While upgrading to Yosemite, I ran into a snag with my local server setup.  I run a local server for VPN and DNS.  My local domains all end with the .local top-level domain (TLD; .com, .net, .org, etc. are all TLDs) as it seemed appropriate.  And it was working!  Until it wasn't...

I ran the update command on Composer and received the following error: [Composer\Downloader\TransportException] The "http://packagist.org/p/symfony/class-loader$78539d95ddac0cc02514ed9cdf1515023dcd289b4f7e03ed948e868a1b02acf2.json" file could not be downloaded: failed to open stream: HTTP request failed!

I have been trying to create my solution to the SIS problem for quite some time, scratching and restarting, hopefully each time learning.

1. Started out with KS Connect, a KS proprietary solution, that does exactly what KS needs.
2. Contract with Academy of the Pacific, which afforded the first incantation of Kula SIS.
3. Auxiliary billing system for Holy Nativity School called HNS Connect for which I had a grand vision.

...but the current occupation is as close as I have been to making this reality.  Small hiccup is that what I create is for Higher Ed.  But here's the thing...

FileMaker is a subsidiary of Apple, attempting to keep the Mac relevant in the data world.  This is something that the Windows world just dominates and does very well (and it's a well-deserved compliment to Microsoft and the Windows world).  However, in true Apple fashion, the FileMaker database stores data in a "non-standard" fashion (I say non-standard in quotes because every database has its own flavor on just about everything DB-related.  However, FileMaker is...how shall I put this...more non-standard than usual.).  This adds additional complexity and headache.

At Oregon College of Art and Craft, they used a SIS based on Paradox DB.  Getting the data out of Paradox DB into something more current and workable was challenging.  After scrounging the Internet for answers, here were my steps to convert the data with things I've learned.  Hopefully it can help you.