I know, I know, I am kicking a dead dog, but it really would be nice to be able to have a developed desktop app have the easy ability to be updated/modified without losing any data. So if I distribute my app to a customer, and make additions and deletions to the finished app, the customer will not lose any data. Maybe a file for the data to reside in while the rest of the app can be modified. Just an idea....

See FMForums >> Brain Food >> The Separation Model. Lots of discussion on this topic.

No, I'm definitely with Kevin on this one, there should be a way to say to FM -> Here's what the File looks like now, here's what it used to look like -> Make the structural changes necessary please.

Separation model, is lacking at best for what I am saying. I know, I have been fighting this battle for 2 years :o

Oh. I see (now) the point of your post.

Yes, I believe FileMaker could make a few strategic changes and really have the product soar for developers. Something I would definitely like to see is a "pushbutton" method to transfer matching tables/fields from one schema into another (i.e, where the field name and data type are identical). It could work at a macro level* and have fields designated to be either "unchanged" or "reformulated" (via a calculation) during the port. I find the existing export/import method is simply too high-strung and fickle (both technical terms) to be trusted.

* list the tables you want to port along with the special operations you want to perform during the port.