filemaker
Latest
FileMaker 11 now available with charting, reporting improvements
Apple subsidiary FileMaker has been busy; the flagship database app grows by another leap today with the release of version 11. We were lucky enough to get a pre-release demo at Macworld Expo in February and were duly impressed. As someone who's been using FileMaker since version 6, I'm thrilled with some of the additions to this update; let's get to it. Launch Right off the bat, the introduction screen is new (after the splash screen "wobbles" into view). It's wider with more options, like a link to the online resource center. There you'll find video tutorials, starter solutions (more on that later) and access to consultants. They're all extremely useful and aimed at users and developers alike. Charts The big news starts with built-in support for charts. For years, developers and users have employed plug-ins and other 3rd-party solutions to get charting done, or they simply exported data to Excel. Now those extra efforts may be a thing of the past. As you would imagine, adding a chart is super easy. While in layout mode, use the new chart tool to drag out a charting area. From there, the setup screen appears. This is a real pleasure to use. You can select between a bar graph (horizontal or vertical), line chart, area or pie. Give your chart a name, or base its name on a field or calculation. Likewise, the X and Y axis can be labeled with your own titles or a field or calculation. If you've got more than one Y axis variable (for example, number of occurrences and procedure duration) adding each is as simple as a click. Finally, you can pull data from a found set, the current record only, or from related records -- which is awesome. Now it gets fun. Click "Format Chart" to style all aspects of your chart. Select your color palette (options are presented as cute color samples), fonts, backgrounds and axis labels plus scale minimums and maximums. It's full-featured and nearly everything I wanted when I was stuck routinely exporting data to Excel just to make charts with version 6. In my testing this was simple and effective. The only thing missing for me is a scatter plot option, but a line chart could do the job in a pinch. %Gallery-87784%
Bento for iPhone / iPod touch reaches sales milestone
While it's no big deal for a free game or social networking app to reach a million downloads from the App Store, it is definitely news when a brand-name productivity app sells 100,000 copies. Bento for iPhone / iPod touch [US$4.99, iTunes Link] reached that milestone today, according to a press release from FileMaker, Inc. Bento works very well as a standalone iPhone app, and becomes even more powerful when synced with the desktop version of the app (2.0v5 or 3.0 for Mac). The app comes with 25 pre-defined templates that can be customized to your needs, or you can create your own databases (Bento calls them "libraries") by opening a blank template and adding your choice from a selection of fifteen different field types. I've personally found the standalone app to be a lifesaver when I need to create a custom database for storing information on my iPhone. The FileMaker announcement should come as welcome news for developers who are working on more mainstream or enterprise-oriented apps for the iPhone / iPod touch platform.
FileMaker's Bento 3 announced, available immediately
FileMaker has announced the release of Bento 3, the next version of its database program for the Mac, available for purchase immediately. The upgrade comes just a couple weeks shy of a year from the debut of Bento 2. Changes in Bento 3 include: iPhoto integration, allowing you to use your images directly from iPhoto without an export/import step Share Bento libraries over a local area network (however, you can't share over the Internet) Grid View, which allows you to see multiple images and forms all at once Simple List field Library folders New security options including database passwords and encrypted fields Group e-mailing The ability to print blank forms The ability to add an image box for static images There are also additional tweaks to existing features, and 10 additional templates available for use. Bento costs $49, but current users of Bento 1 and 2 qualify for a $20 rebate for a limited time. Customers who purchased Bento 2 between August 30 until October 14 can upgrade for free. A family pack of five licenses is $99. An upgrade to Bento for the iPhone and iPod touch [iTunes link] to resolve any compatibility issues with Bento 3 will be available soon. Bento 3 requires OS X 10.5.7 or above, and can be run on G4 (867 MHz or faster), G5 and Intel processors. 512 MB of RAM and 1GB of available hard drive space is recommended. A 30-day trial version of Bento 3 is available. FileMaker will host a Twebinar, described by the company as a combined Webinar and live Twitter session, at 11 a.m. PDT to discuss the new features in Bento 3.
Bug-bashing Bento 2.0v5 is now available for download
FileMaker issued an update to their Mac database application Bento this morning. Bento 2.0v5 is a bug-fix release, with no new features added to the application. According to the download notes, Bento 2.0v5: Resolves an issue related to duplication of Address Book and iCal information when synchronizing with Bento for iPhone and iPod touch. They've also posted details on removing duplicate entries. Resolves an issue related to library icons when importing library templates. This issue was originally reported as fixed, but Filemaker has updated the release notes and now indicates that it is NOT a fix in this build. Resolves an issue related to importing Bento databases to FileMaker Pro The download weighs in at 76.1 MB, while the expanded disk image is a full 127.9 MB in size and replaces the existing Bento installation. FileMaker also notes that this release includes the changes that were delivered in Bento 2.0v4, which added compatibility with Bento for iPhone and iPod touch as well as improved performance of the application.
Real World Bento: the formidable, personal database
It suddenly occurred to me that my needs for software have changed. It was while I was browsing for a native Mac application for monitoring weight loss that I realized that little out there would suffice if it couldn't sync with my iPhone. While there are several popular online sites for tracking diet and exercise, I wanted something that would sync with my Mac and that I could maintain from both my desktop and iPhone without having to go through a third-party website. I didn't find that hoped-for software, but I did discover Bento. I've had a love affair with bento lunches since I began Japanese studies in 2000. They're still my favorite lunches to pack, and the concept behind them is simple: A compact way, yet attractive for those who put the time into it, of carrying a lunch. Everything is tucked away in its own compartment and it's easy to access. FileMaker took this concept of bento lunches and used it to make Bento, a database application that works hand in hand with your Mac that we've covered quite a bit and also now has an iPhone version. It is supposed to be a database program for the rest of us -- you know, those of us who open up a spreadsheet in Excel or Numbers and suddenly go cross-eyed and immediately move onto something else ... or just never bothered using a database program in the first place. "After all," I thought once upon a disorganized time, "I will never use something like this on a day to day basis."
TUAW Review: Bento for iPhone
FileMaker, Inc. provided one of the surprise announcements of the last couple of weeks with the introduction of Bento for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed a both a standalone database management application and companion app to the Mac version, Bento for iPhone is an inexpensive, well-designed, and usable app for collecting, searching, and displaying information.TUAW has been able to put Bento for iPhone through its paces both as "just" an iPhone app, and as a synchronizable add-on to the desktop Bento. Check out my review of the app by clicking Read More.
First Look: Bento for iPhone and iPod touch
iPhone owners who are searching for an easy-to-use database management app for their iPhones can stop looking. Today, FileMaker Inc. announced the immediate availability of Bento for iPhone and iPod touch (click opens iTunes), a US$4.99 portable edition of Bento for Mac.The app comes with 25 built-in templates for business or personal use, plus a blank template that can be used to create your own customized templates. Some of the included business templates can be used for issue tracking, time billing, and expenses, while personal templates include a diet log, recipes, vehicle maintenance, and home inventory. Like the Mac app, Bento for iPhone and iPod touch is integrated with Contacts, Safari, Mail, and Google Maps. Additionally, Bento can be used to dial an iPhone. Databases can be synchronized wirelessly (via WiFi) with Bento 2.0v4 for Mac. This new version of Bento 2.0 for Mac is a free update that is available for download to all existing users today. The video below features Ryan Rosenberg, VP of Marketing and Services for FileMaker, describing and demonstrating many of the features of Bento for iPhone and iPod touch. TUAW will have a full review of Bento for iPhone and iPod touch in the near future.
Twitter and Skype and FileMaker, oh my! FMWebSchool integrates them
FileMaker Pro fans can now tweet and make Skype calls directly from databases, thanks to a pair of free files from FMWebSchool. There are a couple of movies that demonstrate how these files work, which you can view by clicking the links below. The FMSkype file allows you to import your Skype address book into a FileMaker Pro database (Windows only; Mac FileMaker users must manually import their Skype info), and then click to call a contact using their Skype name or phone number.FMTweet lets you send messages to Twitter from a FileMaker Pro database. This is not a plug-in; it's a database with associated scripting that can be customized by the user. FMTweet could be useful if you want a database to provide notification of a specific situation through Twitter -- for instance, send a tweet when someone enters information into a web-enabled Filemaker database.To get the two files and other FileMaker goodies that may come out in the future, you do need to subscribe to the free FMWebSchool newsletter.
FileMaker announces version 10 of flagship database app
FileMaker, Inc. has released FileMaker Pro 10, the latest in its long line of database applications for Mac OS X, featuring a new interface and design. FileMaker Pro 10 introduces the Status Toolbar, which it says is similar to most browser toolbars, that takes commonly used options out of the menus and presents them as tool buttons. This is the first major improvement to FileMaker's interface in years, and the company says it's aiming to make key features more 'discoverable' to novice Filemaker users. The UI requires a minimum resolution of 1024 x 768, however, which excludes older Macs and smaller netbooks. Also new in this version are Script Triggers, which are time-based or user-based rules that launch scripts automatically. Bento 2 integration, support for the Microsoft Excel XLSX file format, direct database creation from Excel files (you already could start a DB by dragging and dropping a spreadsheet onto the FileMaker icon, but now the feature is explicit) better ability to set tab order, and better file recovery are included, too. FileMaker Server 10 is also available, and includes a simplified tool for record import and export, and the ability to send mail directly from FileMaker without the need for an email client. Among other improvements, FileMaker Server 10 Advanced now allows up to 999 simultaneous connections. FileMaker Pro is available in a variety of flavors: FileMaker Pro 10: $299 ($179 upgrade) FileMaker Pro 10 Advanced: $499 ($299 upgrade) FileMaker Server 10: $999 ($599 upgrade) FileMaker Server 10 Advanced: $2,999 ($1,799 upgrade) All versions are available now. You can visit FileMaker this week at Macworld at the FileMaker Booth (#1225) and FileMaker Pavilion (#1125). We'll be diving into the new FileMaker features with a more detailed review soon, but this new version looks like it has plenty to please users both old and new.
Filemaker's Bento goes 2.0
When Filemaker introduced Bento, the 'relational database for the rest of us,' at Macworld Expo this year, the response from the marketplace was pretty solid; as of August, the $49 multipurpose data organizer had been downloaded over 400,000 times. Still, the product was a clear 1.0 with a lot of room for new features and improvements; that's what Filemaker is looking to deliver with Bento 2, announced today and on sale immediately.The big shift in B2 is the enhanced interaction with the data sources that contribute to your Bento collections. Need to include Mail.app messages in a layout along with contact info? Drag-and-drop them in, easy as can be. Want an RSS feed or your iCal data too? No problem. You can also sort and search your data in an iTunes-esque "Smart Collections" mode that should be familiar to novice users. One of the top requests from Bento 1 users was for better spreadsheet integration, and Filemaker has added copy/paste support and improved import/export for Excel and Numbers; spreadsheets can be sorted and tweaked with ease, especially in the new split table/layout view. Surprisingly (to me anyway), AppleWorks import capability was also near the top of the feature request list; it's been added as well.Bento's look has been revved up with 10 new themes; new in v2 is the ability to directly edit the layout of a database without switching into a layout-specific mode (just drag the field titles around). Address views now support AIM/iChat directly, and Google Maps integration is built-in. If you have rich media content that needs to travel with your database, you can embed it by option-dragging it onto the layout (a conventional drag creates a relative link to the media on your hard drive). Printing has been enhanced with new report modes, and the option to save a 'clone' template (no data records, just the schema and layouts) has been added.Filemaker's customer research has been demonstrating a wide and diverse audience for Bento, from pilots and fashion boutiques to eBay mavens and goat herders. It's a pretty good bet that if your needs include a light, single-user and simple database app, Bento will be a match for you.Bento 2 is $49 for one license and $99 for a family pack; through 10/27, it's available exclusively at the Apple Store or via store.filemaker.com. Bento 2 is a Universal Binary and requires Mac OS X 10.5.4 or higher.
Functions and Operators Card for FileMaker Pro
Remember those days in high school when you'd frantically write all of the facts and figures you were supposed to memorize onto your arm with a Bic pen? If you've grown up and are now a FileMaker Pro developer, Steve Wilmes Consulting has just the thing to help you remember all of the functions and operators for FileMaker Pro versions 7 - 9. The Functions and Operators Card for FileMaker Pro can be very useful if you slept through your FileMaker Pro training.This card is double-sided, 8.5" x 11" in size, UV coated, and absolutely jam-packed with information you'll need to figure out what you're doing in FileMaker Pro. The screenshot to the right shows you just how detailed this info is. The card is spill-proof, so dumping that grande Macchiato on it isn't going to harm anything. The Functions and Operators Card for FileMaker Pro sells for $8.95 plus shipping. The website notes that a "Scripts and More Card" will soon be available as well. [via prMac]
Filemaker releases Bento 1.0v2
Bento is the end user database software from Filemaker that was released as a beta a couple of months ago. We took a look at Bento in November. If you're coming from Filemaker Pro development, you'll find Bento a bit limiting, but the number of users who could potentially find it useful, like teachers, coaches and busy families, is large.Filemaker recently made version 1.0v2 available. Changes include Support for 5 additional languages Stability fixes Bento requires Mac OS X v10.5. A single license can be purchased for $49US (this update is free for those who own Bento 1.0).
FileMaker Bento is shipping
Having run through a couple of beta releases, it's now prime time for FileMaker's consumer-level organizer DB: Bento is shipping today in advance of Macworld Expo. The "database for soccer moms" product is $49 for a single user license, $99 for a family pack. We've got screen shots from Bento in our gallery for your perusal.Note that Bento requires Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, so if you were planning to deploy it to your uncle's aging eMac, you might want to reconsider.
Filemaker releases Bento preview update
Filemaker have released a new beta version of Bento, their easy to use database application (we took an early look at Bento last month). I've been playing with it for a while, and I'm enjoying it. I use Filemaker Pro at work, so I miss some things like defining my own relationships, scripting, etc., but Bento is quite useful for the project that doesn't need all the power of Filemaker Pro. You truly can get a database up in minutes for your soccer team, organization, or inventory.This current beta will expire on February 14, 2007 (It's always a shame to break up on Valentine's Day). Filemaker notes that you should not manually delete any of your current Bento files before applying this update; The new version will update everything automatically.
TUAW first look: FileMaker announces Bento organizer app
When you've been creating and selling the same application for 20 years -- the most successful database on the Mac platform, and a contender on Windows -- and you're a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple, Inc. with plenty of customers in business, education and SOHO markets... well, what do you do for an encore? FileMaker Inc. has a pretty good market with the namesake app, but as the Mac universe grows to include more families, independent professionals and first-time switchers, the full power and cost of a relational database may be more than these new Mac users need (and might actually be more scary than appealing, despite FM's legendary ease of use). Time for a light, personal-organizer version of that FileMaker power -- an iData, if you will. It's coming in January, for Leopard users only, and it's called Bento. (That's Backup.app on the left and Butler on the right. Hi, I'm Mike, and I'm a Cover Flowaholic.) Bento will cost $49 for a single-user license, with a $99 family 5-pack option.The idea of the bento box -- one-stop lunching, with compartments for the individual bits of yummy -- gives you a basic sense of the product. With contact, calendar, tabular/relational data and media file embedding, Bento can serve as a basic organizer or a reasonably savvy database, with a lot of room in the middle. For those with long memories who are saying "Hey, wasn't there already some Mac databasey-thing called Bento?" -- yep, that was the name of OpenDoc's native file format (thanks Christina for the tip).%Gallery-10201%Bento's time-limited preview version is available now for download; it expires in February after the on-sale date. We got a brief advance look (more details below) and there's a screenshot gallery for you to enjoy, but you'll best grok Bento by getting a copy and playing with it.
FileMaker 9.0v2 updated for Leopard, instant web publishing still busted
Funny, isn't it, how the in-house projects are the last to get fixed for the new OS? Apple subsidiary FileMaker announced version 9.0v2 today, which provides Leopard compatibility on most features. The IWP web sharing feature, however, remains incompatible with Safari 3 (and Safari 3 beta on Tiger), so you'll have to wait a bit longer -- December, they say -- for that. Also, the Server versions of FM are not yet Leopard-ready. Cue "Jeopardy" theme song.The download is 348 MB (!) and can be had from FileMaker's site. Complete change notes in the bottom half of this post, or see the PDF from FileMaker.Thanks to everyone who sent this in
FileMaker 9 released
You'd be forgiven for thinking, especially reading our coverage and stories elsewhere, that the only new product to come out of Apple, Inc. in the past two weeks was some sort of bizarre chimera mutant love child of an iPod and a cellphone. Not true! Hardworking and underappreciated subsidiary FileMaker has lovingly crafted version 9 of its namesake desktop database, to the joy and glee of DB geeks near and far.Version 9 continues the trend of power-user upgrades for FileMaker, adding dramatically improved SQL integration with MSSQL, MySQL and, Oracle back ends; there's also a code-free PHP setup tool in FileMaker Server for database-powered web pages at an instant. More than 30 new features in total are gracing the FM website, so by all means check it out. Upgrades start at $179 for FileMaker Pro.
Filemaker Campus Productivity Kit
FileMaker has just made available, for free, a set of 5 pre-made modules for the college student. The 'College Productivity Kit' consists of modules that allow you to: Manage your contacts Organize your notes Track group work Coordinate events Prioritize To-Do's Each is a special FileMaker database that is customizable, but only if you purchase a full license of FileMaker (ah, clever marketers they are).It looks pretty slick, but you need to give FileMaker all sorts of data about yourself before you can download it. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
FileMaker ships Universal binaries
Filemaker, today, released FileMaker Pro 8.5, FileMaker Pro 8.5 Advanced, FileMaker Server 8.0v4 and FileMaker Server 8.0v4 Advanced as Universal Binaries. Now, I know most people don't get too excited about database software, however, Filemaker claims that FileMaker Server is 116% faster on Intel Macs as compared to PowerPC Macs while the desktop client is a mere 91% faster.Besides those incredible speed increases Filemaker added a few new features, chiefly among them something called 'Live Web Data on Demand.' This allows you to save live webpages to your database, and I think that's pretty cool.
Automator Action Packs galore
In my newsreader today I saw an 'iPhoto Action Pack' from Automator World that adds a handy action for workflows involving iPhoto: "Find iPhoto Item Path". While debating whether that was TUAW-worthy, my newsreader became bombarded with more headlines like System Action Pack, TextEdit Action Pack, Preview Action Pack... until I finally decided to post a roundup to cover them all in one fell swoop. So here you go kids, a whole batch of Automator Actions that add some missing abilities to everyone's favorite (or the only?) OS automation utiliity: System Action Pack iPhoto Action Pack Filemaker Pro Action Pack TextEdit Action Pack QuarkXPress Action Pack Preview Action Pack Photoshop Action Pack InDesign Action Pack These actions, to my knowledge, are provided free from Automated Workflows, LLC.[UPDATE: Automator World's admin stopped by to let us know that some of these action packs are actually demos of retail versions of these products offered by Automated Workflows, LLC.]
