Help

Using FileMaker Pro Advanced tools
F
ILEMAKER PRO HELP 602
FileMaker Pro Advanced features are stripped from runtime applications. None of the commands on
the File menu
> Manage submenu are available in the runtime application. Runtime applications
cannot be shared over a network and do not include the ability to Save/Send Records as Adobe
PDF files. ODBC import, the Execute SQL script step, and using ODBC data sources in the
relationships graph are not supported in runtime application. For a feature comparison of the
runtime application with FileMaker
Pro, see the FILEMAKER PRO ADVANCED FEATURES GUIDE at http:/
/www.filemaker.com/documentation.
A runtime database can, however, be opened in either FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Pro Advanced.
The full functionality of these applications will be enabled, except if full access privileges have been
removed. See
Removing Admin access to databases (FileMaker Pro Advanced).
You may need to bind your database files several times before you prepare them for delivery to your
users. When you have completed development and the final version is bound and ready to
distribute, you should thoroughly test your runtime solution to ensure that it behaves as expected.
See
Preparing files for a runtime solution (FileMaker Pro Advanced).
Notes
• If you’re creating a solution that will have versions for Windows and OS X, test the different
versions of the solution on their respective platforms. For more information, see
Troubleshooting layouts designed for both Windows and OS X.
• If you have used multiple files instead of multiple tables in a single file, all files for your
solution should be in the same folder before being bound into a runtime solution. If it is not
practical to keep all files in one folder, be sure to include a data source reference to each file
that is just the filename.
• Make sure to specify every file that’s related to the database solution, so that if you modify
filenames all data sources will be updated.
• If you have used multiple database files, decide which file will be the primary file that users
open first. The primary file stores the custom settings. Use this file for navigation buttons or
scripts to other auxiliary files, an About layout, a custom Help layout or file, and to quit the
application. See
Starting runtime solutions (FileMaker Pro Advanced).
• Create scripts and buttons for users to navigate from the primary file to auxiliary files and
layouts in the solution. See
Using scripts and buttons to control Kiosk solutions (FileMaker
Pro Advanced).
• If you distribute databases as runtime solutions that require specific plug-in versions, place
plug-ins in the runtime folder created when you bind the solutions.
• Charts are not supported in runtime solutions.
• Create documentation about your database solution. See Documenting developer solutions
(FileMaker Pro Advanced).
• Although the Developer Utilities use a copy of a file instead of the original, it’s always a good
idea to make a backup copy of your original files before beginning.
Related topics
Displaying databases in Kiosk mode (FileMaker Pro Advanced)
Preparing files for a runtime solution (FileMaker Pro Advanced)
Before you bind files into a runtime application, decide if you want to:
• Let users open auxiliary files: In the runtime application, there are no menu options to open
files. If you want users to open auxiliary files, you must provide a
button or script in your