title: Exporting from Filemaker to MySQL...in 2014
body: <p>I have <code>FM11A</code> (client only  for now, but the project should run on a FM Server either 11 or 12-13) on a WinXP machine where I also run a <code>MySQL server (5.5)</code> for testing purposes. </p>
  
  <p>I have a database fully working on <code>filemaker</code> and I am developing a mirror MySQL database to go online.</p>
  
  <p>My aim is to be able to perform bidirectional sync between Fm and MySQL leaving the 2 databases as entirely independent entities (so I would avoid to have FM write directly on MySQL tables, i.e. having FM as front-end and MySQL as back-end).</p>
  
  <p>I have been able to import the MySQL table (demographics) into the FM database (where another 'demographics' table is present) the 2 tables have exactly the same fields, and importing from <code>MySQL-Demogr</code> into <code>FM-Demogr</code> using ODBC\ESS works very well.</p>
  
  <p>When I open FM and Import records from MySQL using the shadow table everything goes smoothly and I can see new records on the original FM table, as I wished.</p>
  
  <p>Of note, I am also able to write data directly on MySQL-Demogr table using FM and writing on the shadow Table. </p>
  
  <p>The problem comes when I try to export FM data to MySQL: apparently the ODBC\ESS system works very well in 1 direction (FM import from *SQL) but not the other (FM export to *SQL) I am still trying to figure out the most efficient (i.e. easy\quick and scalable) way to export records, originally inserted in FM, in MySQL. </p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>The old way would be to script an export to .csv file from FM, then loading new data to MySQL, maybe using a  temporary table inside MySQL. This is supposed to be very quick and is absolutely doable, although I would rather use ODBC\ESS if at all possible</p></li>
  <li><p>The easiest way would be to export directly from FM into MySQL using the shadow table but it does not work:</p></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>a. Exporting from FM to the same file or to an ODBC source (MySQL) is apparently not possible (might you please confirm?)
  b. When I open the MySQL shadow table (MySQL-Demogr) from inside FM and Import new records (this time going from FM-Demogr --> MySQL-Demogr) it says records have been added in MySQL, but in the facts, nothing happened and when I go to MySQL the table is unchanged.</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>Another chance is to use filemaker with or without specific plugin to run an SQL query and let it access the MySQL-Demogr shadow Table through ODBC...I have looked into some examples available online and this is not entirely clean and cut to me, but I was reviewing records of 2003-2009, apparently in the pre-ESS era. Maybe with the new ExecuteSQL script step things are a little bit <code>mopsr</code> straightforward now ? If you have any advice on specific plugins (under $100) that could help me in this, I am also interested in making the investment </p></li>
  <li><p>Finally, I could use a third package (either Excel or SQLYog) to run the SQL for me connecting the 2 databases (FM and MySQL) and make the script to run on a regular base. No issues with that but I would keep everything inside FM-MySQL if at all possible. </p></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Thank you very much in advance for your help.</p>