Can FMS13 host FM14 files?

[Johhhn]

Can FMS13 host FMP14 databases (created with FMP14)?

I haven't been able to find a definitive answer to this.

thanks,

John

[Kris M]

yes.

FMS can host any file with .fmp12 extension.

The issues to worry about are; when FM client versions are not matched to FMS version due to the 13v09 update and building functionality with 14 that does not exist in 13.

Lets cover the first only because the latter is a no brainer.

In a nutshell ...if SSL is turned off their are no compatibility issues.

If FMS is 13v09 or greater and SSL is turned on then FM clients must be 13v09 or greater.

If FMS is 13v05 or less and SSL is turned on then FM clients must be 13v05 or less.

K

 

Edited July 14, 2015 by Kris M

[Johhhn]

yes.

FMS can host any file with .fmp12 extension.

The issues to worry about are; when FM client versions are not matched to FMS version due to the 13v09 update and building functionality with 14 that does not exist in 13.

 

K

 

I was able to do a test today and I tried hosting an FM14 solution created database on the FMS13 and got the message "

Database "Invoices" could not be opened. Database version incompatible; try opening in FileMaker Pro."

Is this what you mean by the above?

 

[Kris M]

http://www.filemaker.com/help/14/fmp/en/html/create_db.8.7.html

Check to see if the file is restricted to only open in 14.

Hosting and opening are two different things.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Kris M

[Johhhn]

Thanks, Kris!!

[Thomas Seidler]

Sorry to be thick Kris M, but can I clarify your comment: "building functionality with 14 that does not exist in 13"...

I too had this question, we are just about considering moving to a new server, and wanted to go stable, so FMS13v10 looks very tempting from that point of view.

But I do want the F14 functionality, however, are you saying that the server won't support that at all? I can understand it wouldn't support new functions that we might use in the field definitions on the back end etc, but since it is effectively headless surely ScriptMaster, layout features or new ScriptTriggers shouldn't bother it [am i mis-remembering that script-triggers do not work on Server, i can't seem to find the documentation!]? And we should therefore be able to use the non-data/backend 14 functionality, since it's just stored within the planned .fmp12 functionality?  

http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/15003/~/filemaker-server-14-host-and-client-compatibility-chart

...is not particularly helpful in this aspect. Johhhn, what did you find to be the case?

[Wim Decorte]

It's a pretty complex set of circumstances, which is why you won't find a clear-cut answer.  A lot depends on your solution, what it does, how you are using schedules and PSoS, etc.

Typically FMP and FMS do a lot of negotiating between themselves to figure out who does what.  If you are using FM14 functions (Get(), other ones,...) then the client will have to do them whereas in a proper version-parity scenario the server would be able to handle some of those calcs and function calls.  So your solution may behave slower than you think it will.

Anything that you do in PSoS and server-side schedules that is FM14 specific will just plain break obviously.

 

[Simon Brown]

It's a pretty complex set of circumstances, which is why you won't find a clear-cut answer.  A lot depends on your solution, what it does, how you are using schedules and PSoS, etc.

Typically FMP and FMS do a lot of negotiating between themselves to figure out who does what.  If you are using FM14 functions (Get(), other ones,...) then the client will have to do them whereas in a proper version-parity scenario the server would be able to handle some of those calcs and function calls.  So your solution may behave slower than you think it will.

Anything that you do in PSoS and server-side schedules that is FM14 specific will just plain break obviously.

 

Related to this, there are some circumstantial indications that you may have CSS issues if you edit a layout in FMP 14 that is hosted via WebDirect on FMS 13.