FileMaker Pro Mobile by FileMaker Reviewed by Gregory Cranz on July 24, 2001

Introduction

I recently purchased a copy of Filemaker Pro Mobile edition for the PalmOS. It is available from FileMaker for about $50. YOU MUST ALREADY OWN FILEMAKER PRO 5.0v3+

Now originally I thought that was a marketing deal to get FMPro users to use it on their Palms. That's not the case at all.

Review

What this software does is to install another plug in which provides basically a conduit into the hotsync process for the Palm. The software installs from the CD to either Macintosh or PC.

I cannot even BEGIN to voice by EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT in this "product." The utter lack of ANY but the most basic of functionality is unbelievable. That this is a production release and not a free add-on must say something of the experience that Filemaker Pro, Inc. must be having since becoming their own company. Just like watching the price of the software take a sharp turn upwards, the quality level of this release is abyssmal.

The way that it works is that you set up a database on your computer. You then use the plug in to select certain fields to "share" with your Palm. Then, the next time that you hotsync your Palm, while that databse is open on your system, they will sync up. There are settings for duplicate records with regard to which system overwrites the other, or if duplicate records are allowed. That's about as good as it gets.

1. The database must be in Single User mode
2. No calculation fields may be shared
3. No container fields (this I expected)
4. No auto entry of data (including dates, serial numbered field entries, etc.)
5. No data checking whatsoever (type your name into the date field & watch as nothing happens)
6. No data entry widgets at all. (i.e. no checkboxes, radio buttons, drop down lists, popup menus, NOTHING!
7. Text only input with no ability to change the layout, including the displayed name for a field
8. No Beaming Support at all
9. No record level operation other than create, duplicate, delete
10. No wireless support at all (Did I say no WAP either?)
11. No layout control
12. No scripting

So.... what do you do with this thing to make it useful?

I suggest that you create a date field that's actually a text field. Use the Grafitti shortcut stroke, then write DTS. That's a standard shortcut for date/tiome stamp. Then write yourself a couple of calculation fields on your computer to extract the data & time data after you sync. That's the closest you'll ever come to auto-entry serialization with this software.

Conclusion

It's a real shame. I've been waiting for this since I had my Newton... But this is a heartbreaking 1.0 through & through.

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