The benefits of upgrading to FileMaker 17

The benefits of upgrading to FileMaker 17 – GetSensor()

Ben Fletcher • 25 May 2018

One of the major benefits of the iOS platform is the huge number of built-in sensors for things such as motion tracking and GPS, etc.

FileMaker Go 17 now supports the pulling data from these sensors with the new GetSensor() function. Simply use GetSensor(parameter). Helpfully calling GetSensor (“available”), will pull back a list of all of the types of sensor available on the device. Here is a quick summary of the core ones:

Air Pressure (“airPressure”)
Step Counts (“stepCount”, “stepFloorsUp”, “stepDistance”)
Magnetic (“magneticField”,”compassMagneticHeading”,”compassTrueHeading”)
Altitude/Speed/Acceleration (“attitude”,”rotationRate”, “accelerationByUser”, “accelerationByGravity”,”speed”, “heading”)
Location (“location”, “locationValues”) and Battery (“batteryLevel”,”batteryStatus”)

How is this useful? There are likely to be lots of niche cases where this function is critical, to illustrate some simple examples:

If you had a custom FM Go App for measuring patient health then you could ask patients to use the App to submit their Step Count data alongside other qualitative questionnaires about their exercise regime.
It you had a custom FM Go App which had an especially performance intensive script which could take some time to run and might adversely effect battery life then you might want to warn the user if they are running low on battery and recommend that they wait until they are plugged in.
It you had a custom FM Go App used in the field by scientists then you could measure and record magnetic and air pressure without requiring additional information.

Need some assistance with writing a new FileMaker Go custom app or need some assistance with how to get the most out of FileMaker 17 platform? Call our team to find out more about the benefits from upgrading for a free, no obligation quotation.

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Google Sheets vs. Claris FileMaker: Why Spreadsheets Aren’t Enough for Serious Business Applications in 2025

by Ben Fletcher • 29 April 2025

Still running your business on Google Sheets? Spreadsheets are great—until they start holding you back. If you’re managing complex processes, critical data, or multiple users through Google Sheets, it’s time to upgrade.

Claris FileMaker Server 21.1.4 Update now available

by Ben Fletcher • 25 April 2025

The Claris FileMaker Server 21.1.4 update is now available and includes important fixes that address known issues from previous versions: Key Fixes 1. Field definitions incorrectly read from cache. A bug introduced in version 21.0 caused field definitions to be incorrectly cached, resulting in symptoms such as: Empty related fields Missing value lists and indexes “Insufficient privileges (error -9)” messages 2. Windows only: Server-side script sessions limited by CPU cores. Version 21.1.3 limited simultaneous server-side script sessions to the number of CPU cores on Windows. This impacted I/O-bound environments by unnecessarily queuing sessions. 21.1.4 resolves this by allowing up to 50 concurrent script sessions on Windows before queueing begins—regardless of CPU cores. These sessions may be triggered by schedules, OData, or Perform Script on Server (PSoS). Note: This behavior is not controlled by the AllowPSoS setting. Claris Recommends: To ensure system stability, it is advised to limit active clients to 40 - 45 simultaneous sessions. Exceeding 50 may result in delays, memory overload, or session hangs. Do you need assistance with upgrading? DataTherapy are pleased to announce that Claris FileMaker 2024 (version 21.1) managed private cloud hosting packages are immediately available. DataTherapy can provide scalable, managed FileMaker packages for businesses of all size. Full details of all of our packages can be found here . We can offer a range of a variety of enhanced options such as domain management, custom SSL certificates, VPN, VLAN, disaster recovery and integration with other technologies. If you need additional information on upgrading to the new release, advise on how to migrate your current on-premises FileMaker Server to the cloud, or would like to arrange a free trial of any of our packages then please don’t hesitate to contact our team .

Microsoft Access is Holding Your Business Back – Here’s Why You Should Switch to Claris FileMaker in 2025

by Ben Fletcher • 16 April 2025

Using Microsoft Excel for workflows and complex data management instead of a dedicated database presents several inherent problems. These issues stem from Excel’s limitations in scalability, data integrity, collaboration, automation, and security. Below is a detailed breakdown of these challenges and how a custom Claris FileMaker App can meet these challenges . . .