Developer’s Guide

Creating a database solution 2-17
Important You should keep an unbound version of any runtime
database solution files, especially if you’ve permanently removed
design access. (See “Removing design access to your databases” on
page 4-10.)
Converting and upgrading solution files
If you have developed a FileMaker Pro runtime database solution
using the Solutions Development Kit (SDK) for FileMaker Pro 3.0
or earlier or the Binder utility in the FileMaker Pro 4.0 Developer
Edition, you may wish to upgrade your solution and provide your
users with the converted files.
In general, to upgrade your solution, you need to do the following:
1. Convert the original database files in your solution by opening
each one in FileMaker Pro 5.5.
The original files will be renamed “<Filename> Old” and the
converted files will keep the original name. If the solution files use
relationships or external scripts, the converted files will continue to
work together.
2. If you want, update your databases to take advantage of new
FileMaker Pro features, such as the enhanced value lists.
3. If necessary, create scripts to import users’ existing data from the
old runtime database solution into the new, upgraded solution.
See “Importing data into an upgraded runtime database solution”
next.
4. Use the Developer Tool to bind the solution files into a new,
upgraded runtime database solution.
See “Binding your databases into a runtime database solution” on
page 4-6.
Note There may be a conflict with the icons for the runtime
application and database files if your users have an earlier version of
your runtime solution on their machines. (Your users will see the old
FileMaker 4.0 Developer Edition icons.) To avoid this, use a
different filename extension.
5. Distribute the new upgraded runtime database solution and provide
instructions for how users can upgrade their files by opening the old
files in the new runtime application and importing their data.
Importing data into an upgraded runtime
database solution
You can include scripts in the new runtime database solution files
that allow users to import records from the old runtime files.
To prepare your upgraded solution for importing data:
1. Convert the database files in your solution to FileMaker Pro 5.5.
The converted filenames should be the same as the original filenames.
2. Add new features as desired to the converted solution files.
3. Place the original files in a folder named “Old Solution Files.”
4. In each of the new converted files, create an Import script that
imports all of the records from the old corresponding solution file.
5. Also, in each of the converted files, create an Open File script that
lets users open the old solution file from the new runtime application.
Users can start the new runtime application, open an old solution file,
and perform find requests to locate a subset of the records. Then they
can execute the Import script to import only those records.
Tip If you have scripts in the original solution files that help your
users reduce the found set (for example, a script that enters Find
mode and pauses), you can call that script before the Import script
step.
6. Use the Developer Tool to bind your converted files into the new
runtime database solution.
7. Test your scripts carefully.