Elevate FM

We are happy to sponsor the Elevate FM conference in Toronto. This is an English speaking FileMaker conference in Canada happening from June 4 to 5th, 2026 in the Toronto Hilton hotel.

Currently you can get early bird tickets for $899 CAD, which is about $650 USD or 560 Euro.

I visited the conference last year and stayed in the Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, which was more affordable and in walking distance to the conference.

MBS @ FMTraining.TV - FileMaker MonkeyBread Plug-in 16.1 Release

Check out the FMTraining.tv website. Richard Carlton and his team do a daily free live stream about FileMaker to watch.

A few days ago Christian Schmitz from Monkeybread Software joined a live episode to talk a bit about the MBS FileMaker Plugin. Watch it on YouTube.

We talk about the new version 16.1 of MBS Plugin. Check out the announcement, the release notes and the new functions.

MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 16.2pr1

• Added FM.ExecuteSQL.LastParameters function.
• Added GMImage.AffineTransform function.
• Added JSON.FromToon function to convert TOON to JSON.
• Added Llama.LoadBackend function.
• Added Matrix.MBS function to call a MBS function with taking parameters from the matrix.
• Added Matrix.SearchAndReplace, Matrix.SwapColumns and Matrix.SwapRows functions.
• Added WebView.MoveFocus function.
• For script search, you can copy our search.html from the Mac plugin bundle to extensions folder and modify it. Please send back improved versions to us.
• Improved Preview.LoadContainer function to better work with non PDF files.
• Improved resilience for clipboard converter.
• Improved Saxon.XSLT to better pass parameters.
• Improved script search to be more professional and find scripts by ID. Thanks to Adam Augustin for the help.
• Updated jsoncons to version 1.6.0.
• Updated libexpat to version 2.7.5.
• Updated Xcode to version 26.3.

New functions in documentation

Download Links: Download Mac dmg or Download Windows/Linux zip

Downloads at monkeybreadsoftware.com/filemaker/files/Prerelease/:

You can subscribe to our FileMaker mailing list to get notified for new pre-release and release versions.

MBS FileMaker Plugin 16.1 News

In this article we want to introduce you the new functions from the MBS FileMaker Plugin in version 16.1.

Llama

AI is all the rage, and we're working to make as much of this technology available to you as we can. With Llama, we've added a new component to the plugin. This component provides functions that let you use a local LLM on your computer. This way, you can download a model, use it locally, and query it in a chat. You can learn more about how this works in our blog post Use Llama.cpp in FileMaker.

Reconnect 2026

Validate electronic invoices with Saxon

When you receive an electronic invoice in the formats ZUGFeRD, Factur-X, X-Rechnung or UBL, you may need to validate the XML file. You can use our DynaPDF functions to extract the XML from the ZUGFeRD invoice. Once you have the XML, you can do some automated validation. We leverage the XSL and XSD files coming with the ZUGFeRD 2.3 or 2.4 download. They provide a way to check both the structure with the XSD file as well as the content with the XSL file. The XSL file is based on the schematron file with all the business rules, but converted to a stylesheet for using it with the XSLT function. While the schema check makes sure you have the right nodes in the right places, the business rules define what can go in a field and how fields are related. 

MBS FileMaker Plugin 16.1 for Claris FileMaker - More than 7800 functions in one plugin

Nickenich, Germany - (March 17th, 2026) -- Monkeybread Software today is pleased to announce MBS FileMaker Plugin 16.1 for Claris FileMaker for macOS, iOS, Linux and Windows, the latest update to their product that is easily the most powerful plugin currently available for Claris FileMaker produce line. As the leading database management solution for Windows, macOS, iOS and the web, the Claris FileMaker Pro Integrated Development Environment supports a plugin architecture that can easily extend the feature set of the application. MBS FileMaker Plugin 16.1 has been updated and now includes over 7800 different functions, and the versatile plugin has gained more new functions:

Our Llama functions allow you to load a local large language model. You can query it like in a chat and receive answers from the model. You can both run queries directly as well as have the plugin manage chat history with the chat function.

You tried our script search on macOS and Windows within FileMaker Pro? We added grouping to show better which scripts belong together. You can collapse entries and copy the results to the clipboard.

We updated DynaPDF to version 5. Please note that DynaPDF 5 sets the UseTransparency option to false by default instead of true in version 4 and the UseImageColorSpace flag is now enabled by default, instead of disabled. The DynaPDF.ImportPDFPage function is included in Lite.

We updated the Phidgets functions to support current output and LED array modules. You can do animations and turn LEDs on and off.

On Windows we worked on the Dialog functions, so you can include text fields in a dialog. We added Dialog.SetTitleIcon to set the title icon. The SystemInfo.ADSystemInfo function can report groups from Active Directory. For printing web viewers we added more options for headers and footers.

The CURL library is updated to fix a few bugs we had in the last version. We enabled native CA to verify SSL certificates on Windows.

We updated LibXL and got new functions for querying conditional formatting rules. You can load an Excel file only to query the metadata. Please note that AddConditionalFormatting now needs an area in LibXL 5.1.

We improved our insert and update functions to better handle data types to avoid type mismatch errors. We added InsertOrUpdateRecords functions for FM.SQL and Matrix components.

For iOS SDK based applications, we now requires iOS 15.0 as minimum. We added more options for WebView.SetPrintParameter function.

On macOS you can use our find feature in custom functions and it can look into the custom functions to find things. Click on the list of custom functions, press command F to show the find bar and search custom functions based on their content.

More smaller additions:

• Use the Files.OpenFiles function to get a list of open files within the application.
• Use JSON.ToToon to pass JSON in a compacter form to LLMs.
• Use OCR.RenderPDF to output the image with recognized text into a new PDF file.
• Use Translation.DetectLanguage to detect the language of a text.
• Use GMImage.Profiles to check what profile data is available for an image.
• Use Files.ApplicationPathWithBundleIdentifier to find applications based on their bundle identifier.
• Use EnvironmentVariables.JSON to query all environment variables.

Finally we updated CURL library to version 8.19.0, DynaPDF to 5.0.0.7, expat to 2.7.4, libarchive to 3.8.6, LibXL to 5.1, openssl to 3.5.5, Phidgets, SQLite to 3.51.2, taglib to 2.2., Xcode to 26.2 and zlib to 1.3.2

See release notes for a complete list of changes. New functions in documentation.

Neues MBS Plugin 16.1 für Claris FileMaker

17. März 2026 - Monkeybread Software veröffentlicht heute das MBS FileMaker Plugin für Claris FileMaker in Version 16.1, mit inzwischen über 7800 Funktionen eines der größten FileMaker Plugins überhaupt. Hier einige der Neuerungen:

Mit unseren Llama-Funktionen können Sie ein lokales großes Sprachmodell laden. Sie können es wie in einem Chat abfragen und Antworten vom Modell erhalten. Sie können Abfragen sowohl direkt ausführen als auch den Chat-Verlauf über die Chat-Funktion vom Plugin verwalten lassen.

Haben Sie unsere Skriptsuche unter macOS und Windows in FileMaker Pro schon ausprobiert? Wir haben eine Gruppierungsfunktion hinzugefügt, um besser zu zeigen, welche Skripte zusammengehören. Sie können Einträge ausblenden und die Ergebnisse in die Zwischenablage kopieren.

Wir haben DynaPDF auf Version 5 aktualisiert. Bitte beachten Sie, dass DynaPDF 5 die Option UseTransparency standardmäßig auf false setzt, anstatt auf true wie in Version 4, und dass das Flag UseImageColorSpace nun standardmäßig aktiviert ist. Die Funktion DynaPDF.ImportPDFPage ist nun in Lite enthalten.

Wir haben die Phidgets Funktionen aktualisiert, um aktuelle Ausgangs- und LED-Array-Module zu unterstützen. Sie können Animationen erstellen und LEDs ein- und ausschalten.

Unter Windows haben wir an den Dialogfunktionen gearbeitet, sodass Sie Textfelder in einen Dialog einbinden können. Wir haben die Funktion Dialog.SetTitleIcon hinzugefügt, um das Titelsymbol festzulegen. Die Funktion SystemInfo.ADSystemInfo kann Gruppen aus Active Directory melden. Für den Druck von Web-Viewern haben wir weitere Optionen für Kopf- und Fußzeilen hinzugefügt.

Die CURL-Bibliothek wurde aktualisiert, um einige Fehler aus der letzten Version zu beheben. Wir haben native CA aktiviert, um SSL-Zertifikate unter Windows zu überprüfen.

Wir haben LibXL aktualisiert und neue Funktionen zum Abfragen von Regeln für bedingte Formatierungen hinzugefügt. Sie können eine Excel Datei nun auch nur zum Abfragen der Metadaten laden. Bitte beachten Sie, dass „AddConditionalFormatting“ in LibXL 5.1 nun einen Bereich benötigt.

Wir haben unsere InsertOrUpdateRecords-Funktionen verbessert, um Datentypen besser zu verarbeiten und Typkonfliktfehler zu vermeiden. Wir haben InsertOrUpdateRecords-Funktionen für FM.SQL- und Matrix-Komponenten hinzugefügt.

Für Anwendungen auf Basis des iOS SDK ist nun mindestens iOS 15.0 erforderlich. Wir haben weitere Optionen für die Funktion WebView.SetPrintParameter hinzugefügt.

Unter macOS können Sie unsere Suchfunktion in benutzerdefinierten Funktionen nutzen, um diese nach bestimmten Elementen zu durchsuchen. Klicke auf die Liste der benutzerdefinierten Funktionen, drücke Befehlstaste-F, um die Suchleiste anzuzeigen, und suche in den benutzerdefinierten Funktionen nach ihrem Inhalt.

Weitere kleinere Ergänzungen:

• Verwenden Sie die Funktion Files.OpenFiles, um eine Liste der in der Anwendung geöffneten Dateien abzurufen.
• Verwenden Sie JSON.ToToon, um JSON in kompakterer Form an LLMs zu übergeben.
• Verwenden Sie OCR.RenderPDF, um das Bild mit dem erkannten Text in eine neue PDF-Datei auszugeben.
• Verwenden Sie Translation.DetectLanguage, um die Sprache eines Textes zu erkennen.
• Verwenden Sie GMImage.Profiles, um zu prüfen, welche Profildaten für ein Bild verfügbar sind.
• Verwenden Sie Files.ApplicationPathWithBundleIdentifier, um Anwendungen anhand ihrer Bundle-ID zu finden.
• Verwenden Sie EnvironmentVariables.JSON, um alle Umgebungsvariablen abzufragen.

Schließlich haben wir die CURL-Bibliothek auf Version 8.19.0, DynaPDF auf 5.0.0.7, expat auf 2.7.4, libarchive auf 3.8.6, LibXL auf 5.1, openssl auf 3.5.5, Phidgets, SQLite auf 3.51.2, taglib auf 2.2, Xcode auf 26.2 und zlib auf 1.3.2

Alle Änderungen in den Release Notes.

Visualize electronic invoices with Saxon

When you receive an electronic invoice in the formats ZUGFeRD, Factur-X, X-Rechnung or UBL, you may need to visualize the XML file. You can use our DynaPDF functions to extract the XML from the ZUGFeRD invoice. Once you have the XML for one of the formats UBL or Cross Industry Invoice, you may want to convert it to HTML and show it in a web viewer.

We leverage the XRechnung Visualization Transformators project from GitHub. This project has a couple of XML stylesheets to convert our invoices to HTML. For this they first convert the UBL or CII XML to an intermediate XML and finally convert that to XML with a second transformation. All with XSLT with our Saxon functions. There is also an alternative output to produce a XML for Apache FOP to make it a PDF file.

Sechs Monate bis zur FileMaker Konferenz in Salzburg

In gerade mal sechs Monaten startet die FileMaker Konferenz in Salzburg. So langsam füllt sich die Konferenz und inzwischen steht auch das Programm.



Vom 13. bis 16. September 2026 treffen sich wieder ca. 120 Teilnehmer aus dem Deutschsprachigen Raum im JUFA in Salzburg.

Das FileMaker Konferenz-Team Jan Rüdiger und Corinna Mallitsch erwarten 2026 rund 120 Entwickler, Anwender, IT-Fachleute und Entscheidungsträger aus Wirtschaft, Bildung und Verwaltung. Rund um 24 Fachvorträge und Workshops wird es viel Zeit zum Vernetzen in den gemeinsamen Pausen und beim Abendprogramm geben.

Bitte bald anmelden um ein Ticket zu bekommen. Die Konferenztickets und die Zimmer im Hotel waren in den vorherigen Jahren schon vor der Konferenz ausverkauft.

Wir sind zu zweit vor Ort mit einem Stand. Kommen Sie vorbei mit Ihren Fragen zum MBS Plugin. Wir haben bestimmt eine neue Funktion, die Sie noch nicht kennen!

Logging Activities in FileMaker with MBS FileMaker Plugin

When developing a professional FileMaker solution, logging is an important part of maintaining stability, security, and traceability. Knowing who did what and when helps developers troubleshoot issues, audit changes, and understand how a system evolves over time.

With the help of the MBS FileMaker Plugin, you can implement powerful logging mechanisms directly in your solution. Below are several practical approaches to logging activity in a FileMaker system.

1. Log User Login and Logout

A simple but very useful step is logging when users start and leave the system.

You can do this by running scripts when the solution opens and closes. These scripts can store information such as:

• Account name
• Timestamp
• Workstation or host
• Database file

For example, a startup script can log when a user logs in, while a shutdown script records when they log out. This gives you a clear overview of user sessions and can help track usage patterns or troubleshoot problems.

MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 16.1pr8

• Updated libarchive to version 3.8.6.
• Updated CURL library to version 8.19.0.
• Enabled native CA for CURL on Windows.

New functions in documentation

Download Links: Download Mac dmg or Download Windows/Linux zip

Downloads at monkeybreadsoftware.com/filemaker/files/Prerelease/:

You can subscribe to our FileMaker mailing list to get notified for new pre-release and release versions.

MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 16.1pr7

• Fixed a problem with FM.TableStatistics function not counting JPEGs in container correctly.
• Added Dialog.GetTitleIcon and Dialog.SetTitleIcon functions.
• Changed the dialog functions to show picture in the dialog with input fields.
• Updated taglib to version 2.2.1
• Improved SSH tunnel for macOS/iOS to mark the thread with background priority.
• Changed JSON.Import to take "-" for the root table name and then only use the prefix.
• Changed XML.Import and JSON.Import to report an error if you pass invalid characters for the table name prefix or root name.
• Added GMImage.Profiles function.

New functions in documentation

Download Links: Download Mac dmg or Download Windows/Linux zip

Downloads at monkeybreadsoftware.com/filemaker/files/Prerelease/:

You can subscribe to our FileMaker mailing list to get notified for new pre-release and release versions.

FMTraining.TV series about MBS

Currently Nick Hunter runs a series at FM Training TV about using MBS Plugin for his document management solution.

It continues this week with more importing:

MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 16.1pr6

• Improved search in our search inside custom functions dialog, so we can search the content of the custom functions.
• Updated DynaPDF to version 5.0.0.4.
• Improved script search to better handle cases with thousands of scripts on Windows.
• Updated CURL library to version 8.19.0 rc3.
• Removed unneeded path empty check for XL.Initialize function.

New functions in documentation

Download Links: Download Mac dmg or Download Windows/Linux zip

Downloads at monkeybreadsoftware.com/filemaker/files/Prerelease/:

You can subscribe to our FileMaker mailing list to get notified for new pre-release and release versions.

Elevate FM

We are happy to sponsor the Elevate FM conference in Toronto. This is an English speaking FileMaker conference in Canada happening from June 4 to 5th, 2026 in the Toronto Hilton hotel.

Currently you can get early bird tickets for $899 CAD, which is about $656 USD or 566 Euro.

I visited the conference last year and stayed in the Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, which was more affordable and in walking distance to the conference.

Copy examples from documentation to FileMaker

Did you know that you can copy the text or XML from our example snippets?
And for the XML then paste it on macOS and Windows to your Script Workspace?

MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 16.1pr5

• Improved dialog functions for Windows to better handle placeholder text.
• Updated zlib to version 1.3.2.
• Updated taglib to version 2.2.
• Improved Hash.Digest and Hash.DigestFile functions to work with shake128 and shake256.
• Improved NSDate passing to return date with milliseconds, e.g. for Files.CreationDate.
• Added OutputType and Duplex as options for WebView.SetPrintParameter for iOS.
• Added HeaderTitle, FooterUri, ShouldPrintHeaderAndFooter and ShouldPrintSelectionOnly as options for WebView.SetPrintParameter for Windows.
• Changed Files.List, Files.ListAsJSON and Files.ListRecursive to accept a list for ExtensionFilter parameter.
• Changed the script search button on Windows to be the right side of the window and move with resizing.

New functions in documentation

Download Links: Download Mac dmg or Download Windows/Linux zip

Downloads at monkeybreadsoftware.com/filemaker/files/Prerelease/:

You can subscribe to our FileMaker mailing list to get notified for new pre-release and release versions.

French Speaking FileMaker Conferences

Dialogs with fields for Windows

We have our dialog functions in MBS FileMaker Plugin to quickly show a dialog in a calculation. Usually to show a custom dialog in FileMaker at any time to quickly report something to the user or to quickly ask a question with yes or no.

For example we can just ask with a Let statement for whether we should delete a file:

Let ( 

[

    _ = MBS("Dialog.Reset") ;

    _ = MBS("Dialog.SetDefaultButton" ; "Yes") ;

    _ = MBS("Dialog.SetOtherButton" ; "No") ;

    _ = MBS("Dialog.SetAlternateButton" ; "Cancel") ;

    _ = MBS("Dialog.SetMessage" ; "Delete the old file?") ;

    _ = MBS("Dialog.SetWindowTitle" ; "Backups done") ;

    _ = MBS("Dialog.Run") ;

    button = MBS("Dialog.GetButtonPressed")

] ;

    // 0 -> Yes, 1 -> No, 2 -> Cancel

    button

)