Using FileMaker Pro Advanced > About creating runtime solutions (FileMaker Pro Advanced) > Differences between the runtime application and FileMaker Pro (FileMaker Pro Advanced)
 
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.)
•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.
•macOS: Apple events are supported in runtime applications.
•Additionally, runtime applications don’t support:
•the ability to Save/Send Records as PDF files
•FileMaker Pro Advanced features
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.
•external SQL data sources (ESS), ODBC import, or the Execute SQL script step
•charts
•OAuth identity provider accounts
•the JSON functions (see Working with the JSON functions)
•specifying cURL options in the Insert From URL script step
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 macOS
Runtime in macOS
Get Started
X
 
X
 
New 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 use Save/Send Records As PDF or Snapshot Link. However, macOS users can print the current record to PDF by choosing File menu > Print.
2. You can’t use Send a Link to Database.
3. Press Ctrl+Shift (Windows) or Option-Command (macOS) 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 macOS
Runtime in macOS
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 macOS
Runtime in macOS
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 macOS
Runtime in macOS
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 macOS
Runtime in macOS
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 macOS
Runtime in macOS
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 macOS
Runtime in macOS
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 macOS
Runtime in macOS
<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 macOS
Runtime in macOS
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
Bring All To Front
X
X
X
X
<Names of open windows>
X
X
X
X
 
Help menu command
FileMaker Pro in Windows
Runtime in Windows
FileMaker Pro in macOS
Runtime in macOS
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 Community
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 (macOS)
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 runtime settings or preferences
The runtime application stores its registry settings (Windows) or preferences (macOS) in the following location.
•Windows: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FileMaker\<solution name>\16.0
Note  The file extension for the runtime database files is registered at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.
•macOS: com.filemaker.client.runtime.<Solution name>.plist
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