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FileMaker 18 is Here!

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FileMaker 18 is here and is Awesome!

FileMaker released its newest platform release today, FileMaker 18, and it’s loaded with new features and capabilities. FileMaker released its preview video from March today, which shows all the new features in FileMaker 18, along with commentary and a question and answer period at the end. Check out the details below the video:

FileMaker Pro Advanced

  • New User Interface for importing data (this overhaul is long overdue!)
  •  While loop (JSON example) – Acts like a Let statement with looping while a condition is true! This feature has been needed for a long time…
    1. Works on all clients:  Go, Pro and WebDirect
  • Set Error Logging (On or Off) – this is huge. Auto error logging saved to the clients documents folder!
    • Get File exists – tests for the existence of an existing file in the file system
    • Creates a file on demand in the Users document folder
      • TimeStamp, DB Session #, filename, Account Name, script (with Script index in parens), script step name with line number  and error code.  
        • Custom Debug Info allows display custom message
        • Saves to users doc folder
        • Single Log for for all custom apps
        • Created on demand
      • Can grab error and display a custom dialog.
      • Not supported on WebDirect, but all others supported
  • Data File I/O Script Steps  – adds ability to interact with the file system
    • Get File Exists
    • Get File Size
    • Create Data File
    • Open Data File
    • Write to Data File
    • Read from Data File
    • Get File Position
    • Set File Position
    • Close Data File
    • Crate Folder
    • Rename File
  • Manage Security Dialog new features
    1. Priority
    2. New Privilege set option – Other Privileges
      1. Manage Accounts Setting  (Full Access not required, but users can manage security except Full Access and cannot add new priv sets)  Can’t see schema or business logic
      2. Change accounts in bulk
      3. Priority Setting for multiple types of login
  • Import Workflow
    1. First row of data is not the only source field available
    2. Field mapping much easier with type ahead drop down list!
    3. Perform Auto Enter in field by line item or by group (makes import much easier)
    4. Custom file delimiter choice
    5. Only works in FM Pro Advanced, but can be made to work in Go and WD if scripted
  • Save a Copy as XML (for the whole app)
    1. Compare versions with details of changes using BB Edit Compare feature (or TextWranglers Compare functionality).

FileMaker Go 18

  • Open Specific app at launch  (requires MDM – Mobile Device Management)
  • Append to Existing PDF!
  • Enhanced Barcodes – 4 new types
    • PDF 417
    • ITF-14
    • Axtec
    • DataMatrix
  • OAuth support for accounts in iOS App SDK 
    • Amazon, Google and MS Azure

FileMaker Server 18

  • Usability, Security, Reliability and Scalability
    • Startup Restoration – Ensure data file corruptions resolved and transaction orders guaranteed
      • Will auto recover without file recovery or restore
      • Restore to a consistent state where it was at crash
      • Multi processor capable in more than just Restoration (importing, finds, etc.)
      • Startup Restoration can be turned off if performance hit is too much
  • General Administration
    • File Status icon changes ( now with colors making it easier to see)
    • Change default backup time now
    • View script failure/success status
    • Admin console last restart time
  • FM Data API enhancements
    • Includes XML meta data including layout names and layout schema
  • FM Data Admin API 
    • No longer in the trial state found in FM 17
    • Now based on the Open API specifications
  • FM Server in Spanish
  • Zabbix Open-source monitoring tool – a very popular open source tool for monitoring servers
    • Ready made Config files
    • White Paper available
    • Real time monitoring of vital stats
      • disk space usage
      • network traffic,
      • specific processes running 
      • Number of users
    • Thresholds can be set and items revealed if exceeded
    • It is free, open source and the config files will be available at release

FileMaker Cloud for AWS

  • FM Cloud relabeled to FM Cloud for AWS (1.18).  
    • All new features of FM 18 platform will be supported on AWS
  • FileMaker Pro Advanced – FileMaker Sharing relabeled to Upload to Host and uploads multiple files to AWS FMS and FMS

Supported Operating Systems

FileMaker-18-Supported-Operating-Systems

Deprecation and Removal Notices

FileMaker 18-Deprecation Notices

FileMaker Developer Subscription

FileMaker Developer Subscription Information

Other details from the Q & A

  • FM 15 End of Life: 9-20–19
  • PHP and XLST still there
  • What is eCommerce? It is the FileMaker Store
  • Windows Server 2019 will support FMS 18
  • Error logging feature – does is work with PSoS?  Not right now – maybe next version
  • Will error logging tax the system if left on?  Not really
  • You can create any file extensions you choose, not just txt
  • File Delimiters must be hard coded
  • New Data File Migration update tool coming!

Other links

Check back for more posts with links!

I’ll be linking to great articles in the days to come, including many with free FileMaker Example files!

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