Nickenich, Germany - (January 18th, 2022) -- MonkeyBread Software today is pleased to announce MBS FileMaker Plugin 12.0 for macOS, iOS, Linux and Windows, the latest update to their product that is easily the most powerful plugin currently available for Claris FileMaker produce line. As the leading database management solution for Windows, macOS, iOS and the web, the Claris FileMaker Pro Integrated Development Environment supports a plugin architecture that can easily extend the feature set of the application. MBS FileMaker Plugin 12.0 has been updated and now includes over 6700 different functions, and the versatile plugin has gained more new functions:
For our developers using macOS we got a great new feature for the Script Workspace: Auto Complete. Our plugin can scan the lines in the script to find variable definitions and then present you possible variables names to auto complete in the calculation dialogs. For Let statements we can additionally auto complete local variable names starting with ¢ (cent), _ (underscore) and ~ (tilde) characters.
We updated our tools buttons in calculation dialogs and added two new buttons there: You can now add or remove table occurrence prefixes for field names within calculation dialogs. This may help when you copy calculations between field definition and data viewer. And for value lists we can now show the IDs and we have functions to convert between names and identifiers of value lists.
Our SQL functions got an optimisation to better handle numbers and avoid the inprecision of double data type in most cases. Databases supporting decimal types with exact precision should now handle numbers correctly. For SQL within FileMaker our new FM.ExecuteFileSQLValue can load a single value via SQL from a FileMaker table and return it to you. This preserves the data type and numbers, containers and time/date values are not converted to text.
Our WebHook functions got a new timeout property to prevent connections staying open forever without sending a request. With WebRequest.GetState you can now query the state of a request.
For Files functions we added functions to query file extension hidden and backup exclusion state on macOS. We improved Events functions to query contact identifier for a birthday event.
For DynaPDF we have new methods for complex text rendering. This includes defining alternative font lists (currently Windows only) and doing automatic font substitution.
We added a new Preferences.List function to list preference keys. The Text.TextToHTML function can handle subscript and superscript text. The ProgressDialog.SetPositionWindowCentered function can center progress dialog on top of a window. For our use of LibXML, we now explicitly disable network access. And XML.Query function can now take namespaces in quotes. The WordFile functions can now better handle tab character in text.
Finally we updated the archive library to version 3.5.2, cpuid to 0.51, CURL to 7.81.0, DynaPDF to 4.0.65.167, expat to 2.4.1, LCMS to 2.13rc1, lz4 to 1.9.3, openssl to 1.1.1l, SQLAPI to 5.1.8, SQLite to 3.37.0, ssh2 to 1.10.0, SystemInfo.CPUBrandString to work on Apple Silicon, and LibXL to version 4.0.1.
18. Januar 2022 - Monkeybread Software veröffentlicht heute das MBS FileMaker Plugin für FileMaker in Version 12.0, mit inzwischen über 6700 Funktionen eines der größten FileMaker Plugins überhaupt. Hier einige der Neuerungen:
Für unsere Entwickler auf macOS haben wir eine großartige neue Funktion für den Skript-Arbeitsbereich: Auto-Vervollständigen. Unser Plugin kann die Zeilen im Skript nach Variablendefinitionen durchsuchen und Ihnen dann mögliche Variablennamen zur automatischen Vervollständigung in den Formeldialogen präsentieren. Bei SetzeVar Anweisungen können wir zusätzlich lokale Variablennamen automatisch vervollständigen, die mit den Zeichen ¢ (Cent), _ (Unterstrich) und ~ (Tilde) beginnen.
Wir haben die Werkzeuge im Berechnungsdialog um zwei Buttons hinzugefügt: Sie können jetzt Tabellenauftreten-Präfixe für Feldnamen in Formeldialogfeldern hinzufügen oder entfernen. Dies kann hilfreich sein, wenn Sie Berechnungen zwischen Felddefinition und Datenanzeige kopieren. Und für Wertelisten können wir jetzt die IDs anzeigen und wir haben Funktionen zur Konvertierung zwischen Namen und Bezeichnern für Wertelisten.
Unsere SQL-Funktionen wurden optimiert, um besser mit Zahlen umgehen zu können und die Ungenauigkeit von Double-Datentypen in den meisten Fällen zu vermeiden. Datenbanken, die Dezimaltypen mit exakter Genauigkeit unterstützen, sollten nun korrekt mit Zahlen umgehen. Für SQL innerhalb von FileMaker kann unser neues FM.ExecuteFileSQLValue einen einzelnen Wert über SQL aus einer FileMaker-Tabelle laden und an Sie zurückgeben. Dabei bleibt der Datentyp erhalten und Zahlen, Container und Zeit-/Datumswerte werden nicht nach Text konvertiert.
Unsere WebHook-Funktionen haben eine neue Timeout-Eigenschaft erhalten, um zu verhindern, dass Verbindungen ewig offen bleiben, ohne dass eine Anfrage gesendet wird. Mit WebRequest.GetState können Sie nun den Status einer Anfrage abfragen.
Bei den Dateifunktionen wurden Funktionen zur Abfrage von versteckten Dateierweiterungen und zum Ausschluss von Backups unter macOS hinzugefügt. Wir haben die Events-Funktionen verbessert, um die Kontaktkennung für ein Geburtstagsereignis abzufragen.
Für DynaPDF gibt es neue Methoden für komplexes Textrendering. Dazu gehören die Definition alternativer Schriftartenlisten (derzeit nur für Windows) und die automatische Ersetzung von Schriften.
Wir haben eine neue Funktion Preferences.List hinzugefügt, um Namen für Voreinstellungen aufzulisten. Die Funktion Text.TextToHTML kann mit tief- und hochgestelltem Text umgehen. Die Funktion ProgressDialog.SetPositionWindowCentered kann den Fortschrittsdialog am oberen Rand eines Fensters zentrieren. Für unsere Verwendung von LibXML deaktivieren wir jetzt explizit den Netzwerkzugriff. Und die Funktion XML.Query kann nun Namespaces in Anführungszeichen akzeptieren. Die WordFile-Funktionen können nun besser mit Tabulatorzeichen im Text umgehen.
Schließlich haben wir die Archivbibliothek auf Version 3.5.2, cpuid auf 0.51, CURL auf 7.81.0, DynaPDF auf 4.0.65.167, expat auf 2.4.1, LCMS auf 2.13rc1, lz4 auf 1. 9.3, openssl auf 1.1.1l, SQLAPI auf 5.1.8, SQLite auf 3.37.0, ssh2 auf 1.10.0, SystemInfo.CPUBrandString für Apple Silicon und LibXL auf Version 4.0.1.
Let us show you 10 steps on what to think about for professional software releases:
Release often
Do frequent smaller releases, so you can better train your releases.
If you do it once a year, you forget all the steps and miss some.
Plan your releases. When do you intent to release?
Start the process a week before, at least to be sure you are ready.
You may prefer to targeting specific weeks, where you have no family event planned or vacation.
Or release a week before a conference, so the release is out and you can present it.
Write down all steps needed.
Setup a list of things you do for a release. That may start a week before with drafting announcement texts.
Your list needs to include what files to update (readme files), what things to copy where, how to build, code sign, package, notarize and upload the app.
It is very easy to miss an important step early and then you have to redo a lot of steps.
Try the steps on another computer for a training release, so you can make sure nothing is missing or depends on an application installed on the computer.
Always great if multiple people could do the job on multiple computers.
Changed object management to log warning if you have more than 100 objects allocated. This may point to an issue in your scripts not releasing objects.
Fixed problem where plugin would unnecessarily complain about mutex problem on server.
Did you know that we two functions to register: Register and StoreRegistration. You know the difference is whether you register until FileMaker quits or permanently. For most users, StoreRegistration is now the better choice. The license key is written to the preferences file and the plugin is registered when launched.
Your license script may look like this for a seats license:
# Register MBS Plugin:
If [ MBS("IsRegistered") ≠ 1 ]
Set Variable [ $r ; Value: MBS("StoreRegistration"; "Your Name"; "Complete"; "5 Seats"; 202212; "...") ]
If [$r ≠ "OK"]
Show Custom Dialog ["Problem with MBS Plugin Registration"; $r]
End If
End If
With checking using IsRegistered function, we avoid to register again and again on each startup, which just wastes CPU time. And by using StoreRegistration, the license key is stored permanently, so this script doesn't need to run again until the old license key expired. When it expired and a new plugin doesn't accept it, the stored key gets deleted on startup silently and the script can install a new key.
(more)
As you may know we have some tools in the plugin for macOS to make the live easier in FileMaker. For various dialogs to enter calculations we got check syntax and evaluate buttons. That is convenient to make a syntax check or to evaluate the current calculation in the current context to test it without closing the dialog.
For MBS FileMaker Plugin in version 12.0 we change the buttons to be a segmented control with four segments to do the syntax check, evaluate and now adding and removing table occurrences:
As you see we got a button labeled "+ TO" and one named "- TO". The labels may change later in case we localise it or find nice graphics for them. The buttons run some code from the plugin to lookup the field names in the table on the left with the table name from the popup menu above. This may help you when you have to copy calculations from field definitions to calculations in scripts or data viewer.
Internally we use a regular expression to do this and it looks for the field names and add the prefix for the table occurrence for you. Same for removing where we look for table::field combination and replace with only field names.
Please try the feature in 12.0pr7 or upcoming pr8 to help us fix all bug before release. The feature is available on macOS for various dialogs including field definition dialog and data viewer.
Check out the FMTraining.tv website. Richard Carlton and his team do a daily free live stream about FileMaker to watch. And they have a huge library of FileMaker training material to watch and learn all about the Claris FileMaker product family.
A few days ago Christian Schmitz from Monkeybread Software joined a live episode to talk a bit about the MBS FileMaker Plugin. Watch it on YouTube.
This is the second day of our walk through of the goodies in MBS Plugin to enhance FileMaker on macOS.
Please let Richard know and send him your wishes or ideas for future live broadcast as well as topics for training videos. And check out the FileMaker Training bundles as well as their new book for FileMaker.
Check out the FMTraining.tv website. Richard Carlton and his team do a daily free live stream about FileMaker to watch. And they have a huge library of FileMaker training material to watch and learn all about the Claris FileMaker product family.
A few days ago Christian Schmitz from Monkeybread Software joined a live episode to talk a bit about the MBS FileMaker Plugin. Watch it on YouTube.
This is the first day of our walk through of the goodies in MBS Plugin to enhance FileMaker on macOS.
Please let Richard know and send him your wishes or ideas for future live broadcast as well as topics for training videos. And check out the FileMaker Training bundles as well as their new book for FileMaker, updated for 2021.
Vom 22. bis 24. Juni 2022 findet die elfte deutschsprachige FileMaker Konferenz in Hamburg, Deutschland statt. Das JUFA Hotel Hamburg HafenCity liegt direkt neben dem Ausgang der U-Bahn Station HafenCity Universität, nur drei Stationen vom Hauptbahnhof via U4, so dass sich die Anreise per Bahn empfiehlt. FileMaker Anwender und Entwickler können ihre Teilnahme ab heute buchen.
Anmeldung heute
Bitte melden Sie sich an, wenn Sie Interesse an der Konferenz haben. Im März entscheidet sich, ob die Konferenz statt finden kann. Diese Entscheidung hängt von den Anmeldungen und den aktuellen Corona Regeln ab, also bitte Anmelden. Hotel, Flug oder Bahnreise bitte erst später buchen
Möchten Sie Sponsor oder Sprecher werden?
Aktuell sucht der FMK Verein Vorschläge für interessante Vorträge.
Die Veranstalter vom Verein FM Konferenz erwarten auch 2022 rund 180 Entwickler, Anwender, IT-Fachleute und Entscheidungsträger aus Wirtschaft, Bildung und Verwaltung. Rund um über 25 Fachvorträge und Workshops wird es viel Zeit zum Vernetzen in den gemeinsamen Pausen und beim Abendprogramm geben.
MBS Empfang
Für den Vorabend am 21. Juni 2022 möchten wir alle Teilnehmer der Konferenz begrüßen. Treffen Sie andere Teilnehmer beim MBS Apero, gesponsert von Monkeybread Software.
Bei der Anmeldung zur Konferenz können Sie sich gleich mit dafür anmelden, da wir eine Teilnehmerzahl brauchen für das Hotel.
MBS Plugin Workshop
Wir planen einen Schulungstag für den 21. Juni 2022. Anmeldung bei uns.
Die Teilnahme kostet 199 Euro inkl. Verpflegung und MWSt., 149 Euro bei Anmeldung bis zum 12. März. Falls die Konferenz abgesagt wird, fällt die Schulung automatisch aus.
The new year is starting with a week of FileMaker broadcast sessions and you can watch them live for free or later on Youtube:
We start on Monday with showing FileMaker enhancements on macOS. Since we have so many, we split it in two days with introduction on first day and second day for Script Workspace. This way we have more time to explain each feature in detail. Maybe you know a few, but I bet you find a new gem here!
For Windows, we could do a session, too. Since we have hotkeys on Windows and can also inspect clipboard with the XML FileMaker stores there, it would be possible to make some nice things for FileMaker on Windows. e.g. press a hotkey, show a dialog with snippets and then insert them into the current script. See blog post Insert snippet for FileMaker on Windows. Interested? Let us know.
The year 2021 will end in around three days. Do you need some more licenses?
Last chance to update licenses purchased in 2019.
You can order licenses for 2022 or later and have delivery plus payment done in 2021.
And of course you can order updates for several years in advance for all your MBS products.
As all Xojo plugin, LibXL and DynaPDF licenses are per developer, you should check if you got a new developer in your team this year and adjust licenses to match team size.
For FileMaker please check if you have enough license for the number of seats or servers you have in use.
Especially if you run on a budget and you want to spend some money in 2021, you can buy updates for several years in advance.
For the next year, we have a few little changes to do.
We may go next year to cleanup a bit. That may include moving some classes/functions to use functionality from Windows 8/8.1, so the minimum for those plugins will be that version. If you need Windows 7, you may then be required to keep older plugin versions. Also we may want to move to use more Visual Studio 2019 features, so some plugin parts may start to require the newer runtimes. Not a quick change, but more part by part, where we see benefits. And of course you could always use an older plugin for some special project running on old hardware.
On macOS we'd like to get rid of Addressbook framework. You may need to move to newer functionality provided by Contacts framework. If needed, we may add more functions for Contacts in the plugin. Let us know what you miss to make the change.
For Linux, we may ditch GTK 2 and link directly to GTK version 3. This can simplify some coding for me and since Xojo uses GTK 3 exclusively for years, it shouldn't cause trouble for developers.
Fixed problem with Linux for Shell functions where you could get an error: "A NULL argv[0] was passed through an exec system call." message.
Changed license checks to make another 500 plugin functions to not check license status. Currently only 4900 of over 6600 functions do that. Even if this is quick, not doing it everywhere could speed up some processing.
Nickenich, Germany - (January 18th, 2022) -- MonkeyBread Software today is pleased to announce MBS FileMaker Plugin 12.0 for macOS, iOS, Linux and Windows, the latest update to their product that is easily the most powerful plugin currently available for Claris FileMaker produce line. As the leading database management solution for Windows, macOS, iOS and the web, the Claris FileMaker Pro Integrated Development Environment supports a plugin architecture that can easily extend the feature set of the application. MBS FileMaker Plugin 12.0 has been updated and now includes over 6700 different functions, and the versatile plugin has gained more new functions:
Vom 22. bis 24. Juni 2022 findet die elfte deutschsprachige 
