New FileMaker 9 Product Line Delivers 30 Ease-of-Use Breakthroughs
including Live Connections to SQL Data
Innovative new FileMaker 9 PHP Site Assistant enables non-programmers to
create PHP-driven websites
SANTA CLARA, CA — July 10, 2007 — FileMaker today announced the immediate
availability of FileMaker Pro 9, a major new version of the most
award-winning desktop database for Windows and Mac OS.
The new FileMaker 9 product line, which the company called its most
dramatic new offering in years with over 30 ease-of-use breakthroughs, is
available today, and includes FileMaker Pro 9, FileMaker Pro 9 Advanced,
FileMaker Server 9 and FileMaker Server 9 Advanced.
FileMaker Pro 9 includes many new features, for end users and developers,
to simplify creating, automating, sharing and reporting from databases,
including a new Quick Start screen for new users to be quickly productive;
Conditional Formatting, which highlights data based on parameters the user
sets; and the ability to email a link to other FileMaker users, which they
can click to instantly access your database.
The new version also offers breakthrough easy-to-use tools so FileMaker
users and workgroups easily can connect to the world of company and Web
data residing in external SQL data sources: MySQL, Oracle SQL and Microsoft
SQL Server.
The new Server 9 products, which enable workgroups to share databases over
the network and the Web, come with a completely modernized and streamlined
Admin Console, so FileMaker Pro users can easily set up and administer
Server software.
“FileMaker is the acknowledged leader in easy-to-use database software
which empowers workgroups,” said Dominique Goupil, president of FileMaker.
“With FileMaker 9 we go further. We make it easier than ever for developers
and users to manage information in amazingly productive and creative ways.
For example, our goal is to make FileMaker Server 9 so easy that FileMaker
Pro customers can install it in 20 minutes or less, and quickly share
database solutions.
“FileMaker 9 is perfect for innovative organizations who realize the
benefits of empowered self-service workgroups,” Goupil said.
Early Evaluator Customers and Developers Laud New FileMaker Pro 9 “The best
part about FileMaker Pro 9 is that we can now develop new layouts and
interfaces in the fast, easy-to-use FileMaker environment that we are
completely comfortable with, without knowing a lick of SQL, and we will be
able to integrate our data with other Oracle based products,” said Lee
Snover, president, Technologies Plus, Inc (www.tplus.com), a FileMaker
developer based in Bath, Pennsylvania.
Paul de Halle, development director at Linear Blue, (www.linearblue.com) a
FileMaker developer in London, U.K., comments: “The new functionalities in
FileMaker 9 will allow us to integrate the database software with live data
from other technology such as MySQL, Oracle and SQL Server, which will
prove to be a huge benefit to the businesses we work with. Features such as
the new Quick Start Screen will enable us to improve the user experience
making favorite databases easier and quicker to access. In addition to all
this, the back-end technology has been simplified and will ultimately
enable us to build and customize solutions even quicker for customers.”
“FileMaker 9 will make both our client’s data environment more satisfying
for them to use and our development timeframes shorter,” predicted Frank
Heinrichs President/Owner/Chief Technical Officer of Sound Advice
(http://www.soundadvice.net/), an Apple Value Added Retailer and Small
Office/Home Office automation specialist in Costa Mesa, CA. “The ease of
accessing data from the Internet and being able to incorporate that
information inside the database are phenomenal. We have a client who will
require the new Conditional Formatting feature for tracking job status with
his shop, which will allow us to meet his requirements without any
workarounds.”
“FileMaker Pro 9 is another successful revision of a great product,” said
Todd Marchal, Applications Developer, Plastic Technologies, Inc.
(http://www.plastictechnologies.com), Holland, Ohio. “The new features
build upon a solid foundation of performance and ease of use. FileMaker Pro
9’s External SQL data connectivity will enable greater interoperability
with other software solutions. It is remarkably easy to use and provides a
means for utilizing the strengths of FileMaker with the strengths of other
data sources.”
Connect to the world of data in External SQL Data Sources Using the new
one-way or two-way live connectivity to popular SQL sources, FileMaker Pro
9 users within any business or organization can safely and securely create
custom reports, add calculations and other fields, and even build
relationships with existing FileMaker data — just using the easy-to-use
tools of FileMaker Pro.
“Linking FileMaker Pro 9 solutions to the open source strengths of MySQL
will greatly empower the developer and user communities of both product
lines,” said Zack Urlocker, MySQL AB’s executive vice president of products.
With the new PHP features of FileMaker Server and FileMaker Pro 9 Advanced
both users and Web developers can publish information to external websites,
gather information from Web visitors, and create new solutions combining a
Web-based front-end with a rich, FileMaker Pro back-end.
Mac users of the new FileMaker products can connect to SQL sources with the
Actual ODBC Pack version 2.7, now available from Actual Technologies LLC
(http://www.actualtechnologies.com).
New Data Integration and Easier Database Design Features in FileMaker Pro 9
FileMaker Pro 9 features many new capabilities to make databases more
“connected” for users, as well as a suite of advanced but easy-to-use
development and customization tools for developers. New features include:
* Connecting to a world of data, by easily creating links and
integrating live MS SQL server, Oracle and MySQL data as if it were
FileMaker-based data.
* Ease of use breakthroughs, including the FileMaker Quick Start Screen,
which remembers your favorites and gives you access to the new videos in
the FileMaker Learning Center, Send Link Database Sharing, a one-click
feature that sends an email with a hyperlink so you share a database with
other FileMaker Pro users, and Append to PDF, which allows users to
consolidate multiple data reports into a single PDF file.
* More productive database design, including script grouping and editing
tools, conditional formatting, auto-resize, enhanced layout objects,
enhanced tab control and an improved Web Viewer.
Advanced Database Design Even Easier with FileMaker Pro 9 Advanced New
features in FileMaker Pro 9 Advanced that are focused on giving users
faster and easier ways to create advanced and customized database solutions
include:
* Enhanced Database Design Report and File Maintenance tools, making it
even easier to modify and maintain databases.
* Improved Script Debugger and Data Viewer, for identifying and
correcting script errors earlier in the design process.
* PHP Site Assistant Link, providing a one-click launch of the PHP Site
Assistant included in FileMaker Server 9.
FileMaker Server 9 Products Feature Most Significant Upgrade in its History
FileMaker Server 9 and FileMaker Server 9 Advanced feature one-click
integration with the Web using PHP, a simple 20-minute or less install time
for basic installations, plus the most significant redesign of the server
interface ever. With FileMaker Server 9, users can generate a fully working
PHP website using FileMaker data without writing code in just minutes.
Other major new features include PHP Custom Web Publishing for creating
dynamic data-driven websites, shared access to live data from external SQL
sources, and a web-delivered server console.
Pricing and Availability
All FileMaker 9 products are immediately available. New users may purchase
FileMaker Pro 9 for $299 (U.S. suggested list price) and FileMaker Pro 9
Advanced for $499 (U.S. suggested list price). Existing users of FileMaker
Pro 7, 8 and 8.5 may upgrade to FileMaker Pro 9 for $179 (U.S. suggested
list price). Existing users of FileMaker Developer 7, FileMaker Pro 8
Advanced and 8.5 Advanced, and FileMaker Pro 7, 8, 8.5 and 9 may upgrade to
FileMaker Pro 9 Advanced for $299 (U.S. suggested list price).
FileMaker Server 9 is $999 (U.S. suggested list price) and FileMaker Server
9 Advanced is $2,499 (U.S. suggested list price). Existing users of
FileMaker Server 7 and 8 may upgrade to FileMaker Server 9 for $599 (U.S.
suggested list price). Existing users of FileMaker Server 7 Advanced and 8
Advanced may upgrade to FileMaker Server 9 Advanced for $1,499 (U.S.
suggested list price). FileMaker offers license discounts for volume
purchasers as well as for education and non-profit organizations.
Special FileMaker Pro 9 Limited Time Offers
Two limited-time offers mark the launch of the new products:
Buy FileMaker Pro 9 Advanced and get a free 1-year FileMaker Technical
Network membership, valued at $99. Available through Sept. 21, 2007 (more
details at www.filemaker.com/technet_pr) .
The FileMaker 9 VLA Workgroup Bundle (10 FileMaker Pro 9 licenses, one
FileMaker Server 9 license and one FileMaker Pro 9 Advanced license) lets
corporate, education and government customers save more than $750 off
regular prices, and is available through Sept. 28, 2007 (more details at
www.filemaker.com/bundle_pr ).
About FileMaker, Inc.
FileMaker develops award winning database software for Windows, Mac, and
the Web. FileMaker products combine legendary ease of use with the power
to grow from individuals to large workgroups. Millions of people in
business, education, non-profit, and government organizations around the
world, rely on FileMaker software to manage, analyze, and share
information. FileMaker, Inc. is a subsidiary of Apple Inc.
