FileMaker 17 Kicks Off

FileMaker 17 was released on May 15th, 2018 and you can read the official announcement from FileMaker Inc. here. You can also test drive the trial version.

With the current launch, the company is doubling back on the principles that have contributed it to some million active readers who currently use the support across businesses, and in the small and midsize businesses, in addition to large businesses.

What’s Different in FileMaker 17?

In the previous release (FileMaker 16), the business included a number of programs that assisted professional programmers bring in external information through APIs along with other more pro-oriented capabilities.

The FileMaker 17 launch builds on this, but concentrates on the “lower-end of the tech acumen spectrum,” as Andrew LeCates, Director Platform Evangelism at FileMaker Inc. has said. He did notice, however, the firm doesn’t actually think of the distinction between the specialists and the more casual users.

FileMaker 17 starts using a renewed focus on the fundamentals

FileMaker is great because even professional programmers frequently use it to instantly get a project off the floor and it offers rapid app development. With the launch of the 17th version, FileMaker goes back to the basics. This doesn’t mean there’s nothing new, however.

New Features of FileMaker 17

This upgrade was a step up from FileMaker 16. There are several new features that were added in FileMaker 17. We are going to separate them by system / type.

FileMaker 17 for Desktop

For the FileMaker desktop version (FileMaker Pro) on both Mac and Windows, there were 4 major features that were added. Here they are:

1. You can send multiple attachments directly using the native send mail option.
2. Lock the application for a particular user for 5 minutes after 5 failed login attempts.
3. Data migration tool helps the user to migrate the data from one database to another much faster.
4. Building the master/detail view in a single layout is much more easier compared to the previous versions.

FileMaker 17 for iOS

There were also features that were added in FileMaker Go 17, which is an app through which you can access FileMaker. Here are the 2 FileMaker 17 features:

1. It allows the user to drag and drop data between any other applications.
2. Notifications could be exhibited in-house display utilizing the iBeacon or even the configured geo-fence.

FileMaker Server 17

FileMaker Server 17 wasn’t without its features, either. Here are the new improvements.

1. New UI for the FileMaker Server 17 that is similar to the FileMaker Cloud.
2. Set Using the Command Line Interface

The following settings have been removed from Admin Console, but can be set using the CLI command fmsadmin set server-config:

• Host password-protected databases only
• Limit number of FileMaker Pro client connections
• Maximum number of files to host
• Maximum simultaneous script sessions
• RAM reserved for database cache
• Statistics collection interval
• Progressive backup save interval
• Log file size limit

Those were the key features of FileMaker 17 explained by our experts. Be sure to follow the FileMaker best practices while you’re at it.

Contact Us for FileMaker 17 Services 

FMDBSolutions is a team of custom FileMaker app experts that have performed projects for companies in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, and Asia. Just take a look at our FileMaker portfolio and see for yourself.

Provide us with the details of your FileMaker problem(s) / specifications and we will analyze your situation and come up with a solution. We thoroughly evaluate and discuss customer requirements to ensure that the solution we provide matches the customer’s needs and desires. Our Sales, Marketing, and Project Management are all handled by our Texas office in the United States. 

Our developers have gained certification in FileMaker 17 and we know all the ins and outs of the software. Contact us to discuss with one of our certified FileMaker experts and get a free FileMaker consultation (or click the yellow box down under) – This initial consultation is at no charge! 

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FileMaker Development Best Practices

The FileMaker software is used to create custom solutions for several companies. There are some best practices for FileMaker development that one must consider and implement in order to create accessible and robust solutions with FileMaker. Here they are, divided into sections for easy reference.

1. Designing Layouts: Sketch Your Layouts

FileMaker recommends you sketch your layouts on paper or onscreen before creating them in FileMaker Pro. Sketches can help resolve design problems, communicate ideas, and save time.

Identify the Devices That Will Access Your Layout

Here are some points to keep in mind while identifying devices:

• Devices vary by hardware, screen size, and resolution. If you identify which devices will access the layout, you can better design the layout to work with those devices. For example, a layout designed for a desktop computer may not work well on an iOS device.
• To provide an optimal solution for users, design your layout to adapt to each device. Design each layout for a range of device sizes, and configure the auto-resize options for layout objects based on the layout’s height and width. This ensures that the layout expands to fill the entire screen for each device.
• You can direct users to the appropriate layouts with the On Layout Enter script trigger, the Get ( System Platform ) function, and the Go to Layout script step.

Use the Screen Stencils and Positioning Tools

Click the arrow on  in the layout bar to display screen stencils that help you design layouts optimally for iPad, iPhone (via FileMaker Go), and several common desktop resolutions. Also note that you can have multiple screen stencils visible at the same time.

Use a Theme that Suits the Purpose of Your Layout

Optimizing Layout Performance 

To improve the overall performance of your layout, remember the following practices:

• In List View and Portals, minimize the number of layout objects displayed simultaneously.
• Minimize the number of portals and tabs in layout.
• Minimize the size and number of shadows.
• Minimize the use of unstored calculations and script triggers.
• Create several layouts with fewer objects rather than one layout with many objects.
• Create custom themes and custom styles rather than overriding existing themes and styles.

2. Creating Tables and Fields

Table Naming

Tables are named using a single word in Title case.

Field Naming 

There are two kinds of field names:

1. Pascal case ( ex: Contact First Name)
2. Underscore case (ex: Contact_First_Name)

Global Fields / Global Variables 

All GLOBAL fields are UPPERCASE and one single word.

Summary Fields

Summary fields should have the prefix “Summ”.

Calculation Fields

Differentiate stored and unstored calculation in field name.

Layout Name

Prefix the layout name with Module / Base Table.

Layout Object 

Layout objects are prefixed by their corresponding reserved name (Ex: Field.Customer Name)

Default Auto-Enter Fields

These are the Auto-Enter fields already present by default:

1. Primary keys with the prefix of “PK”
2. Foreign keys with the prefix of “FK”
3. Creation Date
4. Creation Time
5. Creation Account Name
6. Creation Timestamp
7. Creation User
8. Modification Date
9. Modification Time
10. Modification Account Name
11. Modification Timestamp
12. modification User
13. Creation Host Timestamp (Optional)
14. Modification Host Timestamp (Optional)

3. Scripts

While developing scripts, make sure you do the following:

• Add comments on what a script does and add comments for each functionality.
• Specify the Server side script as different in script name and add numbering.

a. Single Comment Steps Within Scripts

* CustomFunction ( parameter1 ; parameter2 )
*
* PARAMETERS:
*      @parameter1 (text) Input string
*      @parameter2 (num) Numerical value
* RETURNS:
*      (bool) True or False based on proper 
*      evaluation
* DEPENDENCIES:
*      none
* PURPOSE:
*      Use this function in order to accomplish
*      most wonderful things possible!
* NOTES:
*      none
* REVISIONS:
*      10/23/18 - Initial release
*      10/27/18 - Modified to fix issue
*      10/31/18 - No returning Boolean result
*
===================================================== */

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