FAQ

Which versions of FileMaker Pro does fmTrace support?

FileMaker Pro 19 – 26, on macOS 12.0 or later.

Why Apple Silicon only?

fmTrace hooks into FileMaker Pro’s ARM64 runtime directly to observe script execution. That machinery is architecture-specific, and there is no Intel build. The installer checks and refuses to run on Intel hardware rather than installing something that cannot work.

Is there a Windows version?

No, and there is no timetable for one. fmTrace is macOS only.

Do my recordings leave my machine?

No. Your recordings, your scripts and your field data stay on your disk. Nothing in a .fmtrace file is uploaded, and this website collects nothing.

The plug-in does make one kind of network request, and it is worth being precise about it: to activate or renew your trial it contacts our licensing server with a SHA-256 digest of your Mac’s serial number and the version numbers it is running on. The serial itself never leaves your machine. That is the whole of it — no recording content is involved. Privacy sets out exactly what is sent.

If you send us a recording as part of a bug report, that is you sending it, and you should read what a recording contains first.

Does the plug-in slow FileMaker down?

While a recording is running, yes — fmTrace is observing every step, and that costs something. The relative timings stay meaningful, which is what you are profiling for, but do not read absolute durations from a recording as if the plug-in were not there. With Track Scripts off there is no recording overhead.

How big can a recording be?

Keep it under roughly 100,000 executed steps. Past that the viewer gets sluggish, because it is drawing every one of them. Limits has advice on recording less.

How do I report a crash?

Email support@fmtrace.com with the crash report from ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/, your fmTrace version from the About tab, and your FileMaker Pro version. Community has the full list of what helps.

How long is the trial?

14 days, with everything switched on — the trial is the full product, not a reduced one. The download is not gated either: you get the complete installer and start the trial from the About tab in the fmTrace panel. The tab shows how many days are left and the date it expires.

Can I extend the trial?

Yes — email support@fmtrace.com and say what you are evaluating. Extensions are granted from the licensing server, so you do not need a new build: press Reload on the About tab afterwards and the new expiry appears.

Can I open an old recording in a new viewer?

Yes. The .fmtrace format has changed across beta releases, and newer viewers keep opening older recordings.

Where do I get told about new releases?

The Releases RSS feed, or the mailing list. New builds land often while fmTrace is in beta.