                           FileMaker Pro v2.0
                              for Windows

                             by Tony Curro

    They say that a first impression is a lasting one. Well, I am here
    to admit that. Last year, I first saw FM Pro at PC Expo. It was the
    highlight of EXPO for me. I wrote about it in an article in the
    first issue. Now, after having worked with the product, and using
    it, I feel the same way.

    Claris, the company that releases FM Pro, is a subsidiary of Apple
    Computers. FileMaker Pro for Windows is the first in-house product
    released by them for PCs. The previous product, Hollywood, was a
    product that was acquired when they purchased the parent company of
    it. FM Pro is an excellent first release, and if it is a sign of
    future releases, then the future should be very bright indeed for
    Claris.

    FileMaker Pro v2.0 for Windows comes on dual media and is quick to
    install. It will work on a PC or network. Further, it will work with
    MAC files on a network, and vice versa. There is a version of FM for
    both Windows and MAC.

    The program includes 5 manuals: Installation Guide, Getting Started,
    User's Guide, Templates Guide and Basics of FM Pro.

    FileMaker Pro provides on-screen context sensitive help. This can
    take you step- by-step through various functions, and how to achieve
    results.

    When creating data fields, and have a field for Zip or Phone, you
    may want to make them text fields. The reason for this is, that if
    you use Zip+4 code, the field will not accept the dash. Nor will it
    accept a dash in Phone field if it is set as a numeric field.

    To enter data, you click on the form, and enter the data. Or, if you
    want a new record, click on the New option in the Edit drop-down
    menu. Once you are done entering data, clicking anywhere outside a
    field, or pressing CTRL- ENTER, will automatically save your data.

    One the bottom of your screen, you will see the word Browse. If you
    click on it, a menu will pop-up. Here you will see: Browse, Find,
    Layout, Preview. Clicking on any of these will take you to that
    option. You will then see that name in the box. Clicking it again,
    will bring the menu up. This makes switching from Layout to Browse
    or Preview, very quick and effortless.

    You can create several layouts for each database, and you can select
    several types of options like Standard, labels, envelope, etc. On
    the upper left of the screen you see the name of the current layout.
    Clicking on it will pop-up a menu that will list the other layouts
    available to you. Clicking on one will put you in that layout.

    You can have FM Pro enter some information automatically. For
    example, when you click on New Record, the current date can be
    inserted for you. Consequently, when you bring up a record to change
    the information, FileMaker Pro can add the current date in the
    modified date field.  These are but two options. FileMaker Pro can
    add a sequential number to a form, or add one according to your
    specifications. You can also have drop-down fields. This allows you
    to set up a menu with only the data you will accept in a field. Then
    when someone enters data, a box will pop-up with only these options.
    This assures you of no misspellings, and proper data entry. You may
    also have FileMaker Pro check that specific fields have data
    entered. Many times we may bypass a field, or forget to place the
    information in it. This way, if you choose the Phone number field,
    and left it blank, FM Pro will alert you when you try to save the
    record. It will NOT save the record until data is entered in the
    field(s) so designated.

    The tutorial was very well done, and easy to follow. I was entering
    a new record, as per the tutorial, and FM PRO went to a linked
    database file, and got the number for a field. FileMaker Pro comes
    with several templates that you can customize to your needs. The
    Template Guide gives step-by-step instructions on customization.

    In Layout mode you can manipulate all your data, and the appearance
    on your form. Move fields, shrink or expand fields. Change text
    size, format and color. Create new fields. Place headers and
    footers. And so on. All of this is very easy to do, and the whole
    program has a very short learning curve.

    FileMaker Pro has an intuitive easily learned graphical interface.
    Users can manage information efficiently and produce highly
    sophisticated results without programming. New users can access
    information, automate customized tasks and operate in multi-user
    environments. Also, across platforms, as the same data files, can be
    accessed by both the MAC and Windows versions of FileMaker Pro.
    Multi-user files are updated instantly across the network and even
    between Windows and Macintosh machines. Further, on a network, two
    people cannot access the same file at the same time. So if Jack is
    using the file on a MAC, and Jill tries to access it from Windows,
    she will see a message stating the file is in use by Jack, and to
    wait until he is done. Of course, she could call Jack, and tell him
    to release the file immediately, if her task takes priority.

    FileMaker Pro automatically indexes all the words in each field,
    making it fast and easy to locate information.

    ScriptMaker is another feature of FileMaker Pro. Users simply select
    desired steps from a complete list  of FM Pro for Windows functions
    and specify options from scrolling lists and pop-up menus. These
    scripts can even be assigned to user-defined buttons that
    automatically perform the script when selected. You can create
    scripts to automate many tasks from reports to layouts.

    FileMaker Pro has excellent import and export capabilities. You can
    exchange data with popular text, and other programs such as: dBASE,
    Lotus 1-2-3, MS Excel, and even import/export ASCII delimited files.
    Graphics can be imported from: PCX, DIB, GIF, BMP, HPG-L, PICT, EPS,
    CGM & Micrografx Designer.

    FileMaker Pro provides predefined layouts for printing envelopes,
    and over 50 pre-formatted Avery labels. You can also print form
    letters, or do merge printing of labels within FM Pro for Windows or
    by exporting data as a merge file for use with a word processor. To
    print in FM Pro, you create a blank layout and insert field names.
    To use with a word processor you export comma-delimited file that
    the word processor will them import. Included is a built-in 100,000
    word spell checker. You can create user dictionaries, that FM Pro
    can also access.

    By now,  you should know that I think highly of FileMaker Pro v2.0
    for Windows. It received an Editor's Choice Award for 1992.  FM Pro
    has recently instituted a competitive upgrade policy for users of
    DOS, MAC and Windows database programs. This makes the product even
    more attractive for those switching from another database, or from
    another platform.


                        Product Information

                        FileMaker Pro v2.0
                        for Windows

                        List Price -- $399
                        Special Windows
                        Promotion until 8/15/93 -- $129
                        Competitive Upgrade -- $99

                        Claris Corporation
                        5201 Patrick Henry Drive
                        Santa Clara, CA 95052
                        408-727-9004
