FileMaker 15 is Here!
FileMaker 15 has arrived!
Only one year passed since FileMaker 14’s release and, as promised by the FileMaker team, FileMaker 15 is here. There are plenty of new goodies in packed in this release: let’s take a look.
Interface Design Changes
FileMaker 14 ushered in a new, flat design that I never liked:
It’s subtle, but FileMaker 15 has added some contrast back, and, although it’s not enough, it’s a step in the right direction.
I miss the colors in earlier versions. One small consolation: In layout mode, colors are back!
The Inspector has a new look, too, with a modicum of color. I’ll have to wait until the Flat design look runs out of air for the browse mode to look alive again.
Mobility Enhancements
FileMaker supports the following new mobile features:
- Touch ID for faster access to your files
- App Extensions that allow you to use other apps to share and modify your data. You can share via:
- Message
- Photo apps
- Send and receive files to and from iCloud, Box, and Dropbox
- And more
- iBeacon Support. This is cool–get data from nearby iBeacons on other devices, like workout machines, inventory in a warehouse, etc. More on this later.
- 3D Touch support (available on the iPhone 6s and above)
- FileMaker WebDirect has mobile phone support for any operating system. FileMaker auto resizes the interface to fit.
Automation and Integration
- Highlighted Script Errors. Very handy when you are importing scripts, copying and pasting, etc.
- Undo Scripting! This is a multiple level redo and undo function, and is a welcome feature in FM 15.
- In-Product updates for FileMaker Pro. This is a welcome feature, too. Check for an update, click the button, it downloads, closes FileMaker, and relaunches the update. And not to worry, developers: you can hide this feature if you want.
- External Sequel Data Source (ESS) Adapter. This is a great bonus for those needing to access SQL databases such as MySQL, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL server, something I have seen a large increase in during the past year.
Ease of Use
- There are now 20 new starter solutions, up from 16. The four new simpler starter solutions are:
- Contacts
- Inventory
- Content Management
- Tasks
- Web Based Help directly available from the help menu
Security Enhancements
- Concealed edit box: a boring way to say the FileMaker now supports bullets natively! Sadly, it does not work with WebDirect, but does with Go and Client:
Concealed Edit Box - Proactive security warnings in FileMaker Client during login.
- SSL Certificate enhancements
- More SSL Certificate types supported, and there is an improved method for generating a request for a certificate. This is much easier for SSL setup.
Performance Improvements
- Portal In-line Progress Bar
- This mean you don’t have to wait for a large portal to open. Instead, you see a progress bar loading, and you are able to work with the parent record while the portal loads, which is a factor for WAN and LAN solutions:
- This mean you don’t have to wait for a large portal to open. Instead, you see a progress bar loading, and you are able to work with the parent record while the portal loads, which is a factor for WAN and LAN solutions:
- Top call Statistical Logging: This is big for larger networked solutions..
- Available on FileMaker Server 15
- Identifies the top 25 calls for a specified period of time, and identifies the clients making the calls.
- Generates a log files that can be dropped onto FileMaker and turned into a searchable database.
- Available on FileMaker Server 15
- Under the hood
- Improved WebDirect speed – this is a welcome improvement, but no statistics have been provided so far.
- Improved caching to prevent reloads. Same with this–how much faster is it?
- FileMaker changed from the long polling web communication protocol to the web sockets protocol (a much faster web technology) with FileMaker 14. In FileMaker 15, the web sockets layer is now optimized to bring even more speed to WebDirect.
Want more information?
Here’s a FileMaker PDF you might find useful .
And how about those pesky tech specs?
FileMaker Server 15 Tech Specs
FileMaker Pro 15 and FileMaker Pro 15 Advanced Tech Specs
Updated: Get Steven Blackwell’s FileMaker 15 Security PDF here
May 10, 2016 @ 12:33 pm
Disappointed to see no more shared hosting under the new EULA. FileMaker Corporation says it is making for a more secure environment yet every other database product out there allows for multiple databases for different users on the same hosting platform. Doesn’t make sense to push us end users into a scenario where we all have to have our own hardware and server license now. might be time to look in adifferent direction.
May 10, 2016 @ 1:59 pm
Given the price, the additional features are very skinny! This feels like an attempt to squeeze more out of their existing clientele. Going from a development cycle of more than 18 months with significant improvements to 12 months with a lacklustre offering is disappointing.