FileMaker History

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• January 2009
FileMaker Pro 10, Pro 10 Advanced, Server 10 and Server 10 Advanced released, with the .fp7 file format being retained. Pro and Pro Advanced receive a new user interface, this being the first version of FileMaker to be released without the status area down the left hand side, being replaced with a new status toolbar at the top. Key features include: script triggers are introduced (at last!); saved finds; dynamic reports that can display grouped data without having to use preview, enabling data editing; send data and reports using an SMTP server amongst other enhancements. Server and Server Advanced also get the SMTP capabilities; scheduled data import/export and supports up to 999 concurrent connections.

• July 2007
FileMaker Pro 9, Pro 9 Advanced, Server 9 and Server 9 Advanced all released on the same day. Significantly Pro 9 and Pro 9 Advanced are Vista compatible, with conditional formatting, Microsoft SQL, Oracle and MySQL connectivity, script grouping plus other useful enhancements. Server 9 and Server Advanced 9 get a more radical shake up with a new admin console, secure connections to external SQL data sources, PHP site assistant and server sided scripting amongst other enhancements.

• July 2006
FileMaker Pro v8.5, retaining the same data structure but has universal application support to run natively on Intel based Macs, with subsequent speed increases. A new web viewer can allow web pages to be viewed directly within database records, based on data held within a record (such as a map based upon an address). Databases can also be integrated with web enabled applications. New object functions and scripts and the introduction of the FileMaker Learning Centre round off the major changes.

• September 2005
FileMaker Server 8 and FileMaker Server 8 Advanced released. Supporting all the new features of FileMaker Pro 8 and supports a mix of FileMaker Pro 7 and FileMaker Pro 8 clients. The database engine has been improved providing significant speed increases over FileMaker Server 7. FileMaker Mobile 8 announced to be available soon.

• August 2005
FileMaker Pro 8 unexpectedly released ahead of schedule and FileMaker Developer is renamed FileMaker Advanced 8. The relational structure from version 7 is retained and many new features for users and developers have been added including: PDF Maker, Excel Maker, tab control, script variables, auto-completion for data entry, calendar drop-downs, enhanced finds, email merge, plus many more. FileMaker Pro 8 Advanced allows developers complete control over the menus available from within their solutions and allows scripts, relationships and fields to be copy and pasted. For more information visit the FileMaker web site.

• 2004
FileMaker Pro 7, now acknowledged as the most significant upgrade in FileMaker's history. It introduces a new relational structure allowing multiple tables (up to a million) in a single file. FileMaker Unlimited disappears and is replaced by FileMaker 7 Server Advanced. Mac OS X and Windows compatibility continues, but the software will no longer run under Mac OS 9. Enhanced security, data verification and LDAP support are added, plus some exciting new facilities such as the ability to import or link to many file types, use of multiple windows, control type styles dependent on calculations and improved web publishing.

• 2002
Version 6.0 - XML import and export, multimedia and digital image import, Windows XP logo certified, interface enhancements, customised dialogue boxes, enhanced sorting, find and replace, plus additional enhancements.

• 2001
Version 5.5 - The first Mac OS X native version and Windows 2000 logo certified. Improved ODBC, Excel support, QuickTime Graphics import engine, enhanced CSS support for rendering, plus general improvements to existing tools and the addition of a few new ones.

• 1999
Version 5.0 - A major upgrade with old database files having to be converted to a new format. Interface revision, ODBC driver, table view, conditional value lists, layout/report assistant, script import (hooray!), data merge on import and QuickTime VR support. Importantly, the Unlimited version appeared for the first time, with the standard version limited to 12 TCP/IP network connections within a rolling 12 hour period. FileMaker Pro Server released.