GeoDatabase & FileMaker (MySQL Connection)

[MatthewPrythero]

Hi There,

So I've got a problem that for the life of me I cannot solve. I'm working with a friend who manages a cemetery. Anyways, we have a map and a database in FileMaker 12 Pro Advanced. Anyways, the information in the map is name, birth date, death date, block, lot, plot and a special Burial ID we assigned to each grave. What we would like to do is have this information connected to a database in FileMaker, that way empty lots could be updated in the map when information is entered into the database, instead of having to enter information into the database and then into the map.

Well thanks ahead for any possible help.

Matt

[JamesMedema]

Matthew,

There are a few pieces of information and a few tools that will be of immense help. First, some thoughts:

Because the "addresses" of grave sites are not standard addresses that Google Maps API could work with, you will need to identify each site by something that doesn't require streets and house numbers. Normally that would leave you with the Latitude and Longitude coordinates - something that you can get from Google Maps API and a number of others that are available.

Check out https://mapsengine.google.com/map/?pli=1

Note: You may have some luck using a new service called "What3Words.com" - They have divided up the entire globe(?) into little squares (3' or 3 meter) and assigned a series of 3 random names to all of them. Not sure how easily this could be integrated, but it's a neat idea!

Anyway, the tool that I you WILL need is from SeedCode. They have a desktop version for FM12 called "ProMaps" and one for the iOS called "GoMaps" - check out the following links:
http://www.seedcode.com/cp-app/ste_cat/gomaps
http://seedcodenext.wordpress.com/2013/06/28/beautiful-filemaker-maps/

Hope this helps you get started!

Jim Medema
Surefoot Database Consulting
FileMaker Certified Developer v7-12