This is my first week at The Support Group, and I get to kick it off with FileMaker 12!
FileMaker 12 is here and with it comes a new file format. However, this isn’t your father’s file format change (i.e. fp5 to fp7), full of architectural rewrites, modifying scripts, and changes in behavior. If planned for correctly, it is a fairly painless and worthwhile adventure, chalk full of performance increases and development possibilities (awesome layout themes, better and easier charting, more robust container field behavior and many more).
As with any file format change (whether it’s Word, Excel, or our FileMaker), you’ll need to be aware of some rules:
- FileMaker Server v12 only works with v12 clients
- FileMaker v12 clients only work with v12 server
- Any FileMaker file (v7-v11) opened with v12 will be converted resulting in 2 files, both your old version and your shiny new v12
After you upgrade, give it some testing of course (this never hurts). Since you can’t run FileMaker Server 11 and Server 12 on the same machine, you may need to run separate servers while you test.
Follow these simple rules and you should have no issues, only joy. You can take my word for it, having myself converted and tested a 102 file, 8 GB solution that contains some really old school elements hauled all the way from FileMaker Pro 3 (remember when you had to copy and paste dates, because the set field script step wouldn’t work with dates? - yikes).
We enjoy sharing our thoughts on how to improve business workflows and optimize the performance of business applications. Check out our App Development Resources page to find more FileMaker tips, tricks and demos. We also offer FileMaker Training workshops and other support services to help you enhance your design and development skills.
