Claris FileMaker Pro 12

Some layouts to the software Claris FileMaker Pro 12

Themes
A notable new feature is the support of themes1 for layouts. FileMaker Pro inherited this feature, which lets you assign a different layout theme to all layout elements, from its little sister Bento. The formatting of an object can be changed, removed, and restored.

Formatting layout objects
Claris FileMaker 12 offers significantly more design options. For example, an object background can be filled with multicolor gradients or with an image. For a single-color background, the opacity can be freely set from 0 to 100 percent. In addition, it is possible to assign one or more rounded corners to objects, whereby the radius can be freely defined.

Object states
With Claris FileMaker 12, it is possible to assign different formatting to layout objects, depending on the state of the object (Normal, Selected, Under Mouse, Pressed).

Dynamic alignment lines
When moving objects, dynamic guides help with positioning and make it easier to align and position them evenly.

Guides
Any number of guides can be created in a layout, which can be fixed, applied to all layouts, and "magnetized". Lines can also be inserted to represent different desktop sizes (640×480, 1024×768, 1280×960, 1600×1200) or iPhone or iPad dimensions. You can also define your own size.

Clippings
When a clipping is moved, all objects that belong to that clipping are also moved. An object belongs to a clipping if it is completely inside the clipping row.

Undo/Redo
Changes in the layout can be undone and redone step by step as long as the layout has not yet been saved.

Layout width
In addition to the height, the width of a layout can now also be specified. Objects placed outside the defined layout area are not visible in Browse mode.

Accessibility for visually impaired people
With Claris FileMaker 12, you can assign text to layout objects that can be read by screen readers such as JAWS for Windows and VoiceOver for Mac OS X.

Claris FileMaker 12 offers improved performance and ease of use

Improved containers
The contents of containers can be automatically stored outside the database file. When a user places a file in a container, it is transferred to a directory on the host computer and stored there, while only a reference is stored in the database itself. This keeps the file small and supports incremental backup. Files can be stored encrypted so that only FileMaker can read the data.
Images can be displayed faster with automatically generated thumbnails. Drag and drop support has been improved and sound, video and PDF files can be edited directly in the containers.

Plugin update
Plugins can be saved to the database. Formulas and script steps can then be used to ensure that the correct version of the required plugin is installed for the respective user.

Window style
When a window is opened with a script or button, it can be defined as a standard document window, a floating document window2 or a modal dialog window3.
Window elements can be specifically disabled: Close, Minimize, Maximize, Zoom, Resize.

Tabs
The tab active in Browse mode remains in the foreground when switching to Layout mode, which makes it easier for the developer to work with "invisible" tabs, for example. In addition, conditional formatting can be assigned to each tab.

Sorting
It can be set whether the sorting of records is permanent or temporary. Records that are inserted or modified after sorting will be arranged according to the sort setting by default. This behavior can be changed in the sort dialog.

Badge
A badge is displayed in the lower right corner of a layout if corresponding script triggers have been defined for this layout. A other badge is displayed for layout objects that have been set up as buttons.

Layout icons
New layout icons show the status of a file, objects in the file, or the action performed. Layout icons for date, time, user name, page number, and record number have changed.

Working with shared files
You can now run a script in a remote file from a URL.

Improved reporting and analysis with Claris FileMaker 12

FileMaker charts
In Browse mode, charts can be created quickly without having to switch database schemas. A clear diagram inspector for changing diagrams has been integrated. Some new chart types have been added: Stacked Columns, Positive-Negative Columns, Scatter, Bubbles.

Table View
Column headers in Table View provide more options to group, sort, create subtotals, and customize the appearance of the table.
Integration with other applications and data sources

Bento (Mac OS)
Improved support for importing data from Bento.

FileMaker Go
FileMaker includes new script steps, features, and enhanced privilege sets, as well as layout themes optimized for touchscreens on the iPad and iPhone, including changes in customized menu sets for use with FileMaker Go.

External SQL Sources (ESS)
If one or more table names in the ODBC data source have been changed, the link between the FileMaker file and the data source can be updated. A write of the data set can be forced if optimistic locking would otherwise prevent this action.

Advanced script commands in Claris FileMaker 12

Insert file
This script command can be used to specify advanced options, such as whether the content should be inserted by reference and/or compressed, and which file formats should be allowed in the file dialog.

New Window
This command creates a new window based on the current window in the foreground. A document window, a floating document window or a dialog window can be created.
New Script Commands

Find Matching Records
This search has always been available in Browse mode from the context menu. It can be specified whether the currently selected records should be replaced, narrowed or expanded by the search result.

Insert Audio/Video
Imports an audio or video file or a reference to it into an interactive container4.

Insert from URL
Inserts the content of a URL into a field.

Insert PDF
Imports a PDF file or a reference to it into an interactive container.

Install Plugin File
Installs or updates a plugin file on the computer. The plugin file is saved in a container.

Manage Container
Opens the FileMaker Manage Container dialog box, which defines thumbnail settings and external paths for the container contents.

Sort Records by Field
Sorts the currently displayed records by the contents of the selected field.

New script triggers

OnFirstOpenWindow
This trigger fires a script when a window is opened for a database file and no other window is open for that file.

OnWindowOpen
This trigger fires a script when a window for a database file is opened.

OnCloseWindow
This trigger fires a script when a window for a database file is closed.

CloseOnLastWindow
This trigger fires a script when the last window for a database file is closed.

The above four script triggers are available in the File Options dialog box in the new Script Triggers tab.

OnTabToggle
Activates a script when a tab is toggled.

New features in Claris FileMaker 12

• SQLQueryExecute: Executes a SQL query within the FileMaker database (read-only queries!). Dynamic arguments are supported. This allows access to table relationships that are not defined in the relationships graph.
• GetHeight: Returns the height of an image in a container in pixels.
• GetWidth: Returns the width of an image in a container in pixels.
• GetPreviewImage: Generates a preview image (thumbnail) of the contents of a container, according to the requested values for height and width.
• Location: In FileMaker Go, this function returns the current location of the device (iPad, iPhone). The location is determined via GPS, cellular network or WiFi.
• LocationValues: In FileMaker Go, this function returns various values about the current location of the device: latitude, longitude, altitude, horizontal and vertical accuracy (+/- in meters). The location is determined via GPS, cellular network or WiFi.
• ContainerCheck: Returns a logical value describing the validity of a container's externally stored data.
• Get(ConnectionStatus): Uses a number to describe the security status of the current file's network connection.
• Get(InstalledFMPlugins): Gets the name, version number (if available), and activation status of all installed plug-ins.
• Get(PersistentID): Returns a text that is a unique identifier of the computer or device on which FileMaker is currently running.
• Get(TriggerCurrentTab): Gets the index and object name of the current tab if the OnRegisterSwitch trigger is enabled.
• Get(TriggerTargetTabField): Gets the index and object name of the tab to switch to if the OnRelayToggle trigger is enabled.
• Get(UUID): Generates a text that is a universal unique identification number (UUID).
• Get(WindowStyle): Gets the style of the window in which the script is currently running.

Claris FileMaker 12 has several changes and enhancements

• Import from FileMaker files: Import order has been improved and no longer gets messed up when fields are added or removed after an import order has been set.
• Custom dialog: It is now possible to specify which buttons in the dialog write the input to the database.
• Inspector: The Inspector has been redesigned to accommodate the new layout and settings options.
• FileMaker Pro 12 Advanced
• Custom Menus: Custom menu settings have been improved to work better with devices such as iPad and iPhone. A calculation can now be used to determine when a custom menu is loaded.
• Improved Script Debugger: Script triggers can be temporarily disabled while working in the Script Debugger.
• Database Design Report: The scope of the Database Design Report has been expanded. Tabs and sections containing objects are identified.

System requirements of Claris FileMaker Pro 12

• Windows Windows 8 Standard
• Windows 8 Pro
• Windows 7 Ultimate
• Windows 7 Professional
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• Windows Vista Ultimate
• Windows Vista Business
• Windows Vista Home Premium (Service Pack 2)
• Windows XP Professional
• Windows XP Home Edition (Service Pack 3)
• Mac OS X Mavericks v10.9
• OS X Mountain Lion v10.8
• OS X Lion 10.7
• Mac OS X 10.6

Windows requirement

Minimum requirement

• 32-bit: Dual-core processor
• RAM 2 GB Hard disk: 80 GB or more (at least 10 GB free)
• 64-bit: Dual-core processor
• RAM: 4 GB
• Hard disk: 80 GB or more (at least 10 GB free)

Recommended requirement

• 32-bit: Dual-core processor
• RAM: 4 GB
• Hard disk: 80 GB or more (at least 10 GB free)
• 64-bit: Dual-core processor
• Memory: 8 GB
• Hard disk: 80 GB or more (at least 10 GB free)

Mac requirement

Minimum requirement

• 32-bit: Intel-based Mac with dual-core processor
• RAM: 2 GB
• Hard disk: 80 GB or more (at least 10 GB free)
• 64-bit: Intel-based Mac with dual-core processor
• Memory: 4 GB
• Hard disk: 80 GB or more (at least 10 GB free)

Recommended requirement

• 32-bit: Intel-based Mac with dual-core processor
• Memory: 4 GB
• Hard disk: 80 GB or more (at least 10 GB free)
• 64-bit: Intel-based Mac with dual-core processor
• Memory: 8 GB
• Hard disk: 80 GB or more (at least 10 GB free)