Convert from 6 to 8

[After Hours]

Hello,

I have a user finally leaving System 9, running Filemaker 6 (fp5) with a collection of files, related. The files have been cleaned up, and the user is ready to move to Filemaker 8 (this is what they own, for their Tiger system). They will not be moving to a newer computer in the near future, so this is their scenario (to preclude the kind and proper advice for them to buy fmp11 and/or an intel Mac).

I have taken their solution, bundled it into a folder and had no issues having Filemaker 8 Advanced convert it to fp7 formats. The conversion log showed plenty worked out just fine, and nothing show-stopping is glaringly obvious. Alls good there. We have gone over a lot of the considerations offered in Filemaker's tech brief for migrations (http://www.filemaker.com/downloads/pdf/techbrief_fm8_migrtn_found.pdf) with the client. We'll let them use this solution and tweak any found issues for a few months. But by the end of the year, I'd like to bundle all of these individual files into one file with tables -- make it an easier-to-manage solution in the future.

I feel like an idiot, but cannot find how to convert a folder of files into one file with tables. This seems to be such an obvious thing for the benefit of the fp7 format, and yet I'm clearly overlooking this glaring feature. Is there a tool or command I haven't found, or are things less simple, in that we'll need to create a new solution and import tables (from the old files)?

This link from FM hints that the conversion process will not combine multiple files into one file with multiple tables (my goal here): http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/711/kw/converting%20files%20to%20tables/session/L3RpbWUvMTMxNzgyODMxMy9zaWQvVk5vVFRPRms%3D

So, can anyone post a link to the instructions that will answer my 'how to' for the future of this project?

TIA

[After Hours]

OK, so in my haste to post, I failed to sufficiently follow through on my google-fu. FM does offer some advice on consolidation of files into tables here: http://www.filemaker.com/11help/html/fmpa_custom.23.3.html#1035643 . Am I correct in reading that by using these techniques, I may lose my relationships?

[Fitch]

It's a manual process. This article covers it pretty well:

http://www.dbservices.com/articles/upgrading-filemaker-pro-part-2-file-consolidation

[After Hours]

It's a manual process. This article covers it pretty well:

http://www.dbservice...e-consolidation

Thank you. It is precisely what I needed. But I should add: 'holy bat guano, Robin..., this is going to take some billable hours'. Thanks again.

[David McQueen]

Thank you. It is precisely what I needed. But I should add: 'holy bat guano, Robin..., this is going to take some billable hours'. Thanks again.

Yup. It is going to take some time.

That summary by the way is really good. It takes many more hours first time through if you are doing it blind. I remember having to feel my way through with no guide just after FMP 7 came out.

The upside is that when they finally do upgrade (If they have to buy a new machine and have to go to Lion, that will be sooner rather than later . No Rosetta there), they will be good to go without any down time.