Read-Me for Conversion Issue Report™
What can MetadataMagic's Conversion Issue Reporting Tool do?
Using the advanced technology of MetadataMagic, the Conversion Issue Report locates possible instances of conversion issues within your FileMaker Pro database files. This is an efficient alternative to relying on testing to find all cases of (sometimes obscure) conversion issues.
What's a Conversion Issue?
FileMaker Pro 7 includes a converter for .fp5 files. Although this works well for simple solutions, the very significant change from fp5 to fp7 can cause many converted solutions to behave incorrectly. These "conversion issues" can, in some cases, be predicted in advance by examining the metadata of the fp5 files. In addition, some of these issues are difficult to detect with testing alone, hence the need for an assistant such as MetadataMagic's Conversion Issue Reporting Tool.
The FileMaker Pro 7 electronic documentation includes "FM 7 Converting Databases.pdf," which is a good starting reference for solution conversion. However, any general written description of changed behaviour will not be solution specific.
The Conversion Issue Reporting Tool (CIRT) in MetadataMagic has been developed to search for specific instances of known conversion issues in any solution.
We expect that the CIRT will be updated to include new issues as they are found and reported, as well as refinements to make the issue report more specific and minimize false positives where possible.
The CIRT includes links to the "Conversion Issues Database", which is separate from MetadataMagic. The CIRT will work without the Conversion Issues Database, however the full issue descriptions will not available without it.
Resolving Issues
The "Conversion Issues Database" includes suggested resolutions for many issues. Some of these resolutions are easiest to apply before converting your solution to fp7, others must be applied after conversion, and a few require changes before and after conversion.
Other documents are available (via the FileMaker and NMCI web sites) that describe migration strategies in detail; a common thread is that it will often be most efficient to convert, test, make changes in the fp5 files, and convert again. As a result, it is important to perform the conversion during a time when you do not need to add additional features to a solution.
Installing the "Conversion Issues Database"
For best results, install a copy of the "Conversion Issues Database" folder at the same level as the MetadataMagic folder.
For example:
Hard Disk
-- FMPStuff
---- Conversion Issues Database
---- MetadataMagic
If you are developing multiple solutions, you can have one copy of the Conversion Issues Database and multiple MetadataMagic folders, eg.
HardDisk
-- Development
---- Conversion Issues Database
---- MdM GenesisAccounting
---- MdM MP3s
---- MdM UserFriendlys
---- MetadataMagic
---- zMdM TimeShare
How to use the Conversion Issue Report Tool
- Process your solution as usual using MetadataMagic
- Check for updates to the CIRT on the New Millennium web site: http://www.newmillennium.com
- Click "Build Issue Report"
- Click "OK"
If you do not have the Conversion Issues Database installed in the correct location, you may be asked to locate "Conversion Issues.fp5" and/or "Conversion Reference.fp5"
To resolve this, place the "Conversion Issues Database" folder at the same level as the MetadataMagic folder (not one within the other).
If you do not have the "Conversion Issues Database", you may download it from http://www.nmci.com, or click "Cancel" when you are asked to locate "Conversion Issues.fp5" and "Conversion Reference.fp5".
Interpreting the Conversion Issue Report
Each issue record includes a link to the suspect item so that you can examine the item in context.
To view the details for an issue record, click the button at the left end of the row in the Issue List.
Each type of issue is given an Impact rating and a Confidence rating.
The Impact rating is an estimate of the severity that the issue will have on the solution. Cosmetic issues are given a low rating, while issues that can cause incorrect calculation results or otherwise prevent the solution from working are given a high rating.
The Confidence rating is an estimate of how accurately the issue can be located by the CIRT. In some cases, the confidence is high as there is little chance that a false-positive will be found. In cases where there is a good chance of false-positives, the confidence rating is low.
Where possible, each issue record includes a link to the Conversion Issues database which explains in more detail how the issue manifests itself and what the repercussions may be. There may also be a link to the Conversion Reference database where the changes in behavior are described. In some cases, more than one issue or reference record may apply -- scroll the portal to view.
MetadataMagic and the Conversion Issue Reporting Tool are products of:
New Millennium Communications, Inc.
1332 Pearl Street
Boulder, Colorado
80302 USA
In association with:
Sigma Seven Systems Ltd.
Box 98
Mill Bay BC V0R 2P0
Canada
MetadataMagic web page
www.newmillennium.com
MetadataMagic email contact
plug-ins@nmci.com
Copyright and Trademark Notices
MetadataMagic is ©2004 Sigma Seven Systems Ltd. All rights reserved.
©2004, Sigma Seven Systems Ltd. All rights reserved.
MetadataMagic and MetadataMagic_PI are trademarks of New Millennium Communications, Inc.
FileMaker and ScriptMaker are trademarks of FileMaker, Inc.
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Other trademarks are of their respective owners.