Otherwise, there is a lack of new developments, except for two template kits Filemaker released, the most recent one is a “survival kit” for students. In general, the template exchange is the only place with constant activity.
There is no known progress on Bento 4 to report, which is slightly disconcerting. I was really hoping on a similar schedule as last year – didn’t happen. We users are waiting for some simple features that are years overdue – notably styling of fonts. So the wait continues…

I do have one bit of positive news: I’m using Bento almost daily again, mainly to update my various tennis adventures. I added and edited lots of form elements, and I didn’t have a single crash in recent months. Filemaker didn’t eleborate ever on this, and there was no news about it in the forums – but somehow those few little updates to Bento 3 didn’t just fix bugs but also added program stability. Knock on wood…

Once Digestive has been launched there will be a further announcement on the BentoUsers site.

Simon

Back to my daughter’s athletics: I created two Related Data fields side-by-side to compare results from 2008 with the ones from 2009. For this to be useful, both fields have to display the records in the same order.

Strange behavior #1: as long as I browse library records in sequence everything’s fine. But the moment I use split view and choose a record in the middle of the pack the display in the Related Data fields gets out of order AND they don’t match up anymore! Now it’s become useless for me.

Strange behavior #2: the same happens with the new Simple List field. The only good thing is I only need one field instead of two since I can enter the results from both years in the same field. So they match up at least, but still get out of order.

Strange behavior #3: Simple list field again.
You are supposed to be able to copy and paste data (says the user’s guide). If you paste spreadsheet data in Table View, all the data gets automatically distributed in rows and columns. You can’t paste something into an empty Simple List field at all. And if it has only a single cell it puts all the data in that one cell! So first you have to create enough cells so the pasted data will fit. That shouldn’t happen!

Strange behavior #4: Simple List fields again and again…
In general I like to avoid scroll bars in Bento, because they’re simply ugly. I try to design my templates so they fit on the screen, and the list fields so they contain all the data I need – all without scroll bars. It works most of the time, just takes a little extra work.
The Simple List field has two bad display problems: it shows a (redundant) empty row (for new data) even though it has a “+” icon for adding a row, and it displays an empty column (called “new column”). You can resize the empty column, making it a sliver, but whenever you restart Bento, it’s full size again! All the other List fields retain the width of their cells, NOT the Simple List field!

Strange behavior #5: Form View.
Recently I duplicated a form, because I wanted to make slight changes for displaying the final record of a collection. The duplicated form is supposed to be a separate entity. But in this case Bento 3 maintained some kind of a link between the forms. I made my changes to the duplicate and when I went back to the other form, it was messed up. SOME of the changes to the duplicate had also effected the original!

Enough for today. I will amend this article whenever I notice more of this unexpected behavior. Please also report similar problems right here.

As I commented before: Bento is just not doing its part when it comes to consistent or expected results – especially for power users.

I read all versions of the Bento user’s guide from cover to cover, I was an award winning beta tester for Bento 3, I am using Bento for countless ongoing and archival projects, both personal and business. I’ve learned to use most features to the extreme and to my advantage to create highly useful, informative, and visually pleasing Bento Libraries.
By now, I’m also experienced in finding workarounds for Bento’s shortcomings. But most importantly, I’m expecting Bento to cooperate. In other words, I expect a stable environment AND consistency: the advertised features have to work as described and should yield predictable results. And they really don’t in many cases. But that will be the subject of another comprehensive (power user’s) post.

Back to my problem over the weekend. I visited my daughter at college and gave her a copy of Bento 3. Then I wanted to give her the elaborate Library Collections I had compiled from her athletic prowess in High School. Databases of races and events from three sports: Cross Country Running, Nordic Skiing, and Track. Since Bento supposedly can export & import templates and data files, it should be a straight forward process, especially for a power user…
But first there is that huge (template) export/import bug that nobody but me seems to care about (see my previous report). The bug only involves the iCal and Address Book Libraries and their Collections. Unfortunately, my project ONLY consisted of iCal Events Collections. But I know exactly how to edit the exported Collection templates to squash the bug and make them usable on another computer. It just takes a lot of time. I start with a virgin database file, import the template to delete erroneously duplicated forms, collections and fields (I even forgot that last step this time). And since you can’t import any data into Smart Collections I also had to “convert” them to regular Collections before exporting the now “clean” template again. And this was the point where all the crashes started:

Bento 3 has a potentially great feature: you can now copy Forms within the same Library and its Collections. Now I am given a TOOL to convert a Smart Collection into a regular one, so I can import my data. All I have to do is copy all the forms from the Smart Collection into a regular Collection and then delete the Smart Collection before exporting the template.
After copying several forms successfully, Bento crashed all of a sudden when I ctrl-clicked a form to copy it! And after the crash the database file became so corrupt that Bento would not restart! So I had to ditch the database file and had to start over with a fresh one. And that happened over and over again, now triggered by various actions. I saved the template a few times anticipating the crashes but I could never finish it before Bento crashed again.
Finally, I figured out that I could keep editing the template even after Bento crashed – because the application didn’t actually quit, even though the pop-up window said so…

But the final template file is not working perfectly – it displays some strange behavior, sometimes random, sometimes consistently – both are very annoying. At least just using the template and editing its data doesn’t trigger crashes… and until the Bento team fixes all the bugs, I can say I found another workaround I can live with, even though it doesn’t make me happy.

Bottom line: the new feature of copying forms is not stable! It was a last minute addition and should have been tested much more thoroughly. Make sure you work with a copy of your database file before you use it! It was clearly the main trigger of the crashes, together with the incomplete and misleading (template-) import/export function (I really call it a bug too). This function has to be totally re-designed, but at this point I’ve given up hope…

My clear verdict: even the newest version of Bento does not even come close to satisfy the high standards of a power user like me. And that has nothing to do with a lack of features. IMHO, it just has sloppy implementations of even the most basic features which I wlll explain in detail in my next post.

And I would rather wait longer for an upgraded version if it would mean that all features were tested more thoroughly before its release.

I will still give tips as well, but Gareth will do the actual work – thanks a bunch, my friend! I like the idea especially because it offers something that the new Filemaker, Inc. Template Exchange does not offer.

Gareth is a MSCE and a CCNA (computer specialists know what this means) and has been working on a Mac for three years. He loves Bento even more, after he found out that its limits can be overcome “… if you are clever and look beyond the problem. Ideas just keep popping into my head!” Gareth, I would like to add that you also have the tenacity to keep trying until you find the right workaround or solution!

The Gardening Template includes pretty much everything that you requested, Graham. If there are additional questions, please leave a comment right here.

Screenshot:

Click for a Larger View (Original Size)

Download: Gardening – Template

This does not replace the private Contact Form. But anything you want to share with other Bento Users should go here.

If an issue comes up that fits into another category I will create a post over there where we can expand on it even further.

Have fun and don’t hesitate to discuss any Bento issue you like.

I’m calling out to any other user, starting with my friends Dan and Barb, you know yourselves, how wonderful you are! I do appreciate the templates users have contributed. Keep them coming! But now I’m also looking for (regular?!) contributors. It could be a weekly column, the occasional tip or trick, special usage ideas, workarounds… pretty much anything. Even just someone who scours through the posts and leaves some comments on a regular basis. Point out the errors of my ways, make suggestions!

I hope I gave you some starting thoughts how to help out. Come out of the woodworks, get famous and help change the (Bento) world!

Thanks for listening…

Yours Truly, Lonesome Florian.

Whether you’re new to Mac or a database expert, join us for an overview of the newest version of the wildly popular personal database from FileMaker, Bento 2.

If you’re using Address Book and iCal to manage your contacts and calendar, see how Bento can bring them together. Learn how to make the most of the lists you’re storing in spreadsheets like Excel and Numbers. Or, if you’re ready to start organizing your busy life starting from scratch, we’ll show you how Bento can you help do it – the easy way!

Register today as space is limited.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009; 8:00-9:00 a.m. Pacific, 11:00-noon Eastern

Tuesday, March 24, 2009; 11:00-noon Pacific, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern

Where: On your computer over the Internet

HOW TO REGISTER
When you come to the registration page, click the “Register” link next to “Event Status” or at the bottom of your screen and enter your contact information. After your registration is accepted, you will be sent an email with the necessary event participation information, which will take place over your computer.

this is your new management talking. I’m excited to publish my first complete post! With my headline I wanted to suggest that I will only support Bento 2.03, the newest version as of this writing. Besides that I’m running it myself, I feel that serious users will upgrade no matter what. The simple reason for upgrading is that you don’t only get new features but especially bug fixes. That doesn’t mean that I don’t understand or respect why people DON’T upgrade. I was mad too that I missed out on the Black Friday special…

Now to give you some ideas, here is an excerpt of my Bento libraries and collections:

(Collections under iCal Events:)

• CC meets (of my daughter)
• Track meets
• Nordic Ski races

(New Libraries:)

• German Legal (dictionaries for my Interpreter job, many special collections)
• The Musical Director (compilations of 20 years of conducting; fancy forms)
• Sheet Music (…that I own)
• Home Improvements
• Home Inventory
• Theme font list (a list with samples of all fonts used in Bento themes)

I’m also using Address Book.

I would love to get your comments like your own special uses of Bento 2.

Florian

The bespoke themes are based on the existing Bento 2 themes so you choose the Bento theme and request a font name and sizes and whether you want the media field frame removed. You can also request a folder name for the theme chooser.

Essentially Florian will be duplicating the original theme, rename it, change the font data and the frame graphics, test it and wrap it all in its own theme pack.

Initially Florian would prefer for people to contact him via me so if you would like to take advantage of this kind offer please contact me and I will pass your request on to Florian.

The Three Big Changes

The New Table View

The new table view is much more flexible and more like a spreadsheet. You can copy and paste data into and out of the table view, there is a Fill Down facility to allow you to automatically fill fields in records with data from the rows above and you can now add new fields by simply entering text into the right-most column, no more creating fields first — just start typing or paste some data in. The new view makes working with tables much more like editing data in a spreadsheet and it is a great addition, especially for newcomers.

Changing Field Types

It is finally possible to change field types. For example, if you initially created a text field but realised that you are only storing numbers and want to change it to a numeric field you can now do this without exporting your data, creating a new field, deleting the old one and then re-importing your data. This is a massive time-saver and is a long-overdue and most welcome addition.

Click for a Larger View

Improved Import and Export Options

Bento 2 includes several new import and export options, including the ability to export template versions of your libraries. You can import and export data from and to Numbers, Excel or a text file. In addition, as mentioned above, you can also export your library as a template for other people to import and use. A clever feature of this is that if your library is linked to other libraries via Related Records Lists you can choose to export them too. This is a massive improvement and it finally makes sharing libraries possible.

Unfortunately there is a down-side associated with this and it highlights a major deficiency in Bento: the inability to export related data. If your template is based on two libraries and you decide to export the data from those libraries as well, any relationships created in the Related Records List are lost and you will have to manually re-map the data. This is totally nonsensical and a major deficiency.

Medium-Sized Changes

The New Split View

The new split view allows you to see both the table view and a form view simultaneously. One of the nice features about this is that you can now see, for example, photographs in the form view whilst you scroll through the records in the table view.

The Message List Field Type

There is a new Message List field type which allows you to associate emails with records in your databases. This also includes Quick Look and View in Mail capabilities. You can also link to RSS feeds and Notes in addition to emails.

Click for a Larger View

From left to right the buttons are:

• Show Mail (so you can drag email into the Message List Field)
• Remove selected mail message from the list
• Use QuickLook the view the selected mail message
• Open the selected message
• Show or hide the field you can display in the Message List Field

Smart Collections as Sources for Related Records Lists

You can now use a Smart Collection as a source for a Related Records List which is great but it is not as fully automated as I would have liked. You still need to manually select the records you want to include in the Related Records List and cannot simply have the records automatically shown.

The More Minor Changes

• Form editing is no longer done in a special ‘editing mode’.
• Some additional themes.
• The field list has been moved to the left-hand side of the application’s window, below the list of libraries, to make room for the main data display area.

• The Source List has been renamed to Libraries.
• The New Libraries dialogue is split into New Blank Library and New Library from Template sections.
• The Address Book library now includes the Picture field.
• The Related Records List control includes a Go to Related Record button (with option to return).
• Link to Google Maps/directions/etc. from the Address field in Address Book.
• Field label size can now be changed.
• A Fit to Width print option for the Table view.
• In Form View, you can now print more than one record per page.

Conclusion

Bento 2 sees some very worthwhile additions and they strengthen its position as a simple data storage and retrieval application. Whether they are enough to spend another $50 on is entirely up to you but if one of your must-have boxes has been ticked then the answer should be a yes. However I suspect that for many existing users there will be an element of frustration with this release and I hope that version 3 addresses some of the more commonly discussed shortcomings such as report generation, theme editing and synchronisation. I certainly cannot recommend that everyone rushes out to buy a copy of version 2 but I can also see that some of the new additions will make it an essential purchase for others. Perhaps more importantly however, FileMaker Inc. have made Bento more accessible to new users and hopefully now that this has been done version 3 will add some of the long-awaited enhancements and additions.

These days people are becoming more and more used to software developers being responsive to feature requests, quick to roll-out bug fixes and issuing regular software updates. Therefore when a company like FileMaker Inc. doesn’t follow what is seen as the standard practices people question it and want to know what is going on with the development of the product.

However the reality of the situation is that those companies which are faster to respond are generally able to do so because they are small and dynamic. Often when you email them to report a bug you are sending it directly to the developer of the software who can look at his source code, hopefully fix the bug and issue an update in the same day. The same person handles development, support, releasing the software, updating the web site, etc. These micro-ISVs, Independent Software Vendors, do what they do because they love developing great software and they love the relationship they have with their customers. Being able to fix a bug and issue a new version of their application gives them a warm glow and they know that being so responsive helps them to build a great relationship with their customers and that helps their sales.

However, with slightly larger companies and even with micro-ISVs it is more usual that the developer will fix several bugs and perhaps implement a handful of feature requests before releasing a new version. The simple reason for this is that building and testing a release of an application takes time, as does updating the web site, notifying sites such as MacUpdate and VersionTracker and, if there are significant new features, sending out press releases to sites such as TUAW.

Large companies such as FileMaker and Apple have many more procedures and processes to follow than the smaller, more dynamic companies do. Applications such as Bento are not developed by one person and development done by several people is always more complex than just one person writing and managing the code. There isn’t a lone developer who will prioritise a bug or decide to implement a feature request, instead there is a team of developers, a project manager, most likely a product manager, a marketing team and a long-term development road map which all have to work together to drive the product forward. No longer can a bug be reported, fixed and a new version of the software released the same day.

Understanding what is involved goes some way to explaining why companies such as Apple only release bug fixes for applications infrequently and why updates to products such as iWork occur on a roughly annual basis. It is simply too complex and costly a process to push updates out quickly. In addition new features are kept for full version updates, i.e. version 1 to version 2. rather than being added to ‘point’ releases, i.e. version 1.1 or 2.3, because if features are held back for full version updates then there is more justification in charging for them.

Now, going back to Bento specifically, we know that Bento has been a great success for FileMaker Inc. so it is safe to say that version 2 must be well into development by now. It is also obvious that the product will have an internal road-map and that the road-map will detail what features are going to appear in what version of Bento (it is likely that the road-map will cover not only version 2 but also version 3 and maybe version 4 and beyond). Therefore the lack of any of the features which are commonly requested in the Bento forums being issued via an update to version 1 is understandable. FileMaker Inc. want to make money out of Bento so encouraging people to upgrade to a new version (or, if they follow Apple’s model, simply asking people to pay a full purchase price again) is best done by releasing a new version which contains several new, compelling features which have been requested by many people.

However, what I don’t understand is the lack of any bug fixes since version 1.0v2 back in February. Taking one example, there is a bug which causes the CSV exports to be badly formed if you export text which contains double-quotes (see here for more details). I’ve actually provided a way for people to fix their CSV files but FileMaker have yet to issue a version of Bento with this fairly significant bug fixed. There are several other bugs that I know about and I sincerely hope that FileMaker are not planning on releasing version 2 of Bento as a paid upgrade and simply dropping support for version 1 because that leaves those people who choose not to upgrade with a buggy application. I would hope that if version 2 has to be paid for that they also issue a version 1.1 which resolves the outstanding bugs, or at least the significant ones.

Going into the future, I would like to see FileMaker Inc. be more responsive to bugs and issue more frequent bug-fix versions of Bento because users will not always wait for the next full version of a product to see if the bugs which have been annoying them have been fixed.

Footnote
The lack of updated to BentoUsers has simply been due to a lack of spare time. I’ve been very busy at work since June learning about Cocoa and writing my first Cocoa application (most of my previous development work was done using Visual Basic). Yesterday was the deadline to get my application finished for our biggest trade show, IBC, and so I will now have time to devote to the site again.