FileMaker 13 New & Updated Features
FileMaker Pro/Advanced 13 New Features Walkthrough
Welcome to a visual walkthrough of the new features added to FileMaker 13 released on December 3rd 2013. Within this document you'll find a number of screenshots with associated text and various callouts. Feel free to pass this document along to any interested party.
Enjoy the journey!
Provided and prepared by Matt Petrowsky of ISO FileMaker Magazine
http://www.filemakermagazine.com
Where the professionals learn more about FileMaker. Released 2013-12-06
Rev. 2013-12-07
New: FileMaker WebDirect
One of the biggest features, by far, is the total overhaul of FileMaker's ability to provide web based access to content stored within FileMaker.
By heading to File > Sharing... > Configure for FileMaker WebDirect... you'll access this dialog box which allows a file, once uploaded to FileMaker Server, to be shared to your everyday web browser. The number of connections allowed are controlled via FileMaker Server by installing connection packs at $25 per 5 concurrent connections. Only FileMaker Server can provide the new WebDirect functionality.
New: Layout elements
Two new major layout elements were added. These are Button Popovers and Tab-like Slider controls. Both of the respective objects are accessed via their common root object. The button element on the toolbar provides Popovers and the tab controls provide Sliders. The elements provide most all of the expected attributes according to what the Inspector palette reveals.
New: Popover layout object
The new Popover object will be IMMENSELY useful in mobile designs. It uses a button object (1) which, when clicked, will reveal the popover. The initial orientation (2) can be specified, but will adjust according to the object's location relative to the screen dimensions and boundaries. Like the button object, the Popover itself can be resized (3) and styled. As with many areas within FileMaker, clicking the Specify (4) allows you to use the calculation dialog boxes to title the popover. Any other FileMaker objects can be contained within the popover. This includes portals, web viewers and all the other standard objects. Conditional formatting cannot be applied to the popover object, but can be applied to the button object. The popover is accessible via scripting and using named objects. There is also a Close Popover script step.
New: Slide controls layout object
The new Slide control (1) is pretty much a tabless tab panel which supports swiping on mobile devices. You can specify how many panes are desired (2) and turn on/off the swipe support and navigation dots (3) at bottom. Conditional formatting can be applied on a panel by panel basis. By disabling all possible navigation, you can use the Slide control as an area for hidden information. Targeting any given pane is the same as it is with tabs via a named object.
New: Change Theme options
A new set of themes under the name of "Aspire" (1) has been added. Also, because of the changes in theme overrides, you can now Import Themes (2) from other FileMaker files. Remember, the theme a file uses is embedded on a Layout by Layout basis within the file itself. It does not reside outside of the file. The ability to tweak and save any changes on the layout by layout basis is controlled within the Inspector.
New: Encryption At Rest
A file can now be passed through the Developer Utilities of FileMaker Pro Advanced and (1)
encryption can be applied to the file. This means files which are located local to a tablet or desktop device will be encrypted on that device. Of course a shared file which is hosted can still be
accessed through secure networking using SSL. Make special note that using both the Remove admin access option and encryption will prevent the file from being able to use the Remove Database Encryption option. The password (2) used for encryption will need to be used when the file is opened.
New: Field Picker Palette
A new floating palette allows you to pick, AND FILTER (1), fields for adding to a layout. Multiple fields can be added at one time via either non or contiguous selections. New fields (2) can be
created from within the palette and field types can be changed (3). Defaults for labels can be set (4) as well as their relative location. Clicking the Database icon in the upper right (5) will open the familiar Define Database dialog. The Field Picker can be toggled (6) from the button within the subheader while in Layout mode or via menu options (Command/Control-K). Making a new field and choosing the calculation type will automatically invoke the Calculation editor for setting specific field options. Accessing Field Options (7) and deleting fields can be accomplished via a right-click on the field name.
New: FileMaker Go - Insert from Device
A new script step was added for FileMaker Go. Insert from Device. This script step now provides more specific control as well as various additional options. One of the main new features is (1) barcode support. You'll also find the ability to target front versus rear camera and specific default inbound resolutions of images.
New: Native barcode support
On FileMaker Go the new Insert from Device script step allows for native barcode input. Barcodes can be stored as images plus text within container fields or as text only within text fields.
New: Layout Script Trigger - OnLayoutSizeChange
The OnLayoutSizeChange is triggered whenever a window is modified. It doesn't apply just to the actual size or orientation of the window but when certain tools bars are hidden or shown. It's also triggered a part of opening of a new window. The script runs post the actual sizing event. The event does not fire as a window is being resized using a computer mouse. Only after the resize is
completed. The companion functions used with this event is the new Get ( WindowOrientation ) or the older window related functions.
New: Layout Script Trigger - OnGestureTap
Within Browse and Find mode, the act of a tap gesture (single-tap with 1, 2 or 3 fingers or a one finger double-tap) on a mobile device will trigger this particular script trigger. The companion
function of Get ( TriggerGestureInfo ) can be used to determine the outcome of the script associated to this event.
Change: OnPanelSwitch Script Trigger
With the introduction of Slide Controls, The OnTabSwitch trigger was renamed to OnPanelSwitch
Change: Appearance styles
One of the biggest issues with FileMaker 12 was not being able to apply a style from one state to another (e.g. a gradient from the Normal state to the Pressed state). This is now solved with the new access to state styling. You can now copy and paste (1) the styles on an object basis, which we had before, and on an object state basis. The red versus black arrows indicate the state of the style being used. Red means the default styling has been overridden and you now have the option to save this state as part of a new style or part of a modified theme.
New: Inspector Styles Panel
The Inspector palette received a new panel named Styles. All objects and layout parts can be seen by selecting the Show all (1) check box. Otherwise, the pane will show only the applicable styles of the currently selected object (2). When the small triangle within the popup menu shows red (3), it means FileMaker has detected an override to the default styling. Any overrides which are
intentional, can be saved to the file as an additional style or to the default style.
Fixed: Shift key constraints
Holding down the Shift key will now constrain the selected object being dragged. It actually wasn't broken in 12, you just had to hold the Shift key BEFORE you selected the object.
New: Layout/Report dialog
Adding a new layout is now more visually interactive. The layout is automatically sized if a device specific resolution applies. One of the BIGGEST features for advanced developers is the fact that choosing a Layout type of Form, List, Table or Report will result in a new layout set to ONLY allow it's respective view mode. A new layout will no longer have all three options of Form, List and Table checked by default.
New: List view indicators optional
A very nice feature for list views is the now optional historical list view indicator which takes up 3 pixels. This is actually defaulted to off and must be explicitly turned on in order to have the older classic behavior.
Change: Alternate body part rows
The ability to alternate the color of rows within list view existed in FileMaker 12. However, the change has moved the styling into the Inspector palette where it belongs. FileMaker has also provided a native feature for indicating the active row. Thiscomplementsthe new Layout option of being able to turn off the legacy record indicator which consumes 3 pixels on the left hand side of the layout.
New: Layout row states
The former option to Alternate background fill every other row within the Part Definition dialog has been changed to provide two new features (1) of Use alternate row state and Use active row
state. Both of these can be styled (2) within the Appearance pane of the Inspector palette and apply
to List views.
New: Hide page breaks
FileMaker 13 adds the ability to turn off the the page breaks indicator when in Layout mode.
New: Tab Names via Calculation
Tab titles can now be specified with the standard FileMaker calculation dialog box. This means dynamic tab names are now possible! A big plus for solutions which must be localized.
New: Dialog buttons via Calculation
Like the names of tabs, we now have the ability to (1) specify the names of dialog buttons via the calculation dialog box. Hooray!!!!
New: Inspector "Hide object when"
Using the pervasive calculation engine, you can now hide objects on the layout. This is only a visual modification. The data within a field is still accessible and accessible within all calculations. This is not, and should not, be used as a security measure. It is a UI/UX feature and does not prevent access to the within the hidden object(s). The "eye icon" will indicate if a given object has visibility calculations applied.
New: Support for http/https POST
FileMaker 13 adds new url schemes to the Insert from URL script step. You can now use ftps, httppost or httpspost as the url scheme. For example
httpspost://mycustompage.php?value1=Hello&value2=World. These are added to http, https, ftp and file schemes. Note, FileMaker does not perform SSL certificate verification.
Updated: SQL Range support
Using the ExecuteSQL() or other SQL related features now allow for range based support of results. SELECT ...
FROM ... [ WHERE ... ] [ ORDER BY ... ]
[ OFFSET n { ROWS | ROW } ]
[ FETCH FIRST [ n [ PERCENT ] ] { ROWS | ROW } { ONLY | WITH TIES } ]
OFFSET AND FETCH FIRST can now be used. See SQL standard 2011(ISO/IEC 9075-2:2011(E)) for more information.
New: Script Step - Perform Script on Server
The ability to tell the FileMaker Server to execute a particular script is a powerful new feature. It provides the option of waiting for the completion of the server side script before continuing with the current script.
New: Script Step - Refresh Object
Because of costly redraw issues when using the Refresh Window script step, the Refresh Object step was added. This step now allows you to refresh only those parts of the layout which may be affected by the operations of a given script. This will provide a much desired boost in perceptual performance if used properly.
New: Script Step - Insert From Device
Specific to just FileMaker Go, selecting within a container field, by default, will allow the insertion of a variety of the possible media elements. The Insert From Device step now provides the option to limit the input to one specific type of input. This provides a much greater degree of control over the inbound media. One important addition to the input types is the support for Barcodes. This feature can obviously be used within a script associated to a button. Just don't forget that you can also assign the script to the OnObjectEnter trigger for any given container field.
New: Script Step - Set Script Animation
The ability to disable or more importantly enable costly animations while a script is running. By default, a script will not show animations which would normally show within the user interface. This feature doesn't apply to Windows but does for Mac and iOS.
New: Script Step - Close Popover
A simple step which will close an opened Popover object if it had been targeted with a Go To Object step.
New: Script Step - Upload To FileMaker Server
A FileMaker Pro only script step which opens a dialog in order to upload a FileMaker database to FileMaker server.
New: Script Step - Open Manage Themes
A FileMaker Pro/Advanced step which will open the manage themes dialog.
New: Script Step - Show/Hide Menubar
A FileMaker WebDirect specific step which tells the web browser to show or hide the menu bar.
New: Summary Field “List Summary”
A new Summary field type of "List of" has been added to the summary field options.
New: Easier file uploading
For those developers who develop the bulk of their solution local to their machine, it's now much easier to upload a database file to a FileMaker Server. One side effect of this new feature is the fact that switching the FileMaker Server admin console from Java based to HTML5 based means this is the only way to upload a file to FileMaker Server. The Admin console no longer provides this
feature.
New: Easier file uploading 2
The File > Sharing menu got the new option of Uploading to FileMaker Server.
New: Reset File Unique ID
Because of the security added for only allowing certain files to connect to other files, a new Reset All (1) option was added to the File Access pane of the Manage Security dialog.
New: Inspector Advanced Graphic section
The Inspector now has support for controlling more of the underlying attributes. Outer and Inner shadows can be set along with the Padding. Due to redraw issues on mobile devices, both Inner and Outer shadows are not rendered on FileMaker Go.
New: Inspector Touch keyboard type
Due to the obvious increase in mobile adoption, it makes sense that FileMaker is adding more and more features specific to its mobile support You now have access to the variety of input keyboards for FileMaker Go based solutions. These include ASCII, URL, Email, three styles of Numeric and Phone number input.
New: Additional formatting options for date, time & timestamp fields
Date, time and timestamp fields can now optionally use the (1) OS specific setting for display formatting.
New: Additional formatting options for numeric fields
For the Decimal, Currency and Percent formatting options FileMaker 13 now offers the (1) System Settings as an option.
New: Minimum version
A feature which was formerly within FileMaker 11 within the Security area has been added back within the File Options dialog for any given file. You can now specify a minimum required version for opening a FileMaker file. This was alternatively (and can still be) controlled via the
OnFirstWindowOpen trigger for the file.
New: Function - Base64Encode
New: Function - Base64Decode
New: Function - Get( ConnectionAttributes )
New: Function - Get( Device )
New: Function - Get( ModifiedFields )
New: Function - Get( NetworkType ) GO ONLY
New: Function - Get( ScriptAnimationState )
New: Function - Get( TriggerGestureInfo )
New: Function - Get( WindowOrientation )
New: Function - Get( EncryptionState )
New: Function - Get( CurrentTimeUTCMilliseconds )
New: Function - GetContainerAttribute
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