keys page.
3. On the middle-right corner click "Create an IBM Cloud API Key" to create a new API Key.
4. In the pop-up window, specify the API Key name and click "Create". Note the API Key as you can never access it again from the dashboard.

Cloud Object Storage CRN

If you have multiple accounts, specify the CloudObjectStorageCRN explicitly. To find the appropriate value, you can:

• Query the Services view. This will list your IBM Cloud Object Storage instances along with the CRN for each.
• Locate the CRN directly in IBM Cloud. To do so, navigate to your IBM Cloud Dashboard. In the Resource List, Under Storage, select your Cloud Object Storage resource to get its CRN.

Connecting to Data

You can now set the following to connect to data:

• InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
• ApiKey: Set this to your API key which was noted during setup.
• CloudObjectStorageCRN (Optional): Set this to the cloud object storage CRN you want to work with. While the connector attempts to retrieve this automatically, specifying this explicitly is recommended if you have more than Cloud Object Storage account.

When you connect, the connector completes the OAuth process.

1. Extracts the access token and authenticates requests.
2. Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation to be persisted across connections.

When you configure the DSN, you may also want to set the Max Rows connection property. This will limit the number of rows returned, which is especially helpful for improving performance when designing reports and visualizations.

Connect and Sync IBM Cloud Object Storage data with FileMaker Using Scripts

In this section, we walk through the steps to connect live IBM Cloud Object Storage data to FileMaker using the CData ODBC Driver for IBM Cloud Object Storage and the Script function. During the initial import, FileMaker brings in all data from the external data source. From the second import onward, it updates only the data that has changed in the external source (a differential update). You can also replace the data in the current record order and schedule these differential updates for automated syncing.

You can download and install the latest version of FileMaker Pro for your Mac/Windows/Linux systems from this link.

Connect and sync IBM Cloud Object Storage data with FileMaker using scripts

Scripting in FileMaker automates complex tasks and workflows by running a sequence of actions with a single command. By using scripting to integrate with IBM Cloud Object Storage, you can automatically connect to, import, update, and replace IBM Cloud Object Storage data within your FileMaker applications, streamlining data management and improving efficiency.

First-time importing and adding IBM Cloud Object Storage data using script

In this section, we'll use scripts to import IBM Cloud Object Storage data into FileMaker by following these steps:

1. Open FileMaker Pro. Navigate to Create from the left panel and select Blank > Create.

2. Enter a filename of your choice and click Save.
3. In the Manage Database window, go to the Tables tab and create or rename the table where you want to display the IBM Cloud Object Storage data.

4. In the Fields tab, create and add the fields you want to use in the table.

5. In the Relationships tab, add table relationships if there are multiple tables, then click OK.

6. To reopen and modify the table structure, go to File > Manage > Database.
7. Navigate to Scripts > Script Workspace.

8. Select New Script to open a new script workspace.
9. From the Steps panel on the right, select Records > Import Records > Insert into Script.

10. In the Specify Data Source dropdown, choose ODBC Data.
11. Select CData IBMCloudObjectStorage Sys from the Select ODBC Data Source window, and click Continue. Enter your IBM Cloud Object Storage credentials and click OK.

12. In the Specify ODBC SQL Query dialog, enter the SQL query in the SQL text editor to import the desired IBM Cloud Object Storage data.

13. Alternatively, select Query Builder to open the SQL Query Builder window. Choose the target table from the Tables section and relevant columns from the Columns section. Click Insert into SQL Query after each selection to auto-generate the query. You can also manually edit the query using WHERE and ORDER BY clauses or the designated tabs. Click OK to finalize the query.

14. Click OK.
15. In the Specify import order option, click Specify and enter the IBM Cloud Object Storage credentials.

16. In the Specify Import Order window, define the import order for the target fields you added earlier. Select Add between the source and target fields to insert the IBM Cloud Object Storage data as new records in the table. Click Import.

17. The script now appears in the workspace. Click Run to execute the script and process the import.

18. FileMaker imports the IBM Cloud Object Storage data as a table.

Update or Replace Imported IBM Cloud Object Storage data Using a Script

After importing the IBM Cloud Object Storage data into FileMaker, use scripts to update or replace any changes made in IBM Cloud Object Storage by following this process:

1. Go back to the Script Workspace by following the steps mentioned in the earlier section.
2. Select the existing script, click the settings button, choose Specify under Specify Import Order, and re-enter the IBM Cloud Object Storage credentials to authenticate.

3. In the Specify Import Order window, choose Update between source and target to update the imported IBM Cloud Object Storage data. This updates the target's found set with IBM Cloud Object Storage data values from selected fields when the match fields have the same values. You must define at least one match field in the mapping and select the checkbox Add remaining data as new records. Click Import.

4. Alternatively, choose the Replace option instead of Update, based on your use case. This replaces the selected fields in the target's found set with IBM Cloud Object Storage data in the current record order. Click Import.

5. FileMaker adds the script to the workspace. Click Run to execute the script and process the import query.
6. FileMaker imports the updated or replaced IBM Cloud Object Storage data as a table.

Get Started Today

Download a free 30-day trial of CData ODBC Driver for IBM Cloud Object Storage to integrate IBM Cloud Object Storage data into Claris FileMaker and work with IBM Cloud Object Storage data in your FileMaker applications.

Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.