[MW Forums]

The latest version of FileMaker introduces a number of new features aimed at improving the user experience and extending the database application's ability to share data. Database developer William Porter takes a first look at FileMaker Pro 8 and the new FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced to tell you what to expect from this update. more

[pdmarsh]

I've been using FileMaker Pro for years for managing my home databases, so my needs are simple. I considered upgrading to FileMaker Pro 7 (from 6) briefly, until I found that FileMaker Pro 7 COULD NOT OPEN FileMaker Pro 6 files. The version 6 databases had to be converted to version 7 before they could be used. This meant FileMaker Pro 7 could not even see FileMaker Pro 6 databases on my home network. It didn't seem worth the effort to me to make the transition. If FMP 7 had been able to open and use simple FMP 6 databases, I might have been hooked on the new features and made the transition.
Here at work, we have dozens of FMP 6 databases online, which requires that we have BOTH FMP 6 AND FMP 7 installed on every computer, so that both the new and old databases can be used...a royal pain...

[Adwiz]

I agree that lack of backward compatibility has been the biggest flaw in FileMaker Pro's upgrade program.
Many of my clients don't bother upgrading every year, and if I open their files with a newer version, they won't be able to use them. This messes up the number of people who consider upgrading.
Consider, in contrast, the elegant approach Adobe took with Photoshop. By ensuring that even old versions can still open new files, they have ensured that anyone who wants to can upgrade, because they don't have to worry about a client not being able to open one of their files because of a slightly older version. Granted, with CS they began offering non-backward options, but these are still only options that you can choose to utilize or not.
I wish the FileMaker folks would "get it" because I won't be upgrading to 8 even though I want to. Why would I, since it will only create risk of alienating my clients?

[uchuugaka]

some features they add don't allow backward compatability.
not possible.
prior versions features that were flawed were always canned.
but honestly, for the money these days, you can get a nice MySql/postgreSql solution to development and probably with an upgrade path available. I mean at least your data. You already have forms and reports "designed" just reimplement.
If it's RAD tools you need they exist.
If you really are about making an app with no brains, get RealBAISIC.
it makes good apps that run fast and are crossplatform.
also, SQLite is now built-in to OSX.
and accessissible in Xcode.

[JimmyJones]

I still haven't upgraded to 7, now they want to charge me more for the number one reason "Printing PDFS". Get with it. PDF has been native for 5 years under OS X. Someone should tell Filemaker what their parent company is doing sometimes!

[JMStafford]

In reply to:

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PDF has been native for 5 years under OS X. Someone should tell Filemaker what their parent company is doing sometimes!

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Filemaker 8 will print PDFs without need for a print dialog on both platforms. That is a step forward.

[JMStafford]

In reply to:

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I considered upgrading to FileMaker Pro 7 (from 6) briefly

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Filemaker 7 really was a terrific upgrade. Yeah, the utter lack of backwards compatibility or a decent import engine for moving multiple old-style lookups into a single related database sucks, but the bottom line is that Filemaker 7 is really the best upgrade they've ever done and I've been using Filemaker since version 2. From a development standpoint FM7 really speeds things up.
I've seen all of my wish-list items in the FM8 press release, except two. Now to find out if support for other/custom Number types (like phone #s, credit cards, SS#s, etc.) is in there without having to create a custom format calculation or if individual fields can be stored encrypted.

[fultonkbd]

I believe another reason why they never saw wide spread adoption of version 7 was the upgrade policy. When it was first released you could upgrade most previous versions for a discount. Which is the norm for most software. Then for some reason, they changed it so you could only upgrade version 6 at a discount.
I ordered version 7 thinking I could upgrade from version 5.5. Found out I couldn't unless I bought version 6 upgrade on top of the version 7 upgrade I already paid for. I ended up returning it. My needs and the features just couldn't justify the extra money.
Maybe this version it will.

[hayesk]

When FM7 came out, they had a deal to upgrade back to version 4.0 for the same price. They had that deal for more than a month. I guess you missed it.
If they offer it again, I say jump on it, it may not last.
By the way, that's common practice. Many products only offer upgrades from the immediate previous version.

[fultonkbd]

Yeah I didn't take advantage of it until it was too late. When I went to purchase it I wasn't aware that you could only upgrade from version 6 at the upgrade price. I tried to wheel and deal with them but in the end just couldn't get the price down to where I though it worked best for me. Oh well, this upgrade might be worth it.

[stevenoconnor]

Users dont have to see a single save-as dialog, because the Save as PDF feature is fully scriptable: developers can set things up so that users need only click on a button to create, say, 100 different PDF reports with individual file names (with the names coming from appropriate fields in the database).
Is this true? Can you really use field contents as filenames? I can't find any reference to it and can't script it from the demo (just pdf security etc options). Or is it just an 8 adv feature?
Steven