With the new iPad Pro soon to be available, it is tempting to think that a developer could carry an iPad Pro instead of a laptop for development work. I have no idea how many users would make it worthwhile to create an iOS version of FileMaker Advanced but this seems like a good place to suggest the idea.
Hi Vin. Thanks for asking.
I realize this is a huge request, because FileMaker Go does not allow any kind of authoring of a database. And I have had no quarrel with that, because i only use my iPad Mini for reading books and checking on the way my database solutions look to iPad users. regardless of their size.
But I confess that when I was watching Apple's Keynote introduction of the new iPad Pro (you've seen it too, I'm sure) I was taken aback when I saw Microsoft invited onto the stage to discuss Office for iPad and the word PRODUCTIVITY was on the big video screen. I could not help buy think that FileMaker, an Apple subsidiary, should really "own" that space.
Of course, it's not fair to compare the creation of a FileMaker solution to the use of Microsoft Excel because the skill set is very different and the interface doesn't call upon the user's need to type into dialog boxes or something like the Script Workspace.
But then, when they showed us the new digital pen tool and the keyboard that is built into the cover of the iPad Pro I started to think about how I could stop carrying a laptop if I could do my FileMaker work on an iPad Pro. Any other app I use is already there on iOS.
So, to directly answer your question, I'd like to be able to define fields, create layouts, write scripts, manage value lists and custom functions, use a debugger and data viewer, disable, copy and paste script steps ... just about everything. I don't know if there are enough potential users in the developer community to make this economically feasible. But if there is any consideration to making this available as an equivalent of FIleMaker Pro, I would quickly withdraw this suggestion altogether because I would rather carry my laptop than give away the "exclusivity" that developers have for creating solutions that run on iOS. Of course I am aware that it can be done with FileMaker Pro today. but we all know how cumbersome that can be to work without a debugger, data viewer and the other developer tools.
Hi, I touched this topic a while ago in questions. I develop FM databases for my company, but also travel a lot spending long ours in planes and trains. Carrying macbook, even air, makes no sense when iPad Pro is available. It would be great if I could create tables, fields, relationships, write scripts, create layouts. All the things that take much time in case of larger projects, a wonderful way of making 12hour flight a productive time! Today uploading a newly developed database could be done from FMP in the office after syncing with tabletop, but with more frequently offered Internet over WiFi by airlines, also soon upload to server from iPad Pro during flight would make sense.
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With desktop version, sometimes my nuckles hurt because of sooooo many clicking, pointing and dragging. Not to mention typing.
Now imagine doing all that on an iPad, where you have to lift your whole hand to point, tap and drag. It would be an ergonomics nightmare.
Just sayin...
Good point! Do you use iPad Pro? Ergonomics much improved by the pencil and smart keyboard. When using the pencil to draw various graphics and edit photographs I do imagine using it to point and drag fields, select options, and similar in mobile version of FMPA...
Just dreaming...
I do hope FileMaker would take notice of the fact that iPad Pro is a reasonably powerful machine, and could be used by FM developers when out of desk. Looking for available solutions I found in Apple Store a DB Designer app for creating MS SQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite databases. Just construction of tables, fields, relationships. There is also MAD Designer app used to create reports based on SQL databases. There are also for example Navicat apps that give even more power to SQL database administrators and developers as regards much of what is needed. So what is the problem with FileMaker Inc. Why not help developers by making one or several apps for iPad Pro? If others can do it, why not Apple subsidiary? !
Did you notice that when Tim Cook introduced the iPad Pro last September, he invited Microsoft up to the stage to demonstrate Office ? What a shame, and a missed opportunity to showcase FileMaker Go to a worldwide audience of people interested in productivity. They are skillful enough with messaging to have been able to skirt the question about the development platform not yet being on iOS ...
To the point somebody made about "helping FileMaker developers" .... I would like to add this comment.
While watching the Road Map presentation the other day, I could not help but wonder how much time and money and other resources goes into the development of new features designed to help new users. In my experience, anything that helps new users LEARN (such as the recent series of PDF documents) is great for everybody but things that are intended to help new users create their own databases always turns out to be a headache for developers. Templates, starter solutions, Bento ... they all result in the user making a mess of things with false expectations about ease of use. And I've never yet been able to build upon or unravel the stuff people build for themselves, which means that a new client experiences costs they did not anticipate to start anew and the regret about how many hours they wasted. It also blemishes the FileMaker reputation.
We all know --- but seldom discuss in detail --- what data modeling is all about. We live and breathe data modeling so naturally that we don't feel the need to talk to each other about what we already know and agree upon. We may discuss anchor-buoy vs. virtual context but that's about it. I am always reminded of the "Legend of Master Po and Lotus Blossom" where the lesson is simply: what are the records?
If the intent is to breed a generation of "citizen" developers ( a term just as silly as FileMaker "ecosystem") then the place to begin is the college campus. The subject of data modeling would educate young people about how any data-centric system works, whether it's FileMaker or anything else. Some of them would find careers as FileMaker developers and was a result, the average age of the FileMaker community might reverse what seems to me to be an upward curve.
Just sayin'
Given everything that FileMaker Pro Advanced can do on a desktop, it's too much to expect that a full iOS replacement for it would be found. But it would be great if a usefully-featured partial alternative were available. Lightroom Mobile isn't Lightrooom for desktop but that's okay: it's still pretty darned useful.
It's possible to open up the Airtable app on an iPhone and define a new "base" (as they call 'em) from scratch -- creating tables, defining fields, defining relationships, designing forms. Airtable isn't FileMaker! But boy I do wish I could do a few things from an iPad. My wish list might include
I can pretty clearly visualize how all of these things could be done with the iPad's touch interface. I wouldn't mind if this was iPad only although if you could get it to work on iPad, well...
If I were head of iPad division at Apple, and assuming I was even aware that FileMaker existed, I would be asking our friends at FMI for this. I don't own an iPad any more. If I could do the thing above on one, I'd buy one.
Will
Any time Will Porter agrees with me is a good day ....
A few other things that could be done:
All this might be subject to the limitation of not being able to touch things that use plugins, e.g. writing a script that calls a plugin.
Hi dburnham,
I am trying to understand the details of this request. Are you requesting authoring, script definition, debugging, etc. on iPad Pro? What features of Pro Advanced appeal to you on the iPad.
Thanks,
Vin Addala
FileMaker, Inc.