Converting single or multiple files

When you convert files from FileMaker Pro 11 and earlier to the FileMaker Pro 12 format:

  • use the single-file conversion method for standalone database files that don't display related data from other files

  • use the multifile conversion method to convert a database composed of multiple related files or when you want to convert many files quickly

If a filename includes a period (.) other than the one that precedes the filename extension, remove it. If a period exists in a filename, FileMaker Pro won't add the .fmp12 extension to the converted file.

Converting a single file

  1. Close the file you want to convert.

  2. Choose File menu > Open and select the file to convert.

    Or, drag the file to the application icon.

  3. In the Conversion dialog box, select Rename old file as and enter a new name if desired, then click OK.

    It's not necessary to rename the old file if it includes the filename extension, because your converted file will have the new extension.

  4. Enter a filename for the new file, then click Save.

After the conversion starts, you can save time by clicking Skip when the index is being re-created, which postpones indexing until later.

Converting multiple files at once

  1. Close all files you want to convert.

  2. Create a new, empty folder for the converted files.

  3. Drag the files or a folder of files you want to convert to the application icon.

    When multiple files from separate folders are converted, all converted files are created in the same folder. The original files' locations are not preserved. To make converting files easier, convert all the files from a multifile relational database at the same time. After the conversion, you can move either set of files into a duplicate of your original file structure.

  4. Choose Open all files and convert when necessary.

  5. Click Specify, choose the folder you created in step 2, then click OK or Choose.

    6. Important  Do not choose a folder that contains any of your original files. If you do, the converted files may be renamed (by appending a number to the filename) to prevent the converted files from replacing the original files. This renaming of files could cause data sources to convert improperly, which affects relationships and other features that rely on data sources.

  6. Click Open in the Open Multiple files dialog box.

After the conversion starts, you can save time by clicking Skip when the index is being re-created, which postpones indexing until later.

Viewing the Conversion.log file

After you've converted the files, you can use a text editor to open the Conversion.log file located in the folder that contains your converted database.

The Conversion.log file contains a journal of the conversion process that you just completed. It contains status messages that indicate the different file components that were converted. It also may contain error messages that indicate areas where you may need to make manual corrections to the converted files before testing them further.

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