2.1   What is the current version of FMPro for Macintosh
 
 FMPro 3.0:
 Macintosh: 3.0v3 (US), other national releases
 Windows95: 3.0
 Win3.1: ?
 Windows3.1: announced for June 1996
 (source: BUSINESS WIRE--April 23, 1996, from Steve Dell
 <stevedell@EARTHLINK.NET>)
 trial software:
 <ftp://ftp.claris.com//pub/USA-Macintosh/Trial_Software/
 2Trial.sea.hqx>
 <ftp://ftp.claris.com//pub/USA-Windows/Trial_Software/>
 updaters from 3.0v1
 <ftp://ftp.claris.com//pub/USA-Macintosh/Updaters/>
 FMPro 2.1:
 US: 2.1v3
 trial software:
 <ftp://ftp.claris.com//pub/USA-Macintosh/Trial_Software/
 3.sea.hqx>
 updater from 2.0:
 <ftp://ftp.claris.com//pub/USA-Macintosh/Updaters/.
 hqx>
 <ftp://ftp.claris.com//pub/USA-Windows/Updaters/>
 and on info-mac mirrors
 German: 2.1Dv3
 updater from 2.0 available on www.claris.com
   
2.2   Is Filemaker Pro relational
 
 FMPro 3.0: Yes. It supports many-to-one and one-to-many relations.
 Many-to-many relations are possible by a manual table.
 As a personal statement: I doubt that FMP fulfills every definition of a
 relational database. My experience is that it supports various statical
 (manual) relations and works as a kind of "bidirectional lookup". It
 lacks dynamic relations based on other criteria such as a field or file
 name.
 FMPro 2.1 has some features, e.g. lookup fields, that may perform some
 relational tasks.
   
2.3   When will FMPro 3.0 be released
 
 It's available since 18/12/1995.
 Pricing is:
 Mac     $199
 Win(95) $199
 upgrade $99
 The runtime version should be available for CSA members from March '96
 on.
   
2.4   Features of FMPro 3.0
 
 Relational capabilities:
 * Supports one-to-many, and many-to-one relations
 * many-to-many relations can be masked to one-to many relations
 * Relations are defined in a define relations dialog box. Where you
 relate the current file to another, and then build relationships from
 field to field.
 * Has a portal tool that let you view data from one file in another
 files layouts. You define a portal area then drag an external field into
 it.
 * Lookup functions remain.
 User Interface:
 * Button drawing and defining is done in one step.
 * Buttons in 3D-look
 * Layouts can be hidden
 * Possibility to toggle window refresh on and off
 * Fixed paper margins
 * Redirect Cancel command
 Scripting
 * If..then..else (conditional) statements in scripts
 * Loops
 * Support for relational requirements
 * Improved halt or pause of scripts (while other scripts execute)
 * Replace field by results of a calculation (Set field, Paste result)
 * Copy record, Copy all records to clipboard as tab-delimited text
 * No Paste of multiple fields in one step
 * Scroll window instead of (Home, Page Up, etc.) with freeze or zoom
 percentage
 * Comment lines within scripts
 * Perform on exit script
 * In support of new features:
   Revert Record/Request, Exit Record/Request,
   Toggle Text Ruler, Set Use System Formats, Recover,
   Show Message, Beep,
   Change Password, Set Multi-User
   Flush Cache to Disk (Save changes)
 * PlainTalk support (Mac only)
 * Better support for Apple events and Applescript (Mac only)
 * Send/execute of complete AppleScripts (Mac only)
 * Object Linking and Embedding OLE: insert, update (Windows only)
 * Dynamic Data Exchange DDE: send (Windows only)
 * Send mail (Windows only)
 * No copy/paste of scripts/scriptsteps
 Calculations
 * New functions:
   LeftWords, MiddleWords, RightWords
   PatternCount, WordCount
   Substitute, Occurence
   GetRepetition
   GetSummary
   DayOfWeek
 * About 30 status messages
 * Loops: Loop...ExitLoop
 * Field verification (validation) by calculations
 * User-specified error message
 * Autoenter of data via calculations (entered data is editable)
 * Global fields, entered only once
 * Custom date format
 Data storage and exchange
 * file size maximum expanded to 2 gigabytes (previously 32MB)
 * ability to open up to 50 files simultaneously (previously 16 files)
 * Conversion from FMP 2.1 by simple "point and click" process
 * Indexing of fields only on demand
 * Display index by word or field
 * Database opens with default password
 * Drag and drop text from one field to another and to other applications
 * Export functions are improved, making it easier to select and arrange
 fields for export
 * Automatic generation of a new database from text files, spreadsheets,
 database files
 * The TCP/IP support will let you network cross-platform over LAN's and
 the Internet.
 * Phone dialing through speaker or modem
 * The file limit will be bigger and it can support 50 simultaneous
 users.
 * Containers instead of Picture/Sound, additionally for movies and OLE
 (Windows 95). Data is held internal or as file reference
 * No SQL support by FMP itself, possible via third party products
 * Only AppleScript as interface (Mac only)
 Text editing
 * Mail Merge within FMP (more powerful than sliding objects)
 * Individual paragraph formats
 * Text with Tabs and fill characters
 * Rulers within text fields
 * Text formatting tool bar
 * with font, size, alignment, tab stops, character styles
 * Vertical adjustment of text within field (Top, bottom, centered)
 * Field contents can be included in text with markers
 * No hyphenation or soft-hyphens
 * Replace data based on calculation (even calculations on itself)
 * Revert record as undo on complete record
 * Value listings improved, e.g. as list from related fields
 System Requirements Macintosh:
 * System 7.0 or later, recommended 7.1 or later
 * CD-ROM  or 1.4 MB disk drive
 * 4 MB RAM, recommended 8 MB for 680X0 Macintosh, required 8 MB by Power
 Macintosh
 System Requirements Windows 95:
 * Intel compatible PC
 * Windows 95 or Windows NT 3.51 or later
 * 8 MB RAM, recommended 16 MB for Windows NT
 * CD-ROM or 3.5" disk drive
 ("Claris will consider adding support for Windows 3.1 for a future
 version of FileMaker Pro [...] based on the speed of migration to
 Windows 95..."; MS Access also doesn't support Windows 3.1)
 (From a Claris press release, 24/08/95)
   
2.5   FileMaker Pro Server
 
 Q. What exactly is FileMaker Pro Server 2.1?
 A. FileMaker Pro Server now supports the Novell IPX/SPX network protocol
 (using the Novell MacIPX system extension) in addition to the AppleTalk
 protocol supported in the previous version of FileMaker Pro Server.
 FileMaker Pro Server also introduces multi-protocol support for
 cross-platform workgroups.
 (From a Claris press release, 24/08/95)
 >> Further information in this press release, dated 24/08/95, is
 available.
 >> Is anyone willing to compose an appropriate description? See:
 <ftp://ftp.th-darmstadt.de//pub/database/filemaker-pro/New FM Pro 3
 Info>
 keywords: multi-protocol, performance improvements of FMP Server 2.1,
 68K/PPC machines only, upgrad price $99 (after 3/95 free), up to 100
 users may now open up to 16 files