UGN news

Synopsis:

New FileMaker Pro 8 - The Easy Way to Manage and Share Information Available Now - FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced with enhancements for advanced users and unveils the new FileMaker 8 product line
 

Go To:

Go for it...

FileMaker Pro 8

the newest version of the most-awarded desktop database

FileMaker has rolled out FileMaker Pro 8, the newest version of the most-awarded desktop database, featuring new ways to work faster, share and manage information of all types, and be more productive.

The new PDF Maker in FileMaker Pro 8, featuring the Adobe PDF Library licensed via Datalogics allows users to convert attractive graphic-rich reports of their data into PDFs, which can be quickly emailed for sharing with non-FileMaker users. The new Excel Maker works the same effortless way. FileMaker Pro 8 users can save data as a Microsoft Excel file, and just as painlessly include it as an attachment ready to send via email. FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced (previously FileMaker Developer), also available now, boasts many powerful new features designed to allow advanced users and developers to add greater customization to their databases than ever before.

At the 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, which are planned to ship this Fall.

Because FileMaker Pro is one of the most popular databases for small businesses, FileMaker also announced the FileMaker Business Productivity Kit as part of the FileMaker Pro 8 trial download (see related announcement), featuring several ready-to-use solutions designed specifically for small businesses.

"With FileMaker Pro 8, it is now even easier to manage and share information of all types even with non-FileMaker users," said Dominique Goupil, president of FileMaker, Inc. "FileMaker 8 has set a new standard for the database market by delivering the ultimate combination of power, ease of use, and sharing. By making it easier to create, learn and use shared information solutions, FileMaker 8 will bring even more new users into the database category. Customers can now work faster and share data with more people and office applications than any other desktop database." New Time-saving Features For Easy Managing and Sharing FileMaker Pro 8, for Windows and Mac OS X, is even easier to learn and use, and features many new capabilities to make information-sharing more prevalent.

New Features:

• Fast Match -- Select information from the current field, and with one mouse click, find all matching records -- even refine your search or broaden it -- all without typing!
• Fast Send -- E-mail the contents of virtually any field, including images, documents, Excel files, and more - right from within FileMaker.
• Auto-Complete -- Get faster and more accurate data entry by adding the ability to fill-in field content automatically based on previous entries or Value Lists.
• Calendar field format -- Enter dates quickly and more accurately by adding a simple point and click Calendar drop-down to any field.
• Email Merge -- For fast, personalized emails to individuals or groups.
• Tab Panel Control -- Build a layout with multiple tabs in a single step rather than having multiple layouts -- each with their own tabs.
• Visual Spell Checker -- Check spelling of data entry with the new visual spell checker that underlines misspelled words and allows you to edit and correct on the fly.
• Mouse Wheel support -- Scroll through records or fields faster and easier using a mouse-wheel-including Apple's new Mighty Mouse.
• Improved Table Import -- Add a new table to a database by simply importing the new data.
• Improved Relationship Graph -- 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 quickly import data from other formats, such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access or other software formats.

Customers Praise FileMaker Pro 8

Early evaluator customers and developers praised the new capabilities of FileMaker Pro 8:

"Moving to FileMaker Pro 8 was painless. Running on our FileMaker 7 Server, we were able to run FileMaker Pro 7 and 8 clients side by side with no adverse effects," Andrew Struthers, IT Manager, True North Printed Plastics Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

"Tooltips, the tabbed interface, Fast Match and Sort speed improvement, and my favorite, Development Tools, have all improved my results and quickened my development times. For my users, Tooltips save hours of training time, and the tabbed dialogs take my layouts to a new level of professionalism," Brian Hightower, Lead Developer, Home Solution, Las Vegas, NV.

"We couldn't even consider trying to develop our own database using Access, SQL, or anything else. While our IT director is conversant in several of those environments, we felt it was more important to choose a system that could be designed, developed, and modified by our design staff. FileMaker Pro 8 makes that easier than ever," Matthew Edmonds, Job Captain, AR7 HooverDesmondArchitects, Denver, CO.

New FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced

To meet the needs of the growing number of professional developers and advanced database creators, FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced includes all the features of FileMaker Pro 8, plus breakthrough development and customization tools. With the ability to customize menus and add custom Tooltips, as well as robust troubleshooting and database analysis tools, developers and advanced FileMaker users alike can efficiently build more powerful, more customized databases. It is available now.

New features include:

• Custom Menus -- One of the most highly requested advanced user features, Custom Menus provides maximum 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.
• Custom Tooltips (static and calculated) -- For providing guided data entry guidance, pertinent information related to a particular record, and enhanced training tips for new users.
• Data Viewer -- For monitoring fields, variables, and expressions when debugging scripts or general troubleshooting and testing calculation formulas without modifying the database schema.

FileMaker Server 8 and FileMaker Server 8 Advanced FileMaker Server 8 offers high-performance, reliable file sharing for teams of FileMaker users. FileMaker Server 8 Advanced provides all that FileMaker Server 8 offers plus powerful web publishing and external connectivity options. In FileMaker Server 8 Advanced, the extremely popular Instant Web Publishing (IWP) has been updated to offer even more functionality and security. Both Server products are scheduled to ship this Fall, the company said. Users can find, add, edit, and delete information faster using the newly optimized FileMaker Server 8 database engine. All of the features offered within FileMaker Pro 8 are supported by FileMaker Server 8.

FileMaker Mobile 8

FileMaker Mobile 8, also scheduled to ship this Fall, is a companion version of FileMaker Pro 8 designed specifically for Palm OS and Pocket PC handhelds (supports Palm OS 5 and Windows Mobile 2003) that lets users take their information on the road. FileMaker Mobile 8 supports FileMaker Pro-based runtime applications and can synchronize multiple devices to the desktop database.

FileMaker Pro 8 is available now at (www.store.filemaker.com) $299/$179 upgrade (for both FileMaker Pro 7 and 6 licensed users) (U.S. Suggested List Price). FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced is $499. Licensed users of FileMaker Developer 6 and 7 may upgrade to FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced for $299 (U.S. Suggested List Price) and licensed users of FileMaker Pro 6, 7, 8 may upgrade to FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced through June 30, 2006 for $299. 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. For system requirements go to www.filemaker.com/products/fmp/. Full purchase options, which include the Apple Store online, are at http://www.filemaker.com/purchase_options.

UGN Site Navigation:

Return to: the top of this page, or the INDEX for this department
Exit to: The User Group Network front page
Contact: The Editor, Webmaster or Membership Director

CREDITS:

Reviewed by Fred Showker for the User Group Network News Service. (C) 2005, all rights reserved. Affiliate groups may freely republish this piece so long as they include the tag line: "From the User Group Network News Service at http://www.user-groups.net/ " ... Event dates are subject to change. Some products, programs, or promotions are not available outside the U.S. Prices are estimated retail prices and are listed in U.S. dollars. Product specifications are subject to change. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, Power Mac, Velocity Engine, FireWire, AirPort, Safari, Sherlock, QuickTime, iLife, iTunes, iChat, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iCal and Apple Store are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither a recommendation nor an endorsement.

The User Group Network is a member of: The Association of Apple Computer Users & Groups, the MUG News, and is sponsored in part by: The Design & Publishing Center, The News Serve Network, and the Designers' Bookshelf. The User Group Network is the first, and the original user group network for computer users everywhere including, Apple, Mac-Pro, User Group Organization to support Macintosh, IBM PC, Microsoft, Compaq, Amiga, BE/OS, Linux, UNIX, and other leading computer platforms. Hosting services are provided by The Graphic Design Network to serve the computing community. For information about the UGNetwork, to get involved or have your own groups' home page located at user-groups.net, please contact us. Copyright 1994 through present. This site is maintained in the community interest by The Graphic Design Network c/o Showker Graphic Arts & Design, a Corporation of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia, 22801, Harrisonburg, VA, in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, established in 1972.