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NZ Macguide Issue 6
 When
this was released just before MacWorld NY, there was a bit of comment on newsgroups
that not enough had changed between versions 5.5 and 6 of the Mac's premier
piece of relational database management software. But if the continually-packed
tutorial sessions on the FileMaker stand at the show was anything to go by,
the new features of FileMaker Pro 6 are plenty to get excited about. There
aren't many feature changes, more a collection of tweaks and tickles - but
the addition of XML support is a very significant improvement.
Extend yourself
This is a huge improvement, as XML (Extensible Markup Language) is similar
to HTML and highly web-friendly, but substantially more advanced - where
an HTML file might explain where on a page text or an image should go, XML
also defines exactly what it is (e.g. a company name or logo). Essentially
what this means is that it becomes very easy to share files between database
applications and other XML-friendly applications (like design/web software)
without having to put massive effort into rearranging the contents to go into
the right - and you can painlessly exchange data in formats that other
users, like co-workers or customers, normally use.
This data exchange is carried out using XSLT spreadsheets which can change
data into (or out of) FileMaker's format - and as an added bonus there's
a free library of XLST sheets on the company's website providing all sorts
of useful tricks - like merging iTunes song lists or cataloguing iPod
contents.
Pretty pictures
And gone are the days of boring text databases, resplendent in 10-pt Courier - seamless
use of multimedia content is a big plus in FileMaker and there's even facility
for direct and controlled image imports from digital cameras or other multimedia
sources - even card readers.
Users can batch import graphic and video files without having
to tear hair out, and the simple approach to accurate and effective web-publishing
means easy options for online project management - or just quick and clean
web updates for a site.
OS X users who've gotten used to the Button Bar above the main working window
will be disappointed to discover it's disappeared, but OS 9 folk will still
have its benefits. But there are a range of other user-requested improvements
like contextual menu sorting, and vastly more intelligent handling of dates,
formats in building layouts have been rethought, and data handling options
allow better addition or removal of information and global string substitution.
Formatting has been radically improved with the Format Painter - from
Layout mode you change an object or field to how you'd like it to appear. Then,
buy clicking the Format Painter option you can change anything to the attributes
you preselected simply by clicking on it. A simple change, but a very, very
welcome one!
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"...use of multimedia content is a big plus in FileMaker..."
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Last version
Attention OS 9 FileMaker Pro users - this will be the last version of
the popular database application that will run on the old system. This does
mean that unnecessary old code (a fact of life when you're up to version 6!)
can be completely removed. In fact, the next version will be 100% Cocoa - a
ground-up rebuild to take absolute advantage of the grunt machine that is OS
X 10.2.
If you're planning on keeping your system running on OS 8.6-9.2.2,
it is probably a good idea to take the plunge. If you're an OS X user that
won't take advantage of XML parsing, then it's a tough call on whether or not
to upgrade. XML enthusiasts shouldn't wait for version 7 though - the
time you'll save with this spectacular addition will be worth the money spent.
Pros
- XML support
- Multimedia-friendly
Cons
© Parkside Media 2003
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