FileMaker Pro 8, FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced available
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Aug 29, 2005 at 2:46pm
FileMaker, a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple, has released FileMaker Pro 8, a new version of the database software. The update adds a PDF Maker, an Excel Maker and more.
The PDF Maker features the Adobe PDF Library (licensed via Datalogics) that lets you convert reports of the FileMaker data into PDFs. The Excel Maker works the same way, allowing you to save FileMaker data as a Microsoft Excel file. Other new features include:
° Fast Match, which lets you select information from the current field, and with a mouse click, find all matching records (you can also refine your search or broaden it without typing);
° Fast Send, which lets you email the contents of virtually any field, including images, documents, Excel files and more from within FileMaker;
° Auto-Complete, which adds the ability to fill-in field content automatically based on previous entries or Value Lists;
° Calendar field format, which lets you enter dates by adding a point and click Calendar drop-down to any field;
° Email Merge for personalized emails to individuals or groups;
° Tab Panel Control, which lets you build a layout with multiple tabs in a single step rather than having multiple layouts—each with their own tabs;
° Visual Spell Checker, which underlines misspelled words and allows you to edit and correct things on the fly;
° Mouse Wheel support, which lets you scroll through records or fields using a mouse-wheel, such as Apple’s new Mighty Mouse;
° Improved Table Import, which lets you add a new table to a database by importing the new data.
° Improved Relationship Graph, which offers easier ways to create and manage tables and associated relationships
FileMaker Pro 8 comes with 30 ready-to-use Starter Solutions, including a new Email Campaign Management solution that can import data from other formats, such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access or other software formats.
FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced (previously known as FileMaker Developer) is also now available and boasts new features designed to allow advanced users and developers to customize their databases more than ever before. One new feature, Custom Menus, provides customization of FileMaker Pro solutions, including: the ability to execute scripts from menus; add, edit or delete
menus and menu items; and create custom scripts for toolbars, context menus, window options and more.
The Custom Tooltips (static and calculated) feature is for providing guided data entry guidance, pertinent information related to a particular record, and enhanced training tips for new users. The Data Viewer is for monitoring fields, variables, and expressions when debugging scripts or general troubleshooting and testing calculation formulas without modifying the database schema.
FileMaker Pro 8 costs US $299 or $179 for upgrades from FileMaker Pro 7 and 6. FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced is $499. Licensed users of FileMaker Developer 6 and 7 may upgrade to FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced for $299, and licensed users of FileMaker Pro 6, 7, 8 may upgrade to FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced through June 30, 2006, for $299. Mac OS X system requirements are: Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher; a PowerPC G3, G4 or G5 processor; and 256MB of RAM.
All five FileMaker applications—including FileMaker Tasks, FileMaker Meetings, FileMaker Recruiter FileMaker Donations and FileMaker Work Requests—are compatible with the FileMaker 8 product line.
At this week’s FileMaker Developer Conference, attended by more than 1,000 database and Web developers, the company also unveiled the rest of the FileMaker 8 product line: FileMaker Server 8; FileMaker Server 8 Advanced and FileMaker Mobile 8. All are due to ship this fall.
FileMaker also announced the FileMaker Business Productivity Kit as part of the FileMaker Pro 8 trial download, featuring ready-to-use solutions designed specifically for small businesses.
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Contributor
Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
