[gregchaos]

My entire contacts database is still in Filemaker 2.1, which is not recognized by Filemaker 7. Is there any way to convert upwards?

[chriscozi]

Yes. Export to tab delimited, drag and drop to create a new file. This is awkward but doable.

Either that or send it to me and I'll convert it with 5.0 and then 7.0 and send it back.

[Steve T.]

Huh.... I'm surprised. Here's the FileMaker article on it, though. Basically, they say download a trial version of 6 to update it to that first, then update to 7. I'd have thought they would have given you a utility if nothing else.

http://www.filemaker.com/ti/109035.html

(copy/paste below for the clicking-impaired)

Converting FileMaker Pro 1.0 And FileMaker Pro 2.x Databases



Dear FileMaker Now,

I was just wondering for those of us still using FileMaker Pro 2 or earlier who want to convert our old files to FileMaker Pro 7, will FileMaker Pro 7 convert my old files or do I need to find another version to do this with? If that is the case does FileMaker have any plans to make older versions available to the public? I was curious to know if that will be possible.

Terry M.


Dear Terry,

FileMaker Pro 7 converts files from the previous versions of FileMaker Pro:

• FileMaker Pro 6
• FileMaker Pro 5.x
• FileMaker Pro 4.x
• FileMaker Pro 3.x

Useful information on converting FileMaker Pro databases from previous versions can be found in the FileMaker Pro 7 Users Guide (Chapter 6).

FileMaker Pro cannot directly convert databases created within FileMaker Pro 1.0 or FileMaker Pro 2.x. To use these files with FileMaker Pro 7, you must convert them using a version of FileMaker Pro from FileMaker Pro 3.0 through FileMaker Pro 6, and then convert them again using FileMaker Pro 7.

Previous versions of FileMaker Pro for Windows can convert only FileMaker Pro 2.x files. If you need to convert a FileMaker Pro 1.0 file, convert the file on a Mac OS computer using a version of FileMaker Pro from FileMaker Pro 3.0 through FileMaker Pro 6.

If you don't have a previous FileMaker Pro application with which to do the conversion, you can download a trial version of FileMaker Pro 6 from the downloads area of our website; http://www.filemaker.com/downloads

All use of this article is subject to FileMaker´s terms of use at www.filemaker.com/legal/terms.html

[joeking]

I can see several reasons why FileMaker cut off the conversion with version 3. In most cases, if you choose to move to FileMaker 7, it's the data that is important, as you can re-create even the most complex FMP 2 in very short order, and in many cases there are better ways of accomplishing the same tasks.

When I think of FileMaker 2, I see repeating fields, lookups, copy/pastes, and Today functions- All of which have been replaced with far superior methods to accomplish the same goal.

If I were to convert a FMP 2 solution, those would be the first things I would get away from. Interestly enough FMP 7 adds more power to control repeating fields than ever before, so just because you get rid of that model does not mean that you will lose any data....

Just a thought....


Joe

Originally Posted by Steve T.

Huh.... I'm surprised. Here's the FileMaker article on it, though. Basically, they say download a trial version of 6 to update it to that first, then update to 7. I'd have thought they would have given you a utility if nothing else.

http://www.filemaker.com/ti/109035.html

(copy/paste below for the clicking-impaired)

Converting FileMaker Pro 1.0 And FileMaker Pro 2.x Databases



Dear FileMaker Now,

I was just wondering for those of us still using FileMaker Pro 2 or earlier who want to convert our old files to FileMaker Pro 7, will FileMaker Pro 7 convert my old files or do I need to find another version to do this with? If that is the case does FileMaker have any plans to make older versions available to the public? I was curious to know if that will be possible.

Terry M.


Dear Terry,

FileMaker Pro 7 converts files from the previous versions of FileMaker Pro:

• FileMaker Pro 6
• FileMaker Pro 5.x
• FileMaker Pro 4.x
• FileMaker Pro 3.x

Useful information on converting FileMaker Pro databases from previous versions can be found in the FileMaker Pro 7 Users Guide (Chapter 6).

FileMaker Pro cannot directly convert databases created within FileMaker Pro 1.0 or FileMaker Pro 2.x. To use these files with FileMaker Pro 7, you must convert them using a version of FileMaker Pro from FileMaker Pro 3.0 through FileMaker Pro 6, and then convert them again using FileMaker Pro 7.

Previous versions of FileMaker Pro for Windows can convert only FileMaker Pro 2.x files. If you need to convert a FileMaker Pro 1.0 file, convert the file on a Mac OS computer using a version of FileMaker Pro from FileMaker Pro 3.0 through FileMaker Pro 6.

If you don't have a previous FileMaker Pro application with which to do the conversion, you can download a trial version of FileMaker Pro 6 from the downloads area of our website; http://www.filemaker.com/downloads

All use of this article is subject to FileMaker´s terms of use at www.filemaker.com/legal/terms.html

[Steve T.]

Hi, Joe! Yeah, I see your point as to FM3+ being a significant update... but I'd think if they had an FM2 to FM6 converter already, they would include that in 7... even if it was a 2 step conversion. They don't have to write a whole new set of filters to go from 2 to 7... just some kind of converter that would go from 2 to 6 and from 6 to 7... even it were a separate utility available for free download or something... that's all I was thinking...
--ST