Today FileMaker Inc. released FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Server 15. This is the first release since they announced a new annual release schedule last year, so presumably we’ll see FileMaker 16 approximately a year from now.

FileMaker 15 has a number of interesting new features. I’ve picked out a few features that seem most useful and highlighted them below.

‘In App’ Software Updates

You no longer have to download an updater to keep FileMaker 15 current. The app will simply prompt you to perform the update similar to the way app updates work on an iPhone.

Script Undo

The script workspace now allows multiple levels of undo and redo. This will make it easier to change your mind and undo the last 5 minutes worth scripting changes.

Security Improvements

A number of areas in FileMaker have been updated to allow you to work more effectively with 3rd party SSL certificates to enhance the security of your applications.

iBeacon Support

A new script step enables FileMaker to access iBeacon information in the nearby bluetooth environment. This could allow your FileMaker app to do all kinds of interesting things based on its proximity to an iBeacon. Examples might include automatically displaying the contents of a container that you are nearby or displaying additional information about a product that you are standing in front of.

Truncate Table

This won’t necessarily be useful to all people, but the new Truncate Table script step will be very useful in some situations. In my brief testing, the ‘Delete All Records’ script step cleared out a table with 117,000 records in 5 minutes and 10 seconds. The new ‘Truncate Table’ script step did it in 14 seconds.

~ John Newhoff