FileMaker Developer 5

Reviewed By: Gary Coyne
Review Date: February 9, 2001

Provides: runtime versions of your databases

Developer: FileMaker

Minimum requirements: 16 MB of Ram, OS 8.1+

Retail Price: $499

Availability: Now

If you write a letter using some word processing program, chances are some other program will have the ability to open that letter if the program that created it is not available. Although that cannot be guaranteed, you do have a much better chance of opening a word processing program by another word processing program than you do opening a FileMaker database document if you don't have FileMaker.

So, if you make a members roster of your club and you want to let someone else use that database, they have to purchase FileMaker pro even if they have no need of FM for any other possible purpose. That is unless you have FileMaker Pro Developer 5. The main purpose of FileMaker Pro Developer 5 is to create runtime (self-running) versions of your database so that people not owning FM can use that database.

The process for creating the original database is no different from times past: you must create the database with a standard copy of FileMaker Pro because the Developer program cannot do that--it can only take a functioning database and turn it into a runtime program. Once you have completed and tested your database, you start up the FileMaker Developer Tool and add your files. One big improvement from previous versions is that you can drag all the files for a relational database into the project window. Alternatively, you can select them one at a time using the "Add file..." command. For some reason, they (still) don't include an "Add all..." button.

From this point you can select from a variety of options beyond creating a runtime version (see the options available below).

[FileMaker Pro Developer 5 can only work with FileMaker Pro 5 files. It cannot convert earlier versions of FileMaker Pro databases. Fortunately, converting previous versions of any database is as simple as opening an earlier version of a database in FileMaker Pro v. 5 and the conversion will be done for you.]

The entire process of running the Developer Tool is a simple selection of choices as you go from screen to screen and clicking the "Next" buttons. It's a fairly mechanical process. There are a variety of subtle internal attributes that one can impart into a runtime solution, such as the ability to insure that one can update one part of a (multi-part) database and have it work with the original database after mechanically substituting that one part.

Before running the Developer Tool, FileMaker database icons look like standard FileMaker icons:

However, after creating a runtime solution, not only will the icons be different, you will have added one new icon to the collection:

This new icon (located in the upper left above) is actually the FileMaker Pro program that is "tuned" to function only with this database. It cannot run any other database nor can it create a new database. It is a bit smaller than a regular FileMaker Pro program. Currently, FM Pro 5 is about 5.3 MB while a "Solution" created FM program is about 4.7 MB.

One can open a database run through the Developer Tool with the standard FileMaker program. If done so, there is no difference from the "runtimed" version of the database than from before the database had gone though the Developer Tool. However, when running the database via the newly created FileMaker "Solution" version of the program, several capabilities are removed, such as the access to Scripts, and the Layout view; nor can one gain access to defining or creating fields.

To help protect the database from the ignorant and/or the scheming, when creating the database in FileMaker, one can impart as much limitations within a database as one wishes with passwords. That is, one can limit new data entries, export, import, changes, script changes or any other limitations that one would wish to preserve the integrity of the database. Beyond, that, to prevent a user from using a regular copy of FileMaker Pro to alter a copy of the database, the Developer Tool also allows you to prevent any modification of the database. Be sure to keep the original as this cannot be undone on the runtime solution even by FileMaker Pro Inc. employees.

By the way, the "rename files and update internal links" is a great function, but I did find a glitch in its capabilities. If you have a suffix for a database that is wrong (.fm3 instead of the correct .fp3), when it is converted into a FileMaker 5 database, the suffix is not changed. (If the suffix is .fp3, it will automatically be changed to .fp5 AND all internal links will be changed accordingly.) If you try and use the Developers Tool to make changes to the converted database, internal links will not be changed. Thus, if you have incorrectly made suffixes in a FM Pro .v 3 or v.4 database, you will need to correct them by hand as FM Developer 5 cannot help correct these errors.

One of the attributes of FileMaker Pro files is that the documents can be run on Windows or Mac platforms without any conversion of the file. However, a runtime solution created on a Mac cannot be run on a Windows machine and vice versa. That is why the Developers Tool comes with a Mac AND a PC version of the program. Thus, with either owning both machine types OR via Virtual PC, one can create separate Mac and PC runtime versions of their database. It's straightforward, it's cool, it works. The Developers Tool also comes with a complete version of the Mac and PC FileMaker Pro v. 5. This is especially wonderful as it allows a developer to pre-examine how the database will look on the other platform. While the actual performance of the database will not be different in any way on either platform, how it looks can be significantly affected by choice of fonts used in the layout. Any developers would be wise to KISS and be aware of cross-platform font dynamics.

Among the (few) limitations for creating a runtime version of a database is that YOU must support it. You must create your own help files and it would be a good idea if you included a contact within the database for people to get back to you as FileMaker Inc. will not support any database created with the Developers Tool.

In short, even at almost double the price of the basic program, the Developer Tool is probably the best bargain available in database creation on any platform. Not only do you get the basic program (for both platforms), you get the Developers Tool (for both platforms) allowing you to create runtime versions of your database that can be given to anyone who wishes to use your database. There is also a tremendous amount of information and documentation on how to use CDML (for getting your database on the web), XML documentation and examples, a JDBC Driver with documentation and examples, and other treats.

By the way, one warning: If you purchase the program and wish to register via the web, do not throw out your box! When you register online, you will be asked for a number that is on the side of your box. If you have tossed your box out, you CANNOT register. If you register by mail, you don't need this number. Go figure.

A Side Comment:

FileMaker Pro has changed considerably over the years. Actually, the program (as far as a database program goes) hasn't changed all that much since it came out as a relational database in FileMaker Pro v. 3 back in 1996. Although there have been some wonderful improvements, the vast majority of the changes with FileMaker have had to do with making it easier to get databases on the web and better ODBC connectivity. Not that it's not significant, but in times past, every release of FileMaker had very exciting updates and changes to its database evolution.

FileMaker 5 made a major change in its user interface to mimic Microsoft Office and to try to make it a better "Access" than Access (which in fact is not hard as even Access isn't a very good Access.) What the company (FileMaker Inc.) did was to make a major restructure of how people use their program. They did this by making different versions of their program for different uses and by moving around what you got with what you bought.

Specifically, if you buy the standard FileMaker Pro v. 5 off the shelf, you have the basic program with specific crippling built-in such that if you set up a database on the web, only ten people can use the database before it shuts down for the day. If you want unlimited web access to your database you need to purchase FileMaker Pro .v 5 Unlimited. There is also the FileMaker Server for running your database on a Server (this is not different from previous versions). Finally, there is FileMaker Developer 5 with some nice improvements from previous versions but most interestingly, it now comes with materials for standard database development. For example, included with the Developer Tool are the same set of pre-made buttons and other visual additions that have been available since FileMaker 3, but before were supplied with the program, not with the Developer Tool. Also, as stated in the review above, examples and instructions are provided with the Developer version of FM is XML, CDML, and JDBC. Although it's nice they're included here, these items could (and perhaps should) have been included in the regular FM Pro 5 program.

Originally, when Claris brought out the ability to make runtime versions of a database, they called each database a "solution" and charged $1500 per solution. That is, you leased the program and every time you released a database, you had to pay Claris $1500. This was changed by v. 4, and currently it's a mere $499 for owning the program and you can make as many "solutions" as you please. Thus, as far as what's offered, FileMaker Developer 5 is absolutely wonderful and a major improvement from what was originally offered by Claris. But what FileMaker Inc. is doing is trying to figure out the best way to get the best return on their product by chopping and splitting up what they have to the various types of users. I can't fault their intent. After all, they are in the business to make money. However, I do wish they didn't appear to be so obvious about it.

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