Lots of gain, no pain in FileMaker Pro 10 upgrade

The first thing that struck me about the new version of FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Pro Advanced released Monday is that the file format hasn't changed. In its first dozen years, FileMaker got a new file format every other version. But this new release uses the same format (.fp7) that FileMaker has had for nearly five years now, since the release of FileMaker Pro 7.

Why does this matter? The upgrade from FileMaker Pro 6 to FileMaker Pro 7 was perhaps the most significant upgrade in the program's history, but that great step forward twisted more than a few ankles at the time, and those of us who lived through it aren't eager to do that again just yet.

So I'm pleased that this upgrade offers lots of gain and almost no pain. In fact, at first glance, FileMaker Pro 10 offers so many real benefits to developers and end-users alike that, if you're already using FileMaker, you're going to find it hard to resist the urge to upgrade. And what if you're new to FileMaker Pro? Then you're looking into the database application at a great time.

Here's what to expect from this FileMaker update, based on an initial look at version 10.

Look, ma--no developer! One thing that makes this a compelling upgrade is the fact that, if you're the developer, you'll be able to pass on significant advantages to end-users with little or no effort. Or to put it differently, if you're an end-user, you may be able to see some of these benefits without needing to call the developer at all.

The most obvious example of this is the application's new Status Toolbar, which replaces both the status area (on the left) and the toolbar (at the top) of previous versions. The status toolbar provides ready access to more tools in an updated location that new users will find familiar from other applications. The status toolbar saves at least do-it-yourself developers some effort by providing a wider array of buttons than previous versions had; it's also somewhat customizable.

A less cosmetic, more substantial improvement in FileMaker 10 is a new saved-and-recent finds feature. Do you define the same finds over and over again--for example, Q4 sales, or unpaid invoices, or your favorite contacts? FileMaker 10 keeps track of your finds and lets you re-execute them without having to switch to find mode and reenter criteria over and over again. The recent finds feature is a bit like the list of recently-opened databases in the File menu or the history feature in your Web browser. And if you want to keep a find around permanently, you can simply save it, the way you might bookmark a favorite Google search.

The saved-and-recent finds feature is user-specific--that is, Larry in accounting can have a different set of saved finds from the ones that Lisa in sales has. And best of all, developers won't have to do a thing to most databases for this feature to be available to end-users.

One quick note to developers: Your end-users won't be able to access saved and recent finds if they don't have access to the Find command and/or if the status toolbar is hidden and locked. That tripped me up at first. Might be time to consider opening up your solutions a bit and taking advantage of what FileMaker gives you in the UI department for free.

Some assembly required Do-it-yourself developers will be pleased that it's now possible to create a FileMaker database by importing a Bento "library." It's also easier than ever to create a new database from an Excel spreadsheet. And do-it-yourselfers who don't really like to do it themselves will be pleased to know that there are 10 new layout themes as well as 30 starter databases.

This to-do list demonstrates a number of new features in FileMaker Pro 10. By customizing the status toolbar (using a little custom menu work) I'm able to eliminate task buttons on my layout. Note "Saved Finds" and "Send Mail" buttons on the toolbar.

The Send Mail script uses my SMTP server to send me a task list directly from the database. The task records stay sorted and grouped even in browse (editing) mode, using dynamic reporting. To highlight the selected record in list view, I use conditional formatting that is activated by a by a script trigger whenever a record is selected.The starter databases cover a variety of business and personal applications, from invoicing to asset management to family medical records--and about half of the starter databases have been significantly rewritten to take better advantage of FileMaker's relational capabilities. The application's online learning center has been beefed up as well.

FileMaker Pro 10 can now talk to your SMTP server directly, without needing a plug-in, so with just a little configuration (similar to setting up a new e-mail client) you can start sending invoices, reports, marketing letters, and other database-generated information via e-mail directly from FileMaker Pro.