.com Solutions Inc. - FmPro Migrator Bento to FileMaker Migration

Bento to FileMaker Title Graphic

[Note: The Bento to FileMaker migration feature has been removed from FmPro Migrator 5.68, since this feature is is now included in FileMaker Pro.]

Bento to FileMaker Pro User Guide (6Mb)

Converting Bento Tables, Data & Forms to FileMaker Pro

FmPro Migrator gathers schema info, data and forms directly from a Bento Backup .bentodb file - on Mac OS X or Windows. FmPro Migrator directly reads the database structure, data, relationships and forms within the contents of any Bento backup file to perform the migration. Users merely need to drag and drop the Bento backup file onto FmPro Migrator to start the migration process. Bento tables are created in FileMaker Pro by copying/pasting the table definitions or via ODBC. Bento forms are instantly converted into Layouts which can be pasted directly into FileMaker Pro/Advanced. Data from the original Bento database backup file is transferred into FileMaker Pro via importing of a UTF-8 compatible export file.

Drag & Drop Bento to FileMaker Image

Converting Bento Forms to FileMaker Pro Layouts

Converting Bento Forms Progress Dialog

FmPro Migrator displays progress dialogs as the Bento Backup file is being read and processed. Bento Libraries and related tables are converted into compatible FileMaker Pro database tables. Relationships are read and converted into new (simplified) FileMaker Pro relationships. Each Bento Form is read and converted into a FileMaker Pro Layout matching the theme used on the original Bento form. Field labels are arranged to the left of each field, with each field created having the original field background color and text font. The following screenshots show the original and converted versions of a Bento Inventory Library form:

Original Bento Inventory Form - Granite Theme

FileMaker Pro Layout - Converted From Bento Inventory Form

Bento Relationship Conversion

Original Bento Relationship

New FileMaker Pro Relationship

The Bento database schema utilizes separate join tables between the Library tables and the related records within Media, File, Address, IM or URL tables. In order to simplify the design of the new FileMaker Pro database, FmPro Migrator adds a foreign key column (fmig_fk) and populates this column with the values from the original Bento join table. FmPro Migrator automatically places portals on the new FileMaker Pro layout to utilize this direct relationship and display any number of URLs, Files, IMs or Addresses.

Primary Key and Counter Fields Converted to FileMaker Auto Enter Serial Number Fields

FmPro Migrator automatically determines the name and attributes for the Primary Key column within each Bento database table. Bento Primary Key fields are converted into numeric Auto Enter Serial Number fields within FileMaker Pro, having the Next Value, Unique and Not Empty field validation parameters enabled.
Bento Counter fields are also configured as Auto Enter Serial Number fields having the Next Value parameter configured, but since Counter fields are not Primary Key fields, the Unique and Not Empty validation parameters are not enabled.

Auto Enter Serial Number Attributes - Shown in FmPro Migrator Fields List

Pasting the Table XML code into FileMaker Pro Advanced has the advantage of automatically configuring each Primary Key or Bento Counter field as an Auto Enter Serial Number field, with the correct Next Value set for the field. If the table is created via ODBC, then these field attributes may be set manually after the table has been created.


Auto Enter Serial Number & Validation - Displayed in Field Options Dialog

Unicode Character Data Transfer - CSV/TAB Export

CSV/TAB Delimited Data Export Options Menu

FmPro Migrator exports Bento database data as CSV/TAB delimited export files supporting Unicode characters. Customers with localized versions of Bento to may use this feature to export non-ASCII characters to FileMaker Pro and other applications. Even non-localized versions of Bento may include Unicode and high-ASCII characters because it is easy to copy special characters into text fields using the Edit -> Special Characters... menu item.

Unlike Bento's CSV Form Export feature, FmPro Migrator exports data from every Library field, not just the fields displayed on a particular form. FmPro Migrator uses the hidden primary key field within each Library table to create relationships to the URL, IM, File and Media tables. FmPro Migrator also includes a TAB delimited file export feature, to support transferring Bento data to a wider selection of applications.

FmPro Migrator & FmPro Migrator Developer Edition Comparison

FmPro Migrator and FmPro Migrator Developer Edition Comparison Table Graphic

The above table compares the features available with FmPro Migrator/FmPro Migrator Developer Edition compared with the version of FileMaker Pro software installed. FileMaker Pro Advanced versions 8.0 and higher allow for copy/pasting of Table XML code via the clipboard. This method of creating tables during the Bento to FileMaker Pro migration process is the recommended method. Pasting table XML code via the clipboard retains the Auto Enter SN/Next Value field parameters gathered by FmPro Migrator from the original Bento database backup file.
When using FileMaker Pro (instead of FileMaker Pro Advanced), each new table is created by using an ODBC connection to the local FileMaker Pro database. The configuration of Auto Enter SN and Next Value parameters must then be completed manually within the Define/Manage Database dialog.

FmPro Migrator Developer Edition includes the added features of automating the creation of Relationships and Layouts within the new FileMaker Pro/FileMaker Pro Advanced database file. FmPro Migrator Developer Edition utilizes AppleScript(MacOSX) /WinAutomation(Windows) shortcuts to drive the FileMaker user interface in order to automate the creation of Relationships and Layouts. FmPro Migrator Developer Edition also includes a complete FileMaker Table Consolidation feature, which is documented in detail in the Table Consolidation PDF file.

Additional Bento to FileMaker Pro Migration Features and Benefits

• Quickly Prototype Professional-Looking FileMaker Layouts with Bento - FileMaker developers can quickly prototype new solutions using the stylish look and feel of the built-in Bento themes. Bento can be used to speed development with quick prototyping of GUI interfaces due to its auto-alignment of fields and labels. Developers can spend less time moving, aligning, or colorizing objects and let Bento perform this tedious work automatically. Need to change a form to use a different theme? Just change the theme for any of your Bento forms, create a Bento backup file, and drag & drop the new backup file onto FmPro Migrator. FmPro Migrator will then instantly read the Bento backup file and convert all the Bento forms into new FileMaker Pro layouts.

• Upsize Bento Databases to FileMaker Pro - Upgrading Bento databases to FileMaker Pro provides enhancements to performance, cross-platform compatibility, ScriptMaker scripting, security and multi-user capabilities. Up to 9 users can share a single file using FileMaker Pro 9 peer to peer networking, which is expandable to 250 FileMaker Pro client users when using FileMaker Server or 100 web users when using FileMaker Server Advanced.

• Customize FmPro Migrator Themes Files - FmPro Migrator creates its own Themes folder in the output directory the first time a Bento Backup file is converted. The Themes folder contains the Header.png and Background.png files used to create each Layout in the FileMaker Pro database. Changes to these files will be reflected in the the generated Layouts the next time a Bento Backup file is dropped onto FmPro Migrator.

	FmPro Script Diff FmPro Layout Diff FmPro Migrator CGIScripter