For years we build the DLLs for Windows with Visual Studio 2008 for our plugins. The reason we didn't upgrade for a long time was Windows XP. But now we can skip that behind and move to a newer Visual Studio version. Now the minimum is Windows 7 and we relay on the universal runtime. That is a newer version of the Visual Studio Runtime since Visual Studio 2015, which is automatically installed on Windows 10 and used by FileMaker Pro and Xojo.
See Windows App Requirements in Xojo blog and Windows Universal Runtime in Xojo developer guide.
If Windows update didn't install it for you, you can install it manually. The installers are included with the FileMaker or Xojo download, but you can also load it on the Microsoft website as redistributable installers.
By switching from a 10 year old compiler to current one, we gain a lot of new features, so we hope to extend our plugins in the next months with a couple of new Windows based features.
There is a little new feature in Visual Studio 2019, which reduces the space needed for the metadata used for exception handling. But that causes an extra dependency to VCRuntime140_1.dll, which is new since 2019. But as that DLL may be missing on client computer, we disable this feature. This removes the dependency and allows us to relay on the DLLs you already need to have. If FileMaker Pro or your Xojo application runs, the plugin should also load just fine.
For developers the dependency is for __CxxFrameHandler4 function in VCRuntime140_1.dll. You can disable it by using -d2FH4- as a compiler option and -d2:-FH4- for linker option. Also it looks like you have to not use std::nothrow as that also depends on that DLL.
The important thing: Please try one of the pre-releases soon and let us know if you see anything not working. We'll try ourselves 100s of example projects, but you can help to try a few more things.
PS: The MBS Xojo XMP Plugin may have the VCRuntime140_1.dll dependency as we can't build it without currently.
In this article I want to introduce you the new functions from the MBS FileMaker Plugin in version 10.3.
LibXL
Let's start with a few innovations with LibXL, that allows you to edit Excel files. You now have functions with which you can identify the area of the table where data is filled in. You can determine the first row or column in an existing Excel document and which one is the last row or column that is filled. This simplifies your work. For example, you want to enter data in an existing table. You first determine the last filled row and then you enter the new values in the next row
There is the new XL.Sheet.CellWriteTextAsNumber function that writes a number into an Excel spreadsheet, which is passed as text. This prevents rounding errors for decimal numbers
Audit
The Audit component can log changes in a database. Under the new Filemaker Pro, we create fields for each table that make this logging possible. With the new function Audit.SetIgnoreRepetitions you can set whether repeating fields should be checked. If you want to know if the check is deactivated, you can use the appropriate Get function Audit.GetIgnoreRepetitions.
GraphicsMagick
Let's take a look at the new features in the GraphicsMagick component. With the new ping functions, GMImage.Ping and GMImage.PingContainer we can load image data from a file or container field. Ping is similar to functions that read the data, but we read only enough to determine the image columns, rows, and file size. That means we can only read the metadata.
Another function, GMImage.GetZPL, returns the hexadecimal ZPL value for an image. The picture is taken as black & white image and build the hex string, you can send this hex string to a receipt printer, which generates an image with this hex sting and prints it out.
Files
In the Files component we have added a very powerful function that standardizes the path for you. For example, you have got back the following path from an application under Windows: %HOMEPATH%\test.txt. This is converted with the function Files.StandardizePath into the standardized path C:\Users\Name\test.txt
Under MacOS the tilde is extended. The empty components, references to the current directory and symbolic links are reduced.
On Windows we resolve environment variables and get the full path.
For Linux, symbolic links are resolved, empty components are reduced and relative paths are resolved.
Hotkey
We have a new function for the hotkeys on Windows and Mac. With HotKey.UnregisterAll you can unregister all Hotkeys. This enables you to reset the complete assignment of the hotkeys instead of having to do this with HotKey.Unregister for each hotkey individually.
Changed Email.Verify to have flags as second parameter. We keep 1 for network check and add 2 as an option to return the name of the mail server domain.
Noch drei Monate bis zur FileMaker Konferenz 2020 in Malbun (Liechtenstein).
Vom 28. bis 31. Oktober findet die elfte deutschsprachige FileMaker Konferenz im JUFA Hotel in Malbun, Liechtenstein statt. Ursprünglich geplant für Juni muss die Veranstaltung leider in den Oktober verschoben werden. Wir hoffen dennoch auf tolles Wetter, viele Interessante Teilnehmer und Gespräche. Eventuell könnte das die einzige Konferenz rund um FileMaker in diesem Jahr werden, die vor Ort stattfindet.
Ein MBS Schulungstag ist für den Mittwoch vorher geplant. Bei Interesse kann man sich gerne bei uns anmelden. Die Ankündigung liegt hier: MBS Workshop
Die Veranstalter vom Verein FM Konferenz erwarten auch 2020 rund 120 Entwickler, Anwender, IT-Fachleute und Entscheidungsträger aus Wirtschaft, Bildung und Verwaltung. Rund um über 20 Fachvorträge und Workshops wird es viel Zeit zum Vernetzen in den gemeinsamen Pausen und beim Abendprogramm geben.
Für den Deutschsprachigen Raum ist diese Konferenz das Treffen des Jahres. Hier finden Sie vom Anfänger bis zum Profi Kontakte zu anderen Entwicklern. Lernen Sie was es neues gibt, nehmen Sie Impulse mit für die eigene Arbeit und erfahren Sie mehr zu FileMaker von deutschsprachigen Experten!
Bitte planen Sie wenigstens einen extra Tag ein für ihren Besuch in Liechtenstein, damit Sie die Natur in dem schönen Tal geniessen können. Den Aufstieg auf den Sareis können Sie bequem zu Fuß vom Hotel aus starten und die Turnastraße hinauf spazieren bis zum Restaurant am Gipfel. Oder alternativ die Seilbahn nehmen.
Did you know you can use XML functions in MBS FileMaker Plugin to split your Database Design Report XML files into smaller XML files and put them in a GIT repository?
First parameter is 1 to enable XML. Second parameter is folder path, but that is ignored on Windows or macOS Catalina, so please manually make a XML first and point to desktop, so you have always the same folder. Next parameter allows to not open the file and last parameter is to select which files to use for DDR.
Once you have a XML, you may want to split it to put it in version tracking. We got a sample script for next plugin for you. We use Text.ReadTextFile to read the XML file, then use XML.SubTree to get the XML. We loop over all the XML nodes with XML.NodeNames, use XML.SubTree again to get the part and write it to a new XML file. This gives you all the XML files on the top level on the right picture.
Next we did walk over layouts, scripts, tables and themes to write individual files for each item. This includes calling a script for each type to walk over the nodes and write them in files. If there is a group, we can create a folder and call the script again with output going to the new folder. To pass arguments we use JSON to pass XML block and path.
Once you regularly start to write those XML files automatically for all your databases into folders and check them in to GIT or any other version tracking, you can keep track of changes on the databases over times.
The file Split DDR.fmp12 will be included with next 10.4pr1 in a few days. Please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions.
Please use option on connection to point to the libpq.dylib for MacOS or libpq.dll for Windows.
You can just include the dylibs/DLLs in same folder as the application and point to them. For macOS you may need to code sign for redistribution as we just signed it with our code signature. The macOS libraries are changed to look for the crypto and ssl libraries in same folder as libpq.dylib file.
First the version distribution for FileMaker Server. As this data is gathered from version numbers included with our license checks, this does exclude Site and ProDeveloper licenses. Some servers may have a firewall configured to disallow the plugin from connecting to our server. But the sample we have here is still quite representative. There is some fluctuation in the data, so watch the trends and not the individual months.
As you first notice, the diagram always looks this way over the years. New versions are added on the top and crush the older versions down as servers get upgraded. Version 17 used about a year to get to 25%, but version 18 managed that in about 6 month. In a few month 18 and 19 will be the majority.
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Nickenich, Germany - (July 21st, 2020) -- MonkeyBread Software today is pleased to announce MBS FileMaker Plugin 10.3 for macOS, iOS, Linux and Windows, the latest update to their product that is easily the most powerful plugin currently available for FileMaker Pro. As the leading database management solution for Windows, macOS, iOS and the web, the FileMaker Pro Integrated Development Environment supports a plugin architecture that can easily extend the feature set of the application. MBS FileMaker Plugin 10.3 has been updated and now includes over 6200 different functions, and the versatile plugin has gained more new functions:
As Apple announced their move to Apple Silicon processors, we are already working on an update to our plugin to support it. For now we already defined function SystemInfo.isBigSur to return whether the newer macOS version 11.0 is running. The SystemInfo.isARM function returns 1 if you run on an ARM based CPU and this currently returns 1 on iOS, but will in future return 1 if FileMaker runs on newer Mac hardware with Apple Silicon. And the function SystemInfo.isTranslated will tell your solution whether it runs Intel code on Apple Silicon in emulation.
To share files, images, links, text or URLs on macOS, you can now show a standard menu from macOS to pick a service to share. In a script you can pick the service and provide additional parameters. This includes passing subject and recipients for email and chat messages. Beside a few standard targets like Airdrop, Apple Mail, Photos and iMessage, you can install various third-party software to use their sharing services.
With WebView.Create and WebView.CreateWithControl you can create a custom web viewer. For MacOS you can choose between WebKit 1.x and 2.x. For iOS you always get WebKit 2.x and for Windows the Internet Explorer engine. As our web viewer is independent of FileMaker's layout engine, you can place it on top of other controls and it stays visible without reloading when switching between different records.
With our new CLibrary functions you can load shared libraries written in C/C++ and list their functions. You pick a function and use the CFunction functions to prepare a call and then run the function. Parameters are automatically converted to the right datatypes and the result converted to a value for FileMaker. This function allows to directly call various functions of the OS directly as well as device SDKs with their interface libraries.
Our Audit functions got a rewrite using SQL parameters internally. This allows us to support Emojis in the logged text. The plugin can now monitor repeated fields for changes. If needed you can disable that with Audit.SetIgnoreRepetitions function.
The CURL functions can now pass SSL certificates via fields instead of referencing files. We rewrote CURL.UseSystemCertificates function to work better on newer macOS versions.
For Windows we added support to load DebugBar into a Webviewer. This is a third-party add-on for Internet Explorer to inspect the DOM tree, run JavaScript and see CSS properties. Use our WebView.ShowDebugBar function to load DebugBar and use it in FileMaker. We improved DragDrop functions to better accept picture data on Windows. For the Shell functions, you can use Shell.SetBufferSize to set the buffer size for capturing output of the command line tool.
On macOS press Command-Shift-F to directly jump to FileMaker's search field to find scripts in Script Workspace. Use Command-F for our script search field. When you copy a script text, we add the script name as comment on top. In the data viewer, set focus to the list and press Command-Option-g to hide global variables, press Command-Option-F to hide fields or press Command-F for the find bar.
We added Base64URL as an option to various hash and encryption functions. With the improved RSA.Sign you can do JWT RS256 signatures.
We added named color and alpha support on macOS for ColorPanel functions, upgraded Font.Activate for newer macOS versions, Java.DefineClass and Java.FindClass functions for Java, a new JSON.ToXML function to convert JSON to XML and we have improvements for LDAP functions using JSON to pass binary data.
Finally we update CURL library to version 7.71.1, DynaPDF to 4.0.40.116, LCMS to 2.11, LibXL to 3.9.1, SQLAPI to 5.1, SQLite to 3.32.0 and Xcode to version 11.5.
21. Juli 2020 - Monkeybread Software veröffentlicht heute das MBS FileMaker Plugin für FileMaker in Version 10.3, mit inzwischen über 6200 Funktionen eines der größten FileMaker Plugins überhaupt. Hier einige der Neuerungen:
Da Apple seinen Wechsel zu eigenen Prozessoren angekündigt hat, arbeiten wir bereits an einer Aktualisierung unseres Plugins, um diese zu unterstützen. Für den Moment haben wir bereits die Funktion SystemInfo.isBigSur definiert, um zurückzugeben, ob die neuere MacOS-Version 11.0 läuft. Die Funktion SystemInfo.isARM überprüft, ob FileMaker auf einer ARM-basierten CPU läuft und diese gibt derzeit 1 auf iOS zurück, wird aber in Zukunft 1 am Mac zurückgeben, wenn FileMaker auf neuerer Mac-Hardware mit Apple Prozessor läuft. Und die Funktion SystemInfo.isTranslated teilt Ihrer Lösung mit, ob Sie x86-Code auf Apple Silicon in Emulation ausführen.
Um Dateien, Bilder, Links, Texte oder URLs unter MacOS zu teilen, können Sie jetzt ein Standardmenü von MacOS anzeigen lassen und einen Dienst auszuwählen und dann zu teilen. Per Skript können Sie den Dienst auch festlegen und zusätzliche Parameter angeben. Dazu gehört die Übergabe von Betreff und Empfängern für E-Mail- und Chat-Nachrichten. Neben einigen wenigen Standardzielen wie Airdrop, Apple Mail, Photos und iMessage können Sie verschiedene Software von Drittanbietern installieren, um deren Freigabedienste zu nutzen. siehe SharingService
Mit WebView.Create und WebView.CreateWithControl können Sie einen benutzerdefinierten Web Viewer erstellen. Für MacOS können Sie zwischen WebKit 1.x und 2.x wählen. Für iOS erhalten Sie immer WebKit 2.x und für Windows den Internet Explorer. Da unser Web Viewer unabhängig von der FileMaker-Layout-Engine ist, können Sie ihn über anderen Steuerelementen platzieren, und er bleibt ohne Neuladen sichtbar, wenn Sie zwischen verschiedenen Datensätzen wechseln.
Mit unseren neuen CLibrary-Funktionen können Sie in C/C++ geschriebene Bibliotheken laden und deren Funktionen auflisten. Sie wählen eine Funktion aus und verwenden die CFunction Funktionen, um einen Aufruf vorzubereiten und dann die Funktion auszuführen. Parameter werden automatisch in die richtigen Datentypen konvertiert und das Ergebnis in einen Wert für FileMaker umgewandelt. Mit dieser Funktion können verschiedene Funktionen des Betriebssystems direkt aufgerufen werden, ebenso wie Geräte-SDKs mit ihren entsprechenden Treibern.
Unsere Audit Funktionen wurden neu geschrieben und verwenden intern SQL-Parameter. Dies erlaubt uns Emojis zu protokollieren. Das Plugin kann nun wiederholte Felder auf Änderungen überwachen und zu protokollieren. Bei Bedarf können Sie dies mit der Funktion Audit.SetIgnoreRepetitions deaktivieren.
Die CURL Funktionen können SSL-Zertifikate über Felder laden, anstatt Dateien zu referenzieren. Wir haben die Funktion CURL.UseSystemCertificates umgeschrieben, damit sie besser auf neueren MacOS-Versionen funktioniert.
Für Windows haben wir die Unterstützung zum Laden der DebugBar in einen Webviewer hinzugefügt. Dies ist ein Add-on eines Drittanbieters für Internet Explorer mit dem Sie den DOM-Baum untersuchen, JavaScript ausführen und CSS-Eigenschaften anzeigen. Verwenden Sie unsere Funktion WebView.ShowDebugBar, um die DebugBar zu laden und in FileMaker zu verwenden. Wir haben die DragDrop-Funktionen verbessert, um Bilddaten unter Windows besser akzeptieren zu können. Für die Shell-Funktionen können Sie Shell.SetBufferSize verwenden, um die Puffergröße für die Erfassung der Ausgabe des Befehlszeilenwerkzeugs festzulegen.
Drücken Sie unter MacOS Befehlstaste-Umschalttaste-F, um direkt in das Suchfeld von FileMaker zu springen und Skripts im Script-Arbeitsbereich zu finden. Verwenden Sie Befehlstaste-F für unser Suchfeld für Texte innerhalb des aktuellen Skripts. Wenn Sie einen Skript als Text kopieren, fügen wir den Scriptnamen als Kommentar oben hinzu. In der Datenanzeige klicken Sie auf die Liste und drücken Sie Befehl-Option-G, um globale Variablen auszublenden, drücken Sie Befehl-Option-F, um Felder auszublenden, oder drücken Sie Befehl-F für die Suchleiste.
Wir haben Base64URL als Option zu verschiedenen Hash- und Verschlüsselungsfunktionen hinzugefügt. Mit der verbesserten RSA.Sign können Sie JWT RS256-Signaturen erstellen.
Wir fügten benannte Farb- und Alphakanal-Unterstützung im MacOS für ColorPanel-Funktionen hinzu, aktualisierten Font.Activate für neuere MacOS-Versionen, ergänzen Java.DefineClass- und Java.FindClass-Funktionen für Java, eine neue JSON.ToXML-Funktion zur Konvertierung von JSON in XML und wir haben Verbesserungen für die LDAP-Funktionen mit der Übergabe für Binärdaten in JSON.
Einige kleinere Dinge sollten nicht unerwähnt bleiben wie Files.StandardizePath zur Standardisierung von Dateipfaden, GMImage.Ping und GMImage.PingContainer zum Lesen von Metadaten aus Bildern, ohne alle Pixeldaten zu lesen, eine neue Matrix.Multiply-Funktion und Funktionen um bei X509 Zertifikaten den Gültigkeitsbereich abzufragen.
Außerdem aktualisieren wir die CURL-Bibliothek auf Version 7.71.1, DynaPDF auf 4.0.40.116, LCMS auf 2.11, LibXL auf 3.9.1, SQLAPI auf 5.1, SQLite auf 3.32.0 und Xcode auf Version 11.5.
For MBS FileMaker Plugin 10.3 we got a last minute feature addition, just before the release tomorrow. For years people asked us to help making the data viewer in FileMaker more readable with hiding tons of globals or field references, so developers can better see local variables.
While we can't really hide the data, we found recently another trick: We change the height of the rows to 1 point and that may be enough to clear space needed. This works fine in various FileMaker versions.
As you can see, pressing ⌘-⌥-F shows or hides the fields while pressing ⌘-⌥-G shows or hides the global variables. And of course we still have ⌘-F to show find bar and jump to the search field. Press ⌘-G to jump to the next search result.
This year we expect thousands of FileMaker developers join the conference:
On August 4-5, Claris is hosting their first Claris Engage conference for all Claris customers, partners, and developers! And this year, the event will be virtual and absolutely free! As you explore the best technology investments to drive your business forward, there are many sessions to help guide you. You can look forward to sessions from business leaders, industry experts, technologists, and Claris staff. Register today -- some sessions have limited space, but there is no registration fee. More details:
Save the dates: August 4 - 5, 2020 from 9:00am - 4:00pm Pacific time.
Here are a few sessions you might be interested in:
Opening Keynote: Delivering the Promise of Digital Transformation - Claris CEO Brad Freitag and his leadership team share their vision for a more-productive future powered by faster, easier digital transformation.
Panel: Business Built on Claris – CxO Perspectives - Hear from business leaders who run successful enterprises on the Claris Platform
Panel: Looking Ahead to Emerging Technology - IoT, CoreML and the impact of AI on the future of your business.
Panel: Cloud-Smart Security - Security experts navigate the new normal of modern security threats.
Learn how we can help you build modern apps faster using shareable add-ons.
And for months after the event, explore Claris Engage 2020 on-demand sessions in Claris Academy — event recordings plus a broader library of technical and business sessions presented by community experts. Sessions will be posted on a rolling schedule following the live event so you can enjoy them at your own pace.
If you miss it, you can watch all videos on the website.
The Claris Engage Europe will also be virtual, so the only in person conference will be the German FileMaker Konferenz, 28. - 31. Oktober 2020 in Malbun, Liechtenstein.
For next prerelease we fixed a few issues for AVRecorder functions on iOS for users of our plugin with MBS FileMaker SDK.
You can now better place the control on the layout with new AVRecorder.AddPreviewWithControl function instead of specifying a size. Depending on the layout the control functions may get the right position whether status toolbar is visible or not for all platforms. Please let us know if you find a case where the position is wrong.
If you are interested in the live QRCode detection within the video picture, you can try AVRecorder.StartQRCodeDetection function and see if the plugin can recognize a QRCode using CoreImage filters. That is the same feature as used in the camera app itself on iOS.
Please don't hesitate to contact us with your questions.
Added option to LDAP.AddJSON and LDAP.ModifyJSON to include boolean keys "hex" and "base64" in JSON with true value to pass values as hex/base64 string, which the plugin decodes and passes to LDAP server.
On my next visit to Vienna, we plan another developer meeting:
Wer hat Interesse an einem FileMaker Entwicklertreffen nächste Woche in Wien?
Einfach in gemütlicher Runde treffen in einem netten Restaurant und beim Abendessen was über FileMaker reden. Vielleicht habt ihr ja auch Fragen und Probleme, wo ich helfen kann?
Zeit wäre ca. 18 bis 22 Uhr, so dass man auch später kommen oder früher gehen kann. So ungefähr einen Abend im Bereich von 20. bis 23. Juli.Mittwoch 22. Juli 2020
Treffpunkt steht noch nicht fest, vorzugsweise ein Biergarten.
For next MBS FileMaker Plugin, we add iOS support for WebView.Print function, so you can show the print dialog and let the user print the website.
For WebView.SetPrintParameter function we add new settings for iOS, so you can set orientation to landscape or portrait and set the job name. More parameters can follow if there is a need.
Screenshot is in German, but it will be localized to whatever language you use in your application.
We also check if we can get WebView.Print to work properly on macOS. With macOS Big Sur newer APIs are coming, so it may work better there.
Changed CURL debug output with progress using CURL.SetDebugWithProgress to not show upload and download progress if you are only downloading or uploading.
We heard the cries for an inspector for Windows and looked around for help. Recently we found Firebug, but that only works if you install it on the same domain. Our search continued and we found DebugBar, an extension for Internet Explorer and it still works in Windows 10, so we worked on an integration into FileMaker as DebugBar doesn't do that as is.
For MBS FileMaker Plugin 10.3 we add the new WebView.ShowDebugBar function. Our plugin will look for the web view in the FileMaker window, then create a new window and host there the DebugBar component. Looks like this:
We have four tabs there. The first one allows you to inspect the DOM and you can use the green picker to select an element on the web site. If you move the mouse over one of the elements in the DOM tree, the element highlights on the website. You can also inspect styles and modify all in the text field below.
The HTTPs tab currently doesn't work, so check the Script tab, where you can see all JavaScripts, adjust them and execute some JavaScript right in the window. See screenshot below:
There are a few issues and we'll see if we can resolve a few with the developers from DebugBar to make this as useful as possible for you. And they certainly appreciate if you buy a DebugBar license.
Vorübergehend bis zum Jahresende wurde in Deutschland die MWSt. von 19% auf 16% gesenkt.
Wenn Sie eine MBS Plugin Lizenz kaufen und aus Deutschland kommen, aber nicht vorsteuerabzugsberechtigt sind, können Sie ca. 2.5% sparen beim Einkaufspreis.
Für alle Geschäftskunden ändert sich effektiv nichts, weil Sie die Steuer ja verrechnet bekommen beim Vorsteuerabzug.
[English] VAT rate in Germany changed temporarily from 19% to 16%. While we appreciate a tax reduction, it's a hassle to implement for everyone with a shop, doesn't save much money for tax payers, but creates a big hole in the budget for the government.
New in this prerelease of version 10.4 of the MBS FileMaker Plugin:
Did you know you can use XML functions in MBS FileMaker Plugin to split your Database Design Report XML files into smaller XML files and put them in a GIT repository?
For next prerelease we fixed a few issues for AVRecorder functions on iOS for users of our plugin with MBS FileMaker SDK.
On my next visit to Vienna, we plan another developer meeting:
For next MBS FileMaker Plugin, we add iOS support for WebView.Print function, so you can show the print dialog and let the user print the website.
