Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Filemaker 8 is a must for long-time FM users. FM8 added many of my wishes: saving of found sets to PDF, Mail, Excel - all scriptable as well; layout creation aids such as Tabs and drop-down calendars. The continued poor implementation of Format Painter is rather frustrating and disappointing though. It needs to operate more like that of CAD programs, with a simple modifier key toggle between picking-up and putting-down attributes and a dialog for choosing which attributes. The function is that important (hello FM?).
But the big celebration was in the scripting department. Global and local variables and the various script steps for setting and getting them, is the biggest improvement to FM in years. I literally rewrote all my applications in a 3-4 day whirlwind, resulting in shorter, simpler to troubleshoot scripts and faster performance. The Get(ScriptResult) function likewise makes sense and short work of previously multiple-nested arguments. Go to Related Record is an excellent addition to the script toolbox and sees constant use.
Also, finally your scroll wheel works.
The advanced version, despite the cost, provides developer functionality that I don't know how I ever lived without. Scripts that operate on multi-table databases can be very hard to troubleshoot, and these concepts are the very heart and soul of Filemaker, what really sets it apart from so many other programs. It's hard to think of any database concept which cannot be simply implemented now that I have these tools at my disposal. Many long-time problems I had struggled with were solved literally the first day I had Advanced.
On the down side, Filemaker alienated me for the first time as a long-time loyal user by doing two very annoying things:
1) A rather important, major release of 8.5 just weeks after I purchased 8 was made available to me for the standard upgrade price of $100. It is customary throughout the software industry to offer very recent buyers a discounted path to the next revision. No such luck.
2) Authorization was unbelievable cumbersome, involving the usual serial number, then an online check-in followed by an emailed, machine-specific serial number to unlock the software. This means that, in contradiction of Filemaker's own user license agreement, I cannot install it on my laptop and desktop machines as I have since Filemaker v3 without pleading my case to customer support, which basically offends me to the degree that I haven't bothered, using only my laptop for development. Attention Filemaker: your user base consists of honest people.
Click Here to see more reviews about: FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced Upgrade from FileMaker Pro 6-8
FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced builds on all the powerful tools of FileMaker Pro 8, and adds even more development and customization tools to efficiently build powerful, customized databases. Because FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced contains all the features included in FileMaker Pro 8, you can build customized yet comprehensive databases, and you get even more troubleshooting and data analysis tools, along with more options for building custom menus, Tooltips, kiosks, functions, and more.
What you can do with FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced that you can't do with FileMaker Pro 8:
Customize menus by renaming, adding or deleting menu items, replacing menus with your own customized solution, and executing your own scripts. Customized menus will then affect toolbar icons, context menus, window options, keyboard shortcuts and Mode menus.
Make layouts more intuitive by adding Tooltips to fields or layout objects. Tooltips can include static text or calculated results.
Build or modify databases faster by importing multiple tables at once or moving fields, tables, scripts and script steps in or across fields.
The script debugger helps you identify problem areas, and temporarily disable scripts to test portions of a script.
The Data Viewer lets you keep an eye on current field values, variables and expressions so you can debug scripts or test calculation formulas without having to modify the database schema.
Create standalone runtime solutions that don't require the FileMaker Pro application.
Create kiosk-based applications where all menus are hidden, which is especially useful for creating mailing list sign-ups or event registrations.
Custom Functions and the External Function Plug-in API help you build more involved calculations and extend database capabilities.
Generate reports using the Database Design Report that give you information on database schema and options, including fields, tables, and Custom Menus. Use reports to troubleshoot and locate missing fields, broken relationships, problem calculations and more.
The file maintenance tools help you maximize performance and recover unused space.
About FileMaker Pro 8 Getting started with FileMaker Pro 8 is easy, and it only takes minutes to create your own database. The process is even simpler with the ability to import Excel files instantly. FileMaker Pro 8 can store a variety of information types and a virtually unlimited amount of data. Databases can be customized to fit your needs, with built-in assistants and the ability to drag and drop objects and to link information quickly and easily. You can also design easy to read layouts and create your own views of the data.
New time-saving tools will help you get more done. Auto-complete, calendar drop-downs, visual spell checker, and mouse wheel support will make data entry speedier and more intuitive. A field list filter lets you view and choose from fields used on the displayed layout only, making choosing fields faster. The new Tab Control function helps you build a layout with multiple tabs in a single step so you can switch between tabs without needing scripting, eliminating the need for multiple layouts.
FileMaker information can be accessed remotely so that clients or vendors can view FileMaker information, or you can view data in the FileMaker interface. Web accessed can be provided with a single click, and access can be assigned based on privileges. Built-in multi-user capabilities make it easy for up to five users to share FileMaker databases simultaneously, regardless of platform type.
FileMaker Pro 8 features built-in reports that can be printed in a variety of formats. You can create Adobe PDF files from Filemaker information, making it easy to share information with other users. The new Excel Maker lets you create Excel files from FileMaker information so that you can easily share information with others or analyze the data more thoroughly. The contents of virtually any field can be emailed to anyone with just a few, simple clicks.
FileMaker Pro 8 features new tools for developers, giving you even more power over variables and database design. Global and local script variables canbe stored, eliminating the need to create unnecessary fields to store values. Scripts can now perform functions and return results to the calling script. This gives you the power to create flexible, re-usable scripts to help you save development and maintenance time. The Relationships Graph lets you duplicate tables and relationships, and document database design by adding notes. New script steps are included to easily show all related records for an entire found step and to support dynamic selection of field repetition through the use of a calculation. Value Lists will display more meaningful information while hiding cryptic associated values.
New features in FileMaker Pro 8:
Create Adobe PDF files with the PDF Maker so you can more easily share FileMaker information with others.
Use the new Excel Maker to create Microsoft Excel files, allowing you to share and analyze FileMaker information with others.
Fast Send feature lets you Email the contents of any field instantly.
Fast Match feature helps you search the database without typing.
New alignment tools allow you to create cleaner looking database layouts.
Send personalized messages to multiple customers with the new Email merge.
Import tables into FileMaker more efficiently than ever.
The Relationships Graph helps you document databases and field relationships.
The new Tab Control helps you build layouts with multiple tabs in a single step.
Note: This is the upgrade version of FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced. You must be a licensed user of FileMaker Pro 6 Advanced or FileMaker Pro 7 Advanced to qualify for this upgrade.
Click here for more information about FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced Upgrade from FileMaker Pro 6-8
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