I am a part time FMP developer and have 3 clients running systems on v 5.5, where of course I still carry out maintenance and some development. I am about to start work for a new client , who has to buy v 6.0.

I will be buying an upgrade to write the new system in v 6.0. The question is will v 6.0 convert the v 5.5 files to v 6.0, which will mean they will not run on the clients' systems ( they have no reason to upgrade to v 6.0 ).

Can I keep 2 versions of FMP on my PC and just use the appropriate version ? SHould I buy a new licence of v 6.0 rather than an upgrade so that v 5.5 is not overwritten ?

Thanks all.

Just as with versions 3 and 4, versions 5 and 6 of FileMaker use the same file format. Your 5.5 files won't be "converted" if you work on them in 6. Just take care not to add any features that are exclusive to 6 (custom dialogs etc.).

FMP 6.0 , 5.5 and even 5.0 all use the same file formats.

So you can open a FM database in any of these three programs.

You could just use 5.5 that you have for your new clients (keeping in mind, you can't use any of the cool new features in his DB yet).

Buy 6.0 and remember to open each project in the appropriate DB

Buy 6.0 and use for anything (keeping in mind, not to use any of the cool new features in the 5.5 DB's yet).

Jerry

Thank you all, as always for the speed and helpfulness of the replies. Having downloaded a lot of example files in v 3.0 and seeing them converted to 5.(5), I just assumed the same would happen when opening v 5.0 files in v 6.0 program.

It might make more sense if FMI assigned version numbers based upon versions that have the same file format. Marketing being what it is, they make the new version FM 6.0 instead of 5.6.

-bd