Excelisys Custom Database eX Cetera Blog

Conditional Love

April 20th, 2012

One of the coolest features in FileMaker™ is conditional formatting. With it you can draw attention to fields that need entry, add color coding to areas of your screen that will change according to what type of record you have and much, much more. Read the rest of this entry »

New FileMaker 12 Delivers Breakthrough Design Features for Creating Stunning Databases for iPad, iPhone, Windows and Mac

April 4th, 2012

New FileMaker 12 Delivers Breakthrough Design Features for Creating Stunning Databases for iPad, iPhone, Windows and Mac
FileMaker Go 12 apps for iPad and iPhone are now free, making it easy to run iOS apps created by FileMaker Pro 12

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – April 4, 2012 – FileMaker, Inc. today released the FileMaker 12 database software line. FileMaker 12 launches a new era for databases, empowering users to create stunning custom database apps for iPad, iPhone, Windows, Mac and the web.

The entire line of new FileMaker 12 software is available today.

FileMaker Pro 12 features beautiful new themes and Starter Solutions, powerful iPad, iPhone and desktop design tools, and superior file management for today’s media-intensive applications. FileMaker Pro 12 Advanced adds additional development and management tools.

The FileMaker Go 12 for iPad and iPhone apps are available free on the App Store. The free download of FileMaker Go 12 makes it amazingly easy for everyone to run iOS database apps created by FileMaker Pro 12.

The new 64-bit versions of FileMaker Server 12 and FileMaker 12 Server Advanced improve performance on wide area networks, enhance support for large databases, and add fast file and multimedia-content streaming.

“Databases only boost productivity if people genuinely enjoy using them,” said Ryan Rosenberg, vice president, marketing and services, FileMaker, Inc. “Everyone wants a great database, but not everyone is a great designer. Let FileMaker 12 handle the design and you’ll create dazzling databases that are incredibly easy to use, on iPad, iPhone, desktop and the web.”

Breakthrough design features boost usability on iPad, iPhone and desktop

FileMaker Pro 12 lets anyone create stunning databases. Sixteen beautiful new Starter Solutions speed creation of databases for managing contacts, projects, digital content, inventory and more essential business tasks. Starter solutions include ready-to-use screens optimized for iPad and iPhone.

Users can instantly change the look of solutions with 40 new professionally designed themes. Themes can be used with the Starter Solutions or applied to existing databases for a fresh new look. Special touch themes are tailored for iPad and iPhone with fonts, colors, buttons and other iOS design elements.

Users can rely entirely on the included themes, or can customize every detail with new design tools such as gradients, image slicing, dynamic alignment guides, and configurable grids. Custom screen stencils make it easy to arrange information for iPad and iPhone screens.

FileMaker Pro 12 also features new Quick Charts to create eye-catching, on-the-fly graphs, and five attractive new chart styles: bubble, scatter, positive/negative, stacked bar and stacked column charts.

A better way to handle documents and multimedia files

The FileMaker 12 product line helps teams and individuals manage the growing avalanche of digital content — especially multimedia files.

Enhanced container fields in FileMaker Pro 12 support drag-and-drop to store, many file types such as PDFs, video, photos, audio, and documents. Files can be stored in the database or linked. Managing linked files just got easier as FileMaker 12 now automatically organizes files on disk and can even encrypt them for extra security.

Access to large files is faster as FileMaker 12 will now automatically generate thumbnails, and, when using FileMaker Server, will stream media files to connected clients. When running on the iPad or iPhone users can now record video and audio directly into container fields, and can stream out content using AirPlay.

FileMaker Server 12 products offer faster, more reliable data serving

The new 64-bit versions of FileMaker Server 12 and FileMaker Server 12 Advanced are built for speed and productivity. Access to more memory can boost performance for larger databases, while enhanced WAN performance assists remotely connected users, especially those using iOS devices. A re-architected web publishing engine improves speed and stability when integrating custom web pages with FileMaker databases, while progressive backups ease server administration and improve solution reliability.

What beta users are saying about FileMaker Pro 12 and FileMaker Go 12 for iPad and iPhone

“FileMaker Pro 12 is a great update,” says Dean T. Bingham, president, db Digital Design. “I have converted all of my previous information to FileMaker Pro 12 and everything works flawlessly. I have used the slick new Starter Solutions to extend the functionality of my databases – and the ease of building forms from scratch, with the compatibility of desktop, iPad and iPhone formats, is a huge boon.”

According to IT and facility manager James Pierson, Rampart Hydro Services, “The use of FileMaker Go 12 enables us to get timely and consistent data from the field eliminating the hodgepodge of spreadsheets, hard-copy forms, and the odd flap torn off an old cardboard box. I love the idea of FileMaker Go specific script steps, making it easier to take advantage of the growing capabilities of iOS.”

“Thanks to FileMaker Pro 12 and its ease of extension to iOS devices, creating a full-on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for small business will take a lot less time and effort than I ever imagined,” says George Page, president, Sea Breeze Farm.

Pricing and availability

All FileMaker 12 products are immediately available. FileMaker Pro 12 is $299 /$179 upgrade, FileMaker Pro 12 Advanced is $499/$299 upgrade, FileMaker Server 12 is $999/$599 upgrade, and FileMaker Server 12 Advanced is $2,999/$1,799 upgrade (U.S. suggested list prices). FileMaker Go 12 for iPad and FileMaker Go 12 for iPhone are free from the App Store. Additional pricing and upgrade information is available at http://www.filemaker.com.
About FileMaker, Inc.

FileMaker is the leader in easy-to-use database software. Millions of people, from individuals to some of the world’s largest companies, rely on FileMaker software to manage, analyze and share essential information. The company’s products are the FileMaker line – versatile database software for teams and organizations, for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and the web – and Bento, the personal database for Mac, iPhone and iPad. FileMaker, Inc. is a subsidiary of Apple.

Customer contact:

800-325-2747

http://www.filemaker.com

Portal Sort Extreme 2

April 2nd, 2012

This is yet another sorting technique based on its predecessor yet simpler, that allows for dynamic multicolumn sorting. The user can click a button to sort a column, shift-click to add additional columns, click or shift-click sorted columns to reverse the sort order, AND option-click sorted columns to remove them. Read the rest of this entry »

About that portal, Captain!

March 23rd, 2012

There are three ways you can add records to a portal; two of which are scripted and one of which allows records to be added via the relationship which is the method we’re going to discuss first. Ok, we’re not going to discuss it; don’t do it – it’s a bad idea. “What?”, I hear you say, “Why wouldn’t I take advantage of something that FileMaker allows?” The simple answer to that question is that just because it’s allowed doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. In truth, the reason why it isn’t a good idea is that you end up with a ghost row at the bottom of your portal which causes a lot of confusion to lots of users, especially if you have a delete button on every row. (Some of your users will have so much fun pressing that delete button on the last row that they won’t get any work done!) Read the rest of this entry »

Open a Portal, Mr. Spock

March 10th, 2012

Portals have been around, in FileMaker™, for as long as I can remember and they are an ubiquitous part of the program. (Just in case you don’t know what a portal is, an easy way of explaining is to imagine that you are outside of a house, looking in a window through a gap in the curtain. The part of the room that you can see is the portal in FileMaker™; the rest of the room is hidden from view and, to see it, you have to go into the room itself; in other words, the portal is a quick snapshot of the information from a related table). Read the rest of this entry »

FileMaker DevCon 2012 Registration

March 5th, 2012

Make a major breakthrough when you come to the FileMaker Developer Conference 2012. Take a significant leap forward in your solution development skills. Discover the latest advances in the FileMaker product line. And get a once-a-year opportunity to collaborate with other like-minded FileMaker developers. You’ll be able to get creative new ideas and solve those tough development problems you’ve been working on throughout the year.

Tip Whitesheet: Tabs, Glorious Tabs

February 24th, 2012

Perhaps one of the most significant advances in FileMaker™ was the introduction of native tab panels. Up until that moment, developers had simulated tabs using multiple versions of the same layout, each with a different active tab. It was a painstaking process and, often, very frustrating. (I’m not sure but I believe that Servoy inspired the powers at be at FMI to add them as a native element; in fact, I think there are a number of features, that we now have, which were instituted as a result of the, sometimes, fierce competition between the two companies).

But all of a sudden, developers had the ability to put more information on a single screen than ever before and could just load up the screen with tab panel after tab panel. Of course, it took a while for many of us to realize that less is more and that they, the tab panels, that is, have to be used judicially and sparingly. Having said that, there are still many different ways of using them.  Read the rest of this entry »

Geoff Ryle named VP of Development & QA

December 1st, 2011

I am very excited to announce I have taken on a new role here at Excelisys.

Stepping out of project management, henceforward my title is Vice President of Development & Quality Assurance. This roll includes overseeing all internal product development and quality control of client solution development, with the goal of raising the overall quality and consistency of our solutions and deliverables.

I will continue to work directly with clients in a QA development role, as well as with training, handholding and development assistance type projects that require a more one-on-one relationship.

I will now work directly with our web and FileMaker developers, reviewing their work before it’s delivered.  This extra step of quality control will allow us to catch potential issues that could otherwise be overlooked. It will also help us recognize common areas of development across projects, evaluate existing development methods and identify where refinements and consolidation can be made.

I will also be managing the development of internal tools that will help us continue to communicate and manage more efficiently. These tools are vital for us to grow our business, as they give us a competitive advantage in a highly competitive market and a tough economic climate.

We have a lot more planned for the future that I’ll be involved with in this new capacity, which you’ll learn about in the months to come. These are exciting times and we have an excellent team of talented developers to take on the challenges ahead. I’m looking forward to my new role, working much more closely with our team, and further improving the overall quality of our work output and already outstanding customer service.

Developer Certifications – Why should you care?

November 2nd, 2011

To certify or not to certify? That isn’t the question at all.

Certifications are a necessary evil in the world of software development. The question is whether a certification means anything, and if our clients should care about them. So we asked our FileMaker Pro-certified developers to give their two cents about certifications and the certification process.

“Certification is, at its core, a metric used to gauge competency among the competencies of all other prospective hires,” said Ken Moorhead. “In and of itself (as with most metrics), it does not provide a complete picture.”

“The reality is that certification for software development is the same as a lawyer passing the bar or a physician passing medical boards,” said Levi. “It demonstrates a minimum measured body of knowledge. It is no guarantee of competence.”

“There are far too many ‘educated idiots’ in the world who have studied, passed a test and then go out proclaiming their expertise,” said Michael Rocharde. “The only thing that really counts is experience and a track record.”

Kurt Knippel, VP of Production at Excelisys, agreed, but also sees some value in the certification process. “Certifications are a dime a dozen, they are easy to get and mostly meaningless. They are also very important to have. Often times it is what you gained during the certification process that is the important part…the journey, not the destination.”

“Taking a manufacturer’s certification course and test, and attaining their certificate or degree, helped accomplished three tasks,” said Scott Mosher, Business Development. “One, it assured me I knew as much as I thought I did. Two, it ranked me with the manufacturer and, in many cases, allowed special privileges in their support systems. Three, it showed my clients I was recognized as a specialist in my field by the manufacturers themselves, allowing me to ride on their credibility coattail.”

“It’s the first line of defense when choosing a development partner,” said Andrew Persons, FileMaker/FLEX Developer. “Certification can’t guarantee expertise, but it does serve to verify that the developer has at least memorized the basic facts, grasped the basic abstract concepts and possesses a baseline commitment to the technology.”

So how would we advise our clients to view certifications? As a necessary evil. Portfolios, past experience and personal recommendations speak louder than any certification can.

FileMaker Server 11.0v4 Released for Mac OS X

September 29th, 2011

FileMaker, Inc. has released FileMaker Server 11.0v4 for Mac OS X versions 10.5, 10.6, and 10.7. This update addresses the following issues:

Installer
• The fmserver user is no longer displayed as a user in the Mac OS X Lion login window.

Database Server
• Fixed an issue where a scheduled script using the Get(FileMakerPath) function on Mac OS X could cause
FileMaker Server to crash.

Web Publishing Engine
• Web Publishing is now fully compatible and supported on Mac OS X Lion. This includes Instant Web
Publishing and Custom Web Publishing (PHP, XML, and XSLT).

When upgrading your server’s operating system, you must reinstall FileMaker Server.  Because this software adds support for Mac OS X version 10.7 Lion, it is a full installer rather than an updater.

Learn more and download here:
http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9965

Best regards,

FileMaker Developer Relations Team

FileMaker, Inc.
5201 Patrick Henry Drive
Santa Clara, CA 95054
http://www.filemaker.com


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