Hi,
This situation can be confusing but it is actually quite easy to understand.
To make myself as clear as possible, I am not referring here to the basic "external" file format being "compatibel", i.e. an .fmp7 format file being "readable" by FileMaker versions 7.x, 8.x, 8.5.x and 9.x, but to the internal format that adds new functionality going from version 7 to 8 to 8.5 to 9...
Obviously whatever you program in FileMaker, in whatever version, is stored in the database file.
To access functionality programmed in version X, you need at least a version X FileMaker to access that functionality. FileMaker can obvioulsy not access functions from newer versions, they simply do not "exist" in the universe of the older version.
FileMaker however does not "disturb" anything it finds and does not "understand" (because it's from a newer version), it just disregards it. When you subsequently open the same file in a version new enough to "understand" the new functions, it just opens it and accesses the new functionality, as you might expect.
This behavior in a local database, extends to access of a FileMaker database through a FileMaker Server as well. A Server does not interfere with the "internal" format of the database at all, it just "serves" request from a FileMaker client. So accessing a database made in FileMaker 9 through a FileMaker Server 8 will show the new functions that are in there, at least in ScriptMaker, in Manage Database, in layout mode, etc.
Using the functionality in "browse mode" (read normal use) from a FileMaker client - even FileMaker 9 - however will probably not result in full functionality because FileMaker Server also does not "understand" the new functions, and therefore cannot answer requests for those. Usually new funtions just don't show up in old versions of FileMaker or in new versions of FileMaker when accessed through older Server versions.
You have to be careful about it, but this means that you can actually "work ahead" and put in some new features, that will show up once the users upgrade to a new version of FileMaker and/or FileMaker Server. Sometimes however this does not work.
Example: if you start grouping scripts in ScriptMaker in FileMaker 9 by the new group feauture, the script inside of a group will no longer be visible to any users of older FileMaker versions. Once the scripts are taken out of those groups (folders) the script can again be fully accessed by users with older versions, so there is no real "damage"...
To make a long story short...
Follow the "advise" of FileMaker and make sure that all versions working together are matched, to ensure normal, expected behavior of your database.
Hans Besjes
On 10/02/2008 22:25:33 Rob <improp RemoveThis @comcast.net> wrote:
> I wrote a program in Filemaker 9.0 and put it on Filemaker Server 8.0.
> When I transitioned to server 8.0 the new 9.0 client features did not
> work. So I assumed that I needed 9.0 server for the features to work.
> However, I open the file today and the feature from 9 was working, any
> idea whats happaning?
> Rob >> Stay informed about: Server 8.0 and 9.0 
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