The move to FileMaker 7 won’t be entirely painless, but there are enough compelling features to make it worth the effort
With a completely new file format, expanded relational model and revamped security system, as well as countless other minor and not-so-minor new features, FileMaker Pro 7 is the biggest upgrade we’ve seen in a decade. The whole FileMaker range is being updated to the new format and there will be specific enhancements to the Developer and Server applications. However, only the basic FileMaker Pro was available for this review so our comments are restricted to that.
Let’s begin with the big structural picture. In the new format any FileMaker database can contain multiple tables. This means that where you once needed 20 separate files to run your accounts, you can now put the lot into just one file, which is a neater, more secure approach that greatly simplifies backups. You can stick with one-table-per-file if you want, though.
In place of the old dialog method, relational links between tables are now defined on a graphical map, where you can drag to create a join between any two fields. This is a vast improvement, especially for complex databases where the whole structure can be seen in one go. Relations are now bi-directional and no longer need to be based on an exact match between key fields – you can specify other criteria such as <, > or , as well as a universal join that will link to all records in the other table. Relationships can also tunnel through a file so, if table A is related to B, which is related to C, then A and C can access each other’s data directly through the relational chain.
There are also some changes to field definitions. The old Global type has disappeared; instead, Global becomes a property that can be applied to any field type. Container fields can now hold up to 4GB of virtually any file type and the file can be exported, which opens up greater possibilities for document and asset management. There’s also a new data type called Time-stamp, which combines date and time.
ADVERTISEMENT scripting, but it does include some very welcome improvements. Best of all, script steps can now be edited directly rather than simply used to restore the current settings, which means you can include multiple Find, Sort, Import and Print steps within one script.
FileMaker Pro also now boasts revamped security. There’s a new model consisting of user accounts and privilege sets, offering more precise control and a more intuitive framework than the old system of groups and privileges. Developers can specify minimum password length and expiry period. If FileMaker Server 7 is being used, communication to client machines can be SSL encrypted and authentication linked to Apple OpenDirectory.
One very welcome improvement to the user interface is that you can now open multiple windows on the same table, each with its own found set, sort and so on. Overall, though, you will see little difference in FileMaker: despite some quite fundamental changes under the hood, it still feels very familiar on the surface. However, it’s a different story for developers, as all existing databases will need to be converted. To ease this process there’s an excellent built-in conversion tool that translates data tables, scripts, layouts and so on into the new format and outputs a text log of its actions. We tested this process on a wide variety of databases and were impressed with how fast and effective the conversion was. Most databases worked exactly as before and, apart from a slight visual change caused by the introduction of anti-aliasing, they looked the same as well.
However, you’ll need to check converted files carefully, as there are many small differences that may occasionally have big consequences. Potential problems range from altered sort orders because Unicode has replaced ASCII, to changes in how alphabetical characters are handled in number fields. FileMaker provides a separate 82-page manual just on file conversion so there’s plenty for database administrators to absorb. Mostly, though, automatic conversion worked perfectly; the only unexpected glitches we spotted were some text alignment errors in field labels (probably down to this being a beta copy). However, the conversion tool still can’t combine separate related files into a single, multi-table file. To do that or to incorporate significant amounts of the new functionality, you’ll need to design a new database and import the data.
As with the transition to Mac OS X, the move to FileMaker 7 won’t be entirely painless, but there are enough compelling features to make it worth the effort.