Filemaker v 6.0 in OS 10.2.4

[richshone]

I went to the store today to buy the newest version of Filemaker because:

a) I want to keep my new Mac running in native OS X applications instead of in Classic mode

: because I can't print to PDF or my fax machine from Filemaker (as far as I can figure anyway) when in 'Classic' mode

c) because all of a sudden I cannot open Filemaker files in v 5.0 even in Classic mode if I wanted to!

Initially, I had no troubles opening files when I first installed Filemaker 5 as long as I wasn't printing anything. Now when I double click on a file I get Classic opened, Filemaker opened and the icon jumping up and down for a few seconds and then nothing. I have tried to open Filemaker first and going to 'open file' to see if it works to no avail.

So, if anyone can offer a reason why I cannot open v5.0 files that would be very helpful, but most importantly, when I went to the store and looked at the version 6 box I was scared away from something it said on the side of it. It warned that toolbars - whatever they are in this context - don't work in this version under OS X. Huh? Is Filemaker properly upgraded to work in OS X or not? If not, any knowledge about WHEN to expect this to occur? Anyone out there with working knowledge of updating somewhat large relational solutions built in version 5 and using them in version 6 while running OS X? Is it still too early to get Filemaker 6 and expect it to work smoothly in OS X?

Any info would be very helpful as I need to do something soon to get back to work - hopefully on my new MAC. Thanks...

[danjacoby]

I believe that OS10.2.4 doesn't support Classic mode -- I could be wrong, but that might explain a lot.

[Fitch]

Of course OS 10.2.x supports Classic mode, what a thing to say! Classic will be supported for years to come. As for FileMaker 6, it works great in OS X. I don't know why toolbars had to be dumped, but I never used them anyway, so I don't miss them. As for upgrading your version 5 files, that isn't really an issue, since versions 5 and 6 share the same file format, so nothing will change. If you decide you don't want to use v.6 after all, you can go back to v.5, your files will never know the difference (unless you add in some v.6-only features, in which case those features will simply be ignored in v.5).

[Bob White]

Dan: As Fitch says, Classic will be part of OSX for a long time per Apple. What has happened is (1) since mid-2002 there is no further development or developer support for OS9 and (2) Mac's manufactured since around the beginning of this year have new version ROM that will only allow the Mac to be booted in OSX. Thus, if you want to partition and run OS9 on the second partition, you need a pre-2003 Mac.

[danjacoby]

"Classic will be supported for years to come."

Hah!

Look, I said I might be wrong about 10.2.4, but the fact is that Apple is no longer actively supporting Classic mode. They might be tolerating it, but (and bobwhite has given some significant details) they ain't supporting it.

That's why, when I decided that I needed a new laptop, I purposely did not get one of the newest models. As a result, I don't have to update all my old software until I feel like it. (I also saved a bundle!)

[Fitch]

Dan, I agree it's still very useful to be able to boot into OS 9. To clarify my earlier comment:

- OS 9 is no longer supported

- Classic is supported

- Classic development is not supported

Perhaps the word "support" was not the best choice, but I only used it because you said it first!

"OS10.2.4 doesn't support Classic mode"

In that context, "support" means "run" or "work with" and of course, 10.2.4 is designed to run Classic and it works as well or better than any other version of OS X, though of course not as well as booting into OS 9.

And lest we forget, FileMaker has already announced that future versions will be OS X (and Windows) only.

[Bob White]

I happened to look back at this subject and realized that we went off on a tangent and never answered the opening question. Idea: Do a Get Info on your FMP file that you can't open and see what you have it set to open with? The problem could be this simple. (When I check any of mine, the "Open With" displays several versions of FMP and Excel with FMP 6.0.4 being shown as the default.)

[richshone]

Seems like my post went on for a while without me even knowing or checking on it and it took on a life of its own...

To update, I ended up buying FM6 anyway and installed it and it works wonderfully with the exception the window scroll feature - something that seems to only happen with OSX rewrites in what I will call midstream versions (checkout the difference between Acrobat 5 and Acrobat 6 and you will see what I mean) - and I will expect to be upgraded with the next version.

Personally, I will be very glad when OSX is the ONLY OS that work with a MAC. Except for the applications that will cost everyone thousands to upgrade - I still have to use OS 9 for my music studio because I would need to remortgage my house to replace it all - I think that every single experience I have had with OSX has been positive.

As for the final post, Bob is correct - I have discovered a little talked about feature of OSX that should be stressed to all. If anyone has problems opening files that are unrecognized they should go to the Get Info window and look at the Open With menu. It is the first line of defence for getting things to work. I didn't do it with Filemaker, but I have done it to open Real Audio and some graphics files that I knew I could open but the computer wouldn't. It seems to be the first place to check if you are having trouble opening files in ANY OSX application before going to translators or decompressors.