Re: Conversion Filemaker docs from Mac to PC

Fakke,

It's kind of hard to imagine a computer that's not connected to the net! :)
What could it possibly be used for, I wonder? ;)

With .zip file compression it's usually possible to split a file into
multiple parts for fitting across several floppy disks. I don't remember if
StuffIt had a similar feature, or if there are .zip utilities for the Mac
which run on OS 8. But, it looks like you were able to put the files on to a
Zip disk.

I was able to buy an IDE Zip 250MB drive for my PC (reads 100MB disks, too)
for about $2 on eBay. Yes, two dollars. It might be a worthwhile investment
for you, should you need to transfer additional files in the future.

Here's some important info:

1) There are two steps for your conversion. The first is to get them from
Mac format to PC format. The second is to get them from FileMaker 4 format
to FileMaker Pro 6.0 format.

2) Even if the files will fit uncompressed on a Zip disk, you might want to
compress them with Stuffit or a .zip utility, anyway, before putting them on
your Zip disk. This is because they are safely "encapsulated" this way and
will not suffer any weird conversions in the process of moving to the PC.
Some methods of transfer, for example, might consider the FileMaker files to
be "text" files and do (not-so) "helpful" things like converting line
endings and stuff like that.

3) You must use a Windows/PC-formatted Zip disk with your Macintosh

4) The .fp5 extension is for FileMaker 5 and above. Your files are coming
from an earlier version, so they should have the .fp or .fp3 extension
BEFORE conversion:

FileMaker Pro 7 thru 8 --> .fp7
FileMaker Pro 5.x thru 6 --> .fp5
FileMaker Pro 3 thru 4.x --> .fp3
FileMaker Pro 2 and earlier --> .fm

5) You will need to make sure that all the files you are converting are in
FileMaker *Pro* 2.1 format or later, BEFORE transfer to the PC, or the PC
won't be able to handle them. I am not sure whether you said you had
FileMaker 4 or FileMaker Pro 4.0 (they are vastly different products).

IF you have FileMaker 4 (not FileMaker Pro 4.0) then you will need to do an
extra conversion step on the Mac:

a) Have your friend download
ftp://ftp.apple.com/filemaker/trial_software/fm/fm_21_trial.hqx to a Zip
disk.
b) Install and run the FileMaker Pro 2.1 trial software on your Mac.
c) Convert all your files to FileMaker Pro 2.1 by opening them with the
trial software
d) Add the .fm extension to each converted file.
e) Now try transferring the converted files to the PC.

Good luck!


"Fakke" <lammens.frank@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1152749850.344368.122330@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi groupmembers,

I'm very pleased with all your fast replys to help me out. Otherwise I
was a little bit brief in explaining what all my technical limitations
are:
Power PC Macintosh 6500/275 Mhz (Yes we're talking about the
stone-ages) OS8.0, 64M/HDD 4G
without ethernet connection, USB ports, Firewire ports. ONLY Mac
specific connectors aso. This baby has no modem inside (long time ago a
usal dial up modem on telephone lines (I threw it away) So no emails
possible at this moment.
If you remember this Mac, you would understand me that nothing can be
bought anymore for this machine (I tried allready years ago; or
incredible high prices, or not available no more).
Files are to big to put on a floppy disc, and I think not splittable in
several pieces!

On the other hand, at this moment no SCSI port on my PC. Zip drive is a
old Iomega 100M with SCSI cable.
What I tried allready with a friend who has both a good Mac AND a PC :
he tried to convert my files and emailed them to me WITH .fp5 extension
in the filename. When I open this files on Filemaker Pro 6, he displays
all content of the fields as strange characters (squares, points,...)
Second of all, if I try to open such a (extracted or straight; I have
both) file on version 6, my record amount goes from 352 to 1200
records?!???.
So maybe (I really can't judge this at this moment), is the conversion
phase, or in other words, the transportation from Mac to PC allready
done, but I can't use my files at all on my PC. Or the Zipped files are
corrupt, and I still have to take the original files from my older Mac
and do another trick.

It's a battle!
Fakke

Helpful Harry wrote:
In article <1152659188.940246.42120@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"TKnTexas" <tkntexas55@xxxxxxx> wrote:

This is really easy to do. I do not know the correct terms for the
older Mac OS. But here goes:

Close the files you want to move to PC.
Make sure that the file name excludes the ending .fp5 so Windows will
recognize it as a file type for Filemaker Pro.

Copy to the Zip Drive. Unmount the Zip Drive.

Connect the Zip Drive to the PC. Using FMPro6, open to view the Zip
Drive. Version 6 will open the files back to version 2.

That would work, except you forgot two things ...

- the Zip disk needs to be formatted as a Windows disk, not a Mac one

- the original question said the Zip drive was not a USB one
(for older Macs it's likely to be SCSI or possibly an internal IDE)

It still might be possible if the PC has a SCSI card or the drive can
be plugged inside the PC using IDE.


Realistically other options depend on what hardware you have access to
and the size of the files.

- borrow or buy a Zip drive for the PC

- borrow or buy a CD-R drive for the Mac, although you would
also need the burning software if the Mac is "too" old

- email the files to yourself on the Mac and collect the mail
on the PC

- use a Windows formatted floppy disk if the files are small
enough

- build a small network using a cross-over cable (if the PC
has an Ethernet card)

To make the files smaller you could use StuffIt / DropStuff on the Mac
and download the free StuffIt Expander on the PC. Or you could useone
of the Mac Zip applications and simply unZip them on the PC. Depending
on how old the Mac is, you might find these applications at
http://www.macorchard.com

Emailing is usually the simplest and chepaest method, unless the files
(even when compressed) are huge and you're stuck on a dial-up
connection.

If the Mac has PCI slots and the operating system is new enough then
you might be able to buy a PCI card with USB ports and use a Windows
formatted Flash / keyring / thumb drive.


Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)



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