Using Third-Party Documentation Tools

In recent years , several programs have emerged to help fill the need for documenting FileMaker systems. These tools offer features for quickly identify missing or unknown elements, tracking dependencies, reporting differences between two solutions, script tracing, and more. Various tools extract information from FileMaker systems in different ways. They may use the Database Design Report, Apple Events, or even read data directly from the FileMaker files.

Each of the tools has strengths and weaknesses. For example, there can be substantial differences in the time required to extract data from solutions. The amount of information detail and the features included for using that information vary considerably from tool to tool as well. Having one or more of these types of tools can be very helpful for debugging and documenting systems. Check these publishers' Web pages for the latest details on their tools for FileMaker 7.

Analyzer by Waves in Motion ” http://www.wmotion.com

Brushfire by Chaparral Software ” http://www.chapsoft.com

MetaDataMagic by New Millenium ” http://www.nmci.com

You'll be well repaid by looking at each of these tools and becoming familiar with their capabilities. Each has useful features. Analyzer, for example, has a nice set of "canned" reports you can run after your solution has been processed . Brushfire is quite fast, and offers a nice script cross-referencing feature. MetaData Magic has some very useful extras, such as the File Reference Fixer, which can repair and consolidate file references in databases designed in previous versions of FileMaker to better prepare the files for conversion to FileMaker 7.