User manual
Table Of Contents
- Preface Introducing FileMaker Pro
- Chapter 1 Using databases
- About database fields and records
- Opening files
- Opening multiple windows per file
- Closing windows and files
- Saving files
- About modes
- Viewing records
- Adding and duplicating records
- Deleting records
- Entering data
- Finding records
- Making a find request
- Performing quick finds based on data in one field
- Finding text and characters
- Finding numbers, dates, times, and timestamps
- Finding ranges of information
- Finding data in related fields
- Finding empty or non-empty fields
- Finding duplicate values
- Finding records that match multiple criteria
- Finding records except those matching criteria
- Deleting and reverting requests
- Viewing, repeating, or changing the last find
- Hiding records from a found set and viewing hidden records
- Finding and replacing data
- Sorting records
- Previewing and printing databases
- Automating tasks with scripts
- Backing up database files
- Setting preferences
- Chapter 2 Creating databases
- Chapter 3 Working with related tables and files
- Chapter 4 Sharing and exchanging data
- Sharing databases on a network
- Importing and exporting data
- Saving and sending data in other formats
- Sending email messages based on record data
- Supported import/export file formats
- ODBC and JDBC
- Methods of importing data into an existing file
- About adding records
- About updating existing records
- About updating matching records
- About the importing process
- Converting a data file to a new FileMaker Pro file
- About the exporting process
- Publishing databases on the web
- Chapter 5 Protecting databases with accounts and privilege sets
- Chapter 6 Converting FileMaker databases from previous versions
- Index
102 FileMaker Pro User’s Guide
This chapter describes the basics of file conversion. It includes:
1 an overview of the conversion process
1 instructions on how to convert single files or multiple files at once
1 information on how to view the Conversion.log file after
converting one or more files
1 a summary of the top conversion issues you may encounter
If you’re converting complex or business-critical databases, refer to
the more detailed manual,
Converting FileMaker Databases from
Previous Versions
, at www.filemaker.com/downloads.
Conversion overview
If your database solution is fairly simple, you should be able to convert
the files, review the Conversion.log file, test your converted files, and
use them. For example, simple files that were built from the templates
provided with your previous version of FileMaker Pro should convert
accurately without a lot of manual corrections afterwards.
If you’re converting a multi-file relational database created with
custom features such as custom scripts, or a database that’s business-
critical, you should plan your conversion more carefully.
FileMaker Pro 8 can convert files created with versions 3.x, 4.x, 5.x,
and 6.x. If you have files created using FileMaker
Pro version 2.x or
earlier, you must first convert them to one of the supported formats
listed above. Then you can convert the files to FileMaker
Pro 8. For
more information, see
“Converting FileMaker Pro 1.x
and 2.x databases” on page 106.
When you convert files, FileMaker Pro 8 preserves the contents of
your original files and creates new, converted files in FileMaker
Pro 8
format. The content of the original files are not modified, and you can
open them in the previous version of FileMaker
Pro that created them.
The converted files can be opened only in FileMaker
Pro 8 and
FileMaker
Pro 7.
You can convert a single file or convert multiple files at once:
1 Use the single-file conversion method for stand-alone database
files that don’t display related data from other files. For more
information, see the next section.
1 Use the multiple-file conversion method to convert all the files in a
relational database. For more information, see “Converting multiple
files at once” on page 103.
Converting a single file
To convert and open a single file:
1. If the file you want to convert is currently open in the previous
version of FileMaker Pro, close the file.
If you attempt to convert a file that is currently open, an alert message
will appear indicating that the file is already in use, and the file won’t
convert.
2. Start FileMaker Pro 8.
3. Do one of the following:
1 If you see the Open New or Existing File dialog box, continue
with step 4.
1 If you see the New Database dialog box, select Open an existing
file
, and then click OK.
1 If you don’t see any dialog box, choose File menu > Open.