- How do I install Eloquent-FileMaker in a Laravel app?
- Install it with Composer, for example composer require bluefeather/eloquent-filemaker, then add a filemaker connection in config/database.php and extend the package's FMModel base class for your models. The FileMaker file must have the fmrest extended privilege enabled and the Data API exposed on FileMaker Server or Claris Cloud, which is a server-side configuration task for the FileMaker administrator.
- Which Laravel versions are supported by Eloquent-FileMaker?
- The package supports the currently supported Laravel versions, and version 2.0 added Laravel 11 support. Earlier Laravel versions may work but are not guaranteed, so pin your Laravel, PHP, and package versions and run a compatibility test before upgrading.
- How do I configure a FileMaker Data API connection in Laravel?
- Add a connection entry using the filemaker driver with your FileMaker host, database, and account credentials, then point your models at that connection. Real deployments often use multiple FileMaker files or credential sets, which the package supports. Confirm that the Data API is enabled and that the account has the required fmrest privilege before debugging application code.
- Can I use Eloquent relationships and portals with FileMaker records?
- Yes, Eloquent-FileMaker supports relationships and portal data read/write, so you can model common parent-child and portal-driven layouts in a Laravel-friendly way. Be aware that FileMaker layouts are presentation objects, not relational tables, and portals are not true joins; complex aggregates, whereHas-style queries, and multi-table consistency usually need FileMaker calculation fields, scripts, or PHP-side logic.
- How does Eloquent-FileMaker handle FileMaker authentication and sessions?
- The package provides automatic authentication and session management, including support for multiple files and credential sets. In production, remember that FileMaker Data API tokens expire after roughly 15 minutes idle and sessions count against FileMaker concurrency, so reuse sessions and avoid minting new tokens on every request. Monitor peak session usage against your FileMaker Server or Claris licensing tier.
- Can I run FileMaker scripts from Laravel with Eloquent-FileMaker?
- Yes, the package includes support for running FileMaker scripts through the Data API. For writes, the safer pattern is usually to dispatch a FileMaker script so validation, business rules, and audit trails stay in FileMaker rather than reimplementing them in Laravel. Treat the package as a thin read façade plus script-dispatch layer when FileMaker is the system of record.
- How do I remap FileMaker field names to Laravel model attributes?
- Eloquent-FileMaker supports FileMaker-to-Laravel field name remapping, along with automatic name, layout, and table resolution. This helps keep Laravel code readable while your FileMaker layouts retain existing field names. Remember that the fields a model can see depend on what is placed on the FileMaker layout, so layout changes can silently break mappings.
- Can I read and write FileMaker container fields through Laravel?
- Yes, the package supports reading and writing container data through the FileMaker Data API. Container behavior still depends on the FileMaker layout and account privileges, so test uploads and downloads against a realistic FileMaker file. For large files, watch response sizes and consider whether FileMaker scripts or server-side handling are a better fit.
- How should I test a Laravel app that uses Eloquent-FileMaker?
- Use a dedicated FileMaker test file with the fmrest privilege and Data API enabled, and write integration tests for the layouts, fields, portals, and scripts your models depend on. Keep FileMaker access behind repositories or services so most Laravel unit tests can fake that boundary. Also test session reuse, error handling, and layout-change scenarios, because FileMaker schema is coupled to layout exposure.
- What are the main production risks of using Eloquent-FileMaker?
- The biggest risks are layout-coupled schema, no transactions, offset pagination and per-record round trips that make N+1 behavior the default, and session and token lifecycle limits. The package is maintained by one consultancy with a small community, so the MIT license matters: be prepared to fork and vendor it if maintenance stalls. It is a strong fit for a Laravel app in front of an existing FileMaker system of record, but a poor fit for greenfield work or anything that needs relational database semantics.