Developer’s Guide

3-16 FileMaker Pro Developer’s Guide
Converting and upgrading solution files
This section assumes you have developed a solution in the FileMaker Pro
3.0 or earlier Solutions Development Kit (SDK) and want to update your
end users to FileMaker Pro 4.0 Developer Edition.
Here is an overview to updating your solution files:
1. Convert each solution file to FileMaker Pro 4.0.
2. If you want, update your solution files to take advantage of
FileMaker Pro 4.0 features, such as the External Function plug-in,
and Excel file importing.
3. If necessary, create scripts to import data from your end user’s
FileMaker Pro 3.0 or earlier solution files to the Developer Edition
solution files.
Converting solution files
Because there was no file format change between FileMaker Pro 3.0 and
4.0, no conversion is necessary; FileMaker Pro 3.0 files can be bound by
the FileMaker Pro 4.0 runtime application. Open FileMaker Pro 2.x and
earlier solution files in FileMaker Pro 4.0. 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.
Importing to a new solution file
This section assumes your end users need to import data from their
FileMaker Pro 3.0 and earlier solution files into the FileMaker Pro 4.0
solution files.
To import data from an earlier runtime solution file:
1. If necessary, convert copies of the solution files (FileMaker Pro 2.x
files).
The converted filenames should be the same as the original filenames.
2. Add new features to the converted solution files.
3. Place the files to be converted in a folder inside the solution folder,
for example
Solution folder\Old solution folder.
If you have renamed the converted files, they can reside in the same
folder as the old files.