Stefan Husch of Qutic Development


FileMaker Plugin Developer: Qutic Development

Number of Plugins: 6 FileMaker Plugins

When did you first start using FileMaker?

Back in 1993 with FileMaker 1 on a MacIntosh Color Classic.

What made you start making FileMaker Plugins?

In 2003 we started with plug-in development for a product called iptcBatch, an innovative caption writer software for photographers. We needed things like double click, better window management or writing native jpegs or tiffs. None of the existing plugins were able to accomplish these features – so we started with plugin development.

Do you use any plugins created by other people? If so which ones?

We did in the past, but today all needs are satisfied by our own plugins.

Which of your own plugins do you feel is your best work?

I think FM-iCal-Connector is the best, because of the integration of iCal into FileMaker and the innovative way of doing it: FileMaker records are created automatically from iCal data – with one call of a plugin function. Easy for the customer to use, but hard work under the hood to get it done!

Do you think making plugins cross-platform is important?

It depends. For the moment only one plugin is cross-platform (the second is coming soon), the others are MacOS X only. Most of our clients are companies who only uses Macs. And we love it to develop on a modern UNIX system – all you need for development is still there.

What do you think of FileMaker adding features that come from Plugins? Such as Printing to PDF and Script Triggering?

Writing plug-ins is a way to extend FileMaker because of missing features. If FileMaker is adding that feature (and make it better) – that is fine! Were will be always features FileMaker developer will miss – a good start for doing new plugin development.

OK, they should never do iCal integration into FileMaker ;-)

What do you think the next feature originally come from a plugin FileMaker will add will be?

I don´t know. FileMaker is always going their ways – not hearing to the community.

Do you think Free plugins harm companies who sell plugins?

No. Companies and even end users running plugins need support and continuity a developer of free plugins cannot afford.

What features would make the next version FileMaker perfect?

A lot:
  1. Deployment: Easier deployment (not only) for runtime solutions. Building a solution with command line scripts.
  2. Stability: Fixing bugs first before adding new features – that should be always the case.
  3. Database integrity: We want to be sure that the database is not corrupted. Building a database with command line scripts.
  4. MVC: Split the data from the view and make the product real MVC (Model View Controller) compliant.
  5. Speed: Speed up database queries. Ever deleted a 100.000 record set? Done that with MySQL or SQLServer? You know what I am talking about…
  6. FM lite: A stupid client without any development logic.
  7. Linux Support: Running the server daemon on Linux.
  8. …

Any tips for people who want to make a FileMaker Plugin themselves?

Learn C, Objective-C, C++ and start writing code. And test it – always! Better: write your tests first!

And a last word: If you want to make the big money with plugin development – forget it ;-) It is more a contribution for the FileMaker community.


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