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Differences between the runtime application and FileMaker Pro (FileMaker Pro Advanced)

When you double-click the FileMaker Pro application icon to start the application, you can create a new solution or choose a solution to open. When you start a FileMaker Pro runtime application, the primary bound file opens automatically.

Other key differences between the runtime application and FileMaker Pro include the following:

•	All the database design features have been removed or hidden in the runtime application.

This includes Layout mode and commands on the Manage submenu.

•	Custom functions and custom menus created with FileMaker Pro Advanced will work in the runtime application, although users of the runtime application cannot modify or create new custom functions or custom menus.

•	Some other menu commands have been removed from the runtime application.

For example, you can’t use the runtime application to create, open, or close a solution. (Bound runtime solutions must contain a custom button or script to close or open other files. There is no close command on a runtime solution window.)

•	FileMaker Pro Help is not available in the runtime application. However, you can use the custom menu feature to display customized Help text that you create.

•	Plug-ins can be enabled in the Preferences dialog box. The Allow Solutions to Install Files option in the Plug-Ins preferences allows plug-in updates to install automatically. See Setting plug-in preferences.

•	Although the XML Data filter appears as an option for the Convert File script step, you can’t convert XML files using this script step in a runtime application.

•	The FileMaker runtime application is for single-user solutions. Therefore a runtime solution cannot be shared peer-to-peer over a network. To allow multiple users to access the same runtime solution, you must open the runtime solution in FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Server.

•	OS X: Apple events are supported in runtime applications.

•	Runtime applications do not include the ability to Save/Send Records as PDF files.

•	FileMaker Pro Advanced features are not available in the runtime application.

A runtime database can, however, be opened in either FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Pro Advanced. The full functionality of these applications will be enabled, except if full access privileges have been removed.

•	Runtime applications don’t support external SQL data sources (ESS), ODBC import, or the Execute SQL script step.

•	Charts are not supported in runtime solutions.

Application and document preferences

In the runtime application, some options are not available on the General tab of the Preferences dialog box. For example, the options to notify the user when an update or new version of FileMaker Pro is available are not present.

The Layout tab is not included in the Preferences dialog box for the runtime application.

The File Options dialog box in the runtime application displays only the Spelling tab.

Menu command comparison

The following tables show the menu commands that are available in FileMaker Pro and in the runtime application.

 

File menu command	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
New Solution	X		X
New from Starter Solution	X		X
Open	X		X
Open Remote	X		X
Open Recent	X		X
Open Favorite	X		X
Close	X	X	X	X
Manage	X		X
Sharing	X		X
File Options	X	X	X	X
Change Password	X	X	X	X
Print Setup	X	X
Page Setup			X	X
Print	X	X	X	X
Import Records	X	X	X	X
Export Records	X	X	X	X
Save/Send Records As	X	1	X	1
Send	X	2	X	2
Save a Copy As	X	X	X	X
Recover	X	3	X	3
Exit	X	X

1.	You can’t Save/Send Records as PDFs or Snapshot Links. However, OS X users can print the current record to PDF by choosing File menu > Print.

2.	You can’t Send a Link to Database.

3.	Press Ctrl+Shift (Windows) or Option-Command (OS X) while starting a runtime solution. See Recovering runtime files (FileMaker Pro Advanced).

 

 

Edit menu command	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
Undo/Can’t Undo	X	X	X	X
Redo/Can’t Redo	X	X	X	X
Cut	X	X	X	X
Copy (Copy All Records)	X	X	X	X
Paste	X	X	X	X
Paste Text Only	1	1	X	X
Clear	X	X	X	X
Duplicate	X		X
Select All (Select All Records)	X	X	X	X
Find/Replace	X	X	X	X
Spelling	X	X	X	X
Export Field Contents	X	X	X	X
Preferences	X	X

1.	Not visible in menu, but accessible via Ctrl+Shift+V.

 

 

View menu command	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
Browse Mode	X	X	X	X
Find Mode	X	X	X	X
Layout Mode	X		X
Preview Mode	X	X	X	X
Go to Layout	X	X	X	X
View as Form	X	X	X	X
View as List	X	X	X	X
View as Table	X	X	X	X
Status Toolbar	X	X	X	X
Customize Status Toolbar	X	X	X	X
Formatting Bar	X	X	X	X
Ruler	X	X	X	X
Zoom In	X	X	X	X
Zoom Out	X	X	X	X

 

Insert menu command	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
Picture	X	X	X	X
Audio/Video	X	X	X	X
PDF	X	X	X	X
File	X	X	X	X
Current Date	X	X	X	X
Current Time	X	X	X	X
Current User Name	X	X	X	X
From Index	X	X	X	X
From Last Visited Record	X	X	X	X

 

Format menu command	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
Font	X	X	X	X
Size	X	X	X	X
Style	X	X	X	X
Align Text	X	X	X	X
Line Spacing	X	X	X	X
Text Color	X	X	X	X

 

Records menu command	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
New Record	X	X	X	X
Duplicate Record	X	X	X	X
Delete Record	X	X	X	X
Delete Found Records/Delete All Records	X	X	X	X
Go to Record	X	X	X	X
Refresh Window	X	X	X	X
Show All Records	X	X	X	X
Show Omitted Only	X	X	X	X
Omit Record	X	X	X	X
Omit Multiple	X	X	X	X
Modify Last Find	X	X	X	X
Saved Finds	X	X	X	X
Sort Records	X	X	X	X
Unsort	X	X	X	X
Replace Field Contents	X	X	X	X
Relookup Field Contents	X	X	X	X
Revert Record	X	X	X	X

 

Requests menu command (Find mode)	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
Add New Request	X	X	X	X
Duplicate Request	X	X	X	X
Delete Request	X	X	X	X
Go to Request	X	X	X	X
Show All Records	X	X	X	X
Perform Find	X	X	X	X
Constrain Found Set	X	X	X	X
Extend Found Set	X	X	X	X
Revert Request	X	X	X	X

 

Scripts menu command	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
<Script names>	X	X	X	X

Note  All other Scripts menu commands are available only in FileMaker Pro.

 

 

Window menu command	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
New Window	X	X	X	X
Show Window	X	X	X	X
Hide Window	X	X	X	X
Minimize Window	X	X	X	X
Tile Horizontally	X	X	X	X
Tile Vertically	X	X	X	X
Cascade Windows	X	X	X	X
Arrange Icons	X	X
Bring All To Front			X	X
<Names of open files>	X	X	X	X

 

Help menu command	FileMaker Pro in Windows	Runtime in Windows	FileMaker Pro in OS X	Runtime in OS X
FileMaker Pro Help	X		X
Keyboard Shortcuts	X		X
Resource Center	X		X
Product Documentation	X		X
Consultants and Solutions	X		X
Provide FileMaker Feedback	X		X
Check for Updates	X		X
Register FileMaker Pro	X		X
FileMaker Forum	X		X
Service and Support	X		X
About FileMaker Pro (or About FileMaker Pro Advanced)	X		1
About FileMaker Pro Runtime (Displays if no custom About script is specified)		X		1
About <runtime solution> (Displays if custom About script is specified)		X		1
<Runtime solution Help script name> (Displays if custom Help script is specified)		X		X

1.	See Application menu command table.

 

 

Application menu command (OS X)	FileMaker Pro	Runtime
About FileMaker Pro	X
About FileMaker Pro Runtime (Displays if no custom About script is specified)		X
About <runtime solution> (Displays if custom About script is specified)		X
Preferences	X	X
Services	X	X
Hide FileMaker Pro	X
Hide <runtime solution>		X
Hide Others	X	X
Show All	X	X
Quit FileMaker Pro	X
Quit <runtime solution>		X

Ignored script steps

Because some features have been removed from the runtime application, some script steps are ignored by the runtime application. The ignored script steps are marked "No" or "Partial" for "Runtime solution" in the Compatibility section of each script step description. See Script steps reference.

Note  Open File returns an error if the specified file has not been bound to the runtime application. A runtime solution can only perform an external script if the external file is bound to the runtime solution.

Stored registry settings or preferences

Windows registry settings:

•	FileMaker Pro stores its registry settings at

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FileMaker\FileMaker Pro\14.0

•	FileMaker Pro Advanced stores its registry settings at

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FileMaker\FileMaker Pro\14.0A

•	The runtime application stores its registry settings at

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FileMaker\<solution name>\14.0

Note  The file extension for the runtime database files is registered at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.

OS X preferences:

•	FileMaker Pro stores its preferences settings in

com.filemaker.client.pro.plist

•	FileMaker Pro Advanced stores its preferences settings in

com.filemaker.client.advanced.plist

•	The runtime application stores its preferences in

com.filemaker.client.runtime.<Solution name>.plist