FileMaker Pro 12, FileMaker Go 12 and FileMaker Server 12 are all available for purchase today. I bought it within moments of the release and have already begun the invigorating process of updating Studio Manager to take advantage of new features. I know that you’re eager to upgrade too, but before you click the buy button, read my hands-on review here.
FileMaker 12 is a major release that changes the file format. It is easy to open an existing FileMaker 11 or earlier file in FileMaker Pro 12 and only takes a minute or two to convert even for large complex databases.
However, once you convert a Filemaker database by opening it in FileMaker 12, it can no longer be used by any previous version of FileMaker.
That means that if you have several copies of FileMaker, you’ll need to upgrade each one, including FileMaker Go, in order to access and use a FileMaker 12 database.
The last time we had an upgrade of this magnitude was FileMaker 7 released in 2004. We’ve had a nice long run without a file format change, but it is inevitable that eventually a file format change is needed to introduce really big improvements. This is such an occasion.
FileMaker Go 12 is Free
Fire up your iPhone or iPad and download FileMaker Go 12. You’ll be able to see some sample files that take advantage of the much improved user interface. FileMaker databases now look like other iPhone and iPad apps!
FileMaker Pro is $299 for a full new version.
If you have FileMaker 9, 10 or 11 you can upgrade for $179.
Key Features of FileMaker Pro 12
- 40 high quality Layout Themes that can be applied to your existing layouts.
- More powerful layout tools including gradients, image slicing, and alignment guides to get the design precision you need.
- Much better container field functionality with better performance to manage images, PDFs and documents.
- iOS design and development tools to help you develop for iPhone and iPad.
- Window styles allow you to deliver custom dialogs in a variety of ways. Supports modal dialogs and floating “palette-type” windows.
- Emphasis on easy, effective deployment to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
- New built-in SQL capabilities that offer the possibility of much faster performance when dealing with large data sets.
- And more. See the full FileMaker Pro version comparison list.
Studio Manager 12 Development Will Begin
We have begun to experiment with the new capabilities of FileMaker 12 and will post updates as we learn more. Janet has already opened up Studio Manager 11 in FileMaker Pro 12 and has applied a standard theme to see how it looks. We are extremely pleased to have gradients, image slicing and other more advanced design tools at our disposal to give Studio Manager a face lift in our next release.
Stay tuned for updates. It will take at least 3 months to incorporate new features, revise documentation and release Studio Manager 12. The first step is experimenting with new features. The second step will be to develop specifications. After that the heavy lifting will commence. We will keep you posted on our progress.
Now is the time for you to send in your wish list of new features and layout design ideas. Imagine the satisfaction of seeing your dreams come to life. Email or Twitter Janet today.
Studio Manager 11 Status
Can you Convert an Earlier Version of Studio Manager to FileMaker 12?
- Wait a month or so before attempting to convert in a serious way. Even with the very best software releases, there are always exceptions and difficulties for a few people and you don’t want to be one of the unlucky ones. After a few more days, we’ll have a better idea of any gotchas.
- Feel free to get a copy of FileMaker Pro 12 or FileMaker Pro 12 Advanced and convert a copy of your Studio Manager program. Rename it to designate its experimental nature and that it requires FileMaker 12. Then experiment with it on a non-connected computer. I have yet to determine if there are any issues here so proceed with caution, but if you are offline, I can’t see the harm. [PLEASE NOTE if you are thinking of going online with your test copy anyway, my understanding is that FileMaker 12 Server and FileMaker 11 Server may not run on the same machine. I’m not an IT expert so don’t know if virtual machines could address this issue.]
- We will invest a great deal in taking advantage of the new features in FileMaker Pro 12. Upgrading to Studio Manager 12 may be the cheapest way to reap the benefits of the new software. Once Studio Manager 12 is released, it will continue to be fully customizable by you.
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