FileMaker Pro 9 and FileMaker Server 9

[Steven H. Blackwell]

The release today of FileMaker Pro 9 and FileMaker Server 9 marks another milestone for FileMaker, Inc., as well as a significant new direction for the FileMaker family of products.

With the introduction of support for seamless connectivity to external SQL based data sources, the company demonstrates its continuing commitment to FileMaker Pro’s becoming an enterprise level player for businesses large and small. The ability to draw data from back-end “big iron” types systems such as Oracle and SQL Server 2005 and to utilize those data within the FileMaker Pro solution construct will open new markets for FileMaker products and for FileMaker developers.

While a considerable amount of attention and experimentation will center on this External SQL Source functionality, the new FileMaker Pro 9 and FileMaker Server 9 have some additional enhancements that are both compelling and useful:

•Scripts can now be organized into folders and subfolders, a major step forward in organization and management of even modestly complex solutions. Developers eagerly await the extension of this functionality to other objects such as tables, fields, layouts, and value lists.

•ScriptMaker now has non-modal windows, meaning that several scripts can be open for editing at the same time and that items can be copied from one to another without closing any windows. Additionally, developers can switch between ScriptMaker windows and layout windows.

•An enhanced script debugger permits running of scripts with subordinate level Accounts but then temporarily authenticating for high level privilege functions. As a result developers can see how the script behaves for different levels of privileges.

•Conditional formatting of layout objects, based either on hard-coded formulas or on dynamic calculation results will significantly enhance UI capabilities. For example, if an invoice is over 60 days old, its total can be made to turn to red automatically without need for scripting or other workarounds.

•In FileMaker Server 9 the venerable SAT Tool has been replaced on both Macintosh and Windows platforms with a new Uniform Admin Console. In an enhanced panel focused on connected users, the Account Name, Privilege Set name, and IP address of each connected user can be made to display.

•Since Custom Web Publishing is now part of the core FileMaker Server 9 product, its configuration is also managed through the Uniform Admin Console. The configuration options have been simplified and more tightly integrated into the core parts of the Console. For example, there is no longer the need to specify the User ID and Passcode or to have separate credentials for accessing the Web Publishing Engine’s management options.

•Finally, FileMaker, Inc. added several new functions to FileMaker Pro 9, my favorite of which is the Self function. As its name implies, it returns the content of the object in which a calculation is defined. This is useful for creating a single calculation formula that can be applied to many different objects. It provides a way for a calculation to reference an associated object without having explicitly to reference it.

[Fitch]

The debugger has other new features: my favorite is the ability to automatically add fields and variables that are referenced in your script to the data viewer!

Conditional formatting not only applies to fields: it can change the formatting of field labels, i.e. any text objects on your layout!

ScriptMaker: Multiple developers can now work on (separate) scripts at the same time!

Server: upload assistant and server-side scripts!

Field Level Spell Checking, and other small touches: you can set the default front tab of a tab object, and control the tab widths. Etc etc.

[Per Lind]

Do you know if they have make a change-printer function?

Works like the plugin from Productive Computing.

And a barbershop toolbar counting how many posts left.

And more than 3 buttons at the "Show Messeage".

-Per

[JesseSFR]

Unfortunately, they haven't made any changes to the print functions nor added any buttons to the custom dialogs... As far as the post count thing... could you clarify a little bit?

Edited July 10, 2007 by Guest

[Per Lind]

In my FM5 version I have a progress bar from Troi which show how many items the script have worked.

-Per

[JesseSFR]

That's pretty neat. They didn't include anything like that in their update either though. Sorry.

[Per Lind]

Thanks!

How have you solved the change printer problem?

Its hard to re-write all scripts when you exchange one of your printers.

-Per

[JesseSFR]

The easiest way to solve this problem is to make on script called print. Then put all your print step in there and call it whenever you want to print. That way if you change a printer there is just one place where you have to change it. You can also create a different print script for each printer. So one would be named 'Print - Laser' and another 'Print - Ink Jet' and so forth. You also put any print setup options you may need in there as well. this works like a charm and cuts down on development time quite a bit

[AudioFreak]

I wish there was a Get System Default Printer Function ;)

[Per Lind]

Could you put these in a separate register and call that script from another register?

-Per

[Raybaudi]

Finally, FileMaker, Inc. added several new functions to FileMaker Pro 9, my favorite of which is the Self function.

Several ?

[Jalz]

Ahh, guess we'll have to wait for native field level scripting triggers!

Anyone noticed what the screen refresh is like on a Windows machine. Have they improved the 'screen flashing'?

[Genx]

Doubt it... no progress bar for little alex either ;)

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Several ?

Self

Get(TemporaryPath)

Get(HostApplicationversion)

Asin

Acos

Steven

[Raybaudi]

Thank you OAM

In useness order ?

[gadsystems]

Where did you read about the new functions?

[Fitch]

Installation and New Features Guide for FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Pro 9 Advanced

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Where did you read about the new functions?

I didn't. I just know what they are.

Steven

[Mark_N]

I'd love to hear about any bugs that may have (finally) been fixed.

Mark

Edited July 11, 2007 by Guest

[Ender]

... no progress bar for little alex either

You just need to think outside the box, er--download. Here's a pretty simple method using conditional formatting (see attached).

Progress.fp7.zip

[Genx]

Yeh, it's cool, but it still faces the same issues as the other examples did

1) There's no hope for it on windows because you still have to refresh the window it seems

2) There's no hope for it on windows if you use single window solutions..

[mf]

At the risk of raining on the parade, my hopes of having scripts running on the server were crushed when I learned only web-compatible scripts would run... so no import or export. This would have been invaluable as I now have to have a client update data in the middle of the night.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

There are so many issues associated with Server side scripts that I would urge caution in their use. Imports and exports are especially difficult as well, involving as they do both FIleMaker issues and OS level issues.

One day perhaps.

Steven

[mf]

Can you expand on what issues you are referring to (running scripts on the server)? or where can I read up on it? Why would FM allow to run web-compatible scripts but not the others?

Why is it riskier to do an import on a server compared to a client?

In the days of FM5.5, I used to be able to run a client version on the server to run the import (I know it was not recommended, but it always worked... lucky?). As of FM8, I started using a client but having to rely on an extra machine is a risk in itself. I was really hoping it was a temporary solution...

At this point, it looks like this is not going to change. But I am willing to learn why using a client is still preferable.

[Charlih Chen]

Filemaker Pro 9 is unable to run on Terminal service at Windows 2003 server.

It will popup an error and stop running.

The error as following:

A general activation error has occurred (-103)

[angelleye]

I've got a couple of comments and a few questions about this new release.

There's a thread on fmforums (i'll have to go find it for the link) where many of us were griping about how horribly FM handles ODBC connections, and even CWP connections. The CPU spikes to around 60% on a dual Opteron server for a single call making it impossible to use FM as a backend for things like shopping cart systems. The only solution I was able to get from anybody, including FM's tech team AFTER they confirmed that they could reproduce the same problem...was to use another product like MySQL or Access.

I thought that was crazy at the time that they would offer a solution of using somebody else's product. But that's all I could get. Now FM 9 is claiming these new features to use these databases..?? They still force you to actually use one of these other DB's, though, rather than fix the problem. Why is that? If I'm starting from scratch and I have to use MySQL or SQL Server or Access or anything other than FM for my big web apps then I would just use that product for the entire thing anyway and make the entire thing web based saving me money because I don't have to buy FM Server and client licenses.

That being said, here's what I don't exactly understand. Let's say I'm going to use MySQL and would like to use it along with FileMaker. Do I still have to actually design the MySQL database using MySQL tools or can I design new MySQL tables using FM's tools? If I can create a MySQL DB using FM's tools then I'd say this is all really cool. If I still have to create the actual DB in MySQL and then can only view/edit/delete data from MySQL within FM layouts...then that's not so cool and I see absolutely no reason why anybody starting from scratch would ever choose FM. And that's kind of sad, really. It seems like they're giving up on the future. Sure, this is neat for people who have existing FM solutions, but if I get a new client FM will be the last thing I choose for them. It's much more expensive and then you have to use another product along-side it anyway.

Any information on these comments/questions would be greatly appreciated. I haven't had a chance to get FM9 installed yet but I'm eager to get these questions answered. Thanks!

Edited August 3, 2007 by Guest

[fmpwnerer]

In order to use FileMaker with terminal services you need a VLA.

FileMaker has an article about that error in their KB.

Answer number: 6549

[transpower]

I'm currently on FileMaker 7 Developer. I'm curious as to whether 9 Advanced has custom function step-through and debugging. I'm also looking for a graphing program. Neither seem to be included in 9 Advanced, but I'd like to know for sure.

[Vaughan]

"I'm curious as to whether 9 Advanced has custom function step-through and debugging. "

No.

"I'm also looking for a graphing program."

Do you mean you're looking for some kind of graphing functionality for FMP? There are third-party plug-ins available to do this.

[transpower]

Vaughan, what graphing program do you recommend? What do you use personally?

Edited October 22, 2007 by Guest

[Vaughan]

"Vaughan, what graphing program do you recommend? What do you use personally?"

I use Excel. But my graphing needs are very modest. :)