FME Form Releases

This is a short overview of recent FME Form Releases and what we see as important for Swiss users.

• Feature Highlights
• AI Assist Becomes a Plugin: AI Assist now runs as a plugin delivered through FME Hub.
• Rejected Port on the FeatureWriter: The FeatureWriter transformer now includes an opt-in Rejected output port.
• Insert Images into Annotations: Annotations now support inserting images by file upload, alongside existing text, so you can document workspaces visually and add visual branding instead of relying on text descriptions alone. Images are embedded directly in the workspace, so .fmw file size will scale with the images you add.

• Feature Highlights
• Native Looping in Workspaces: Native looping brings iterative workflows directly into the workspace authoring experience.
• JSON as a Full Format: JSON is now a full format with destination feature types and attribute schemas comparable to other FME formats. Support is included for multiple attribute data types, lists, nested objects, JSON blob fields, FME features written as JSON objects, and configurable document structures where root elements can be written as either objects or arrays.
• New Reader- OpenDocument Text (.odt): The new OpenDocument Text (.odt) reader enables direct ingestion of ODT reports, forms, and templates without DOCX conversion.

• Feature Highlights
• Row Numbers in Table Interfaces: Tables throughout FME Form now display a row number column, making it easier to reference, review, and troubleshoot entries in parameter dialogs.
• GeometryNameSetter, GeometryRemover, and GeometryExtractor now support targeted geometry column selection. A new GeometryCopier duplicates geometries under a new name, while FeatureMerger and FeatureJoiner can preserve separate geometry columns when combining streams.
• New Reader and Writer for ESRI File Geodatabase: Built on GDAL’s OpenFileGDB driver, this new reader and writer improves cross-platform compatibility (including macOS (Apple Silicon)), adds support for newer data types (Date, Time, Larger Integer), enhances geometry handling, and improves performance while remaining compatible with existing File Geodatabase feature sets.
• Data Caching: Users can now view caches during a running translation, allowing them to inspect data in real time without stopping the workflow.

• Feature Highlights
• Better Python User Experience - External Editor User Flow: The Python scripting experience is now smoother and more modern with direct VS Code and PyCharm integration.
• Optional Input Ports: Transformers can now run without a connected input feature, eliminating the need for adding placeholder features from a Creator.

• Feature Highlights
• Redesigned Menus and Updated Terminology in Workbench, Data Inspector, and Quick Translator: Top-level menus across FME Form applications have been simplified, with clearer, more consistent language.
• AI Assist: AI Assist is your built-in, context-aware FME expert that offers instant, reliable guidance by drawing from trusted sources, such as documentation, community posts, and Knowledge Base articles.

• Feature Highlights
• Databases - Write Schema-Only Tables: this is along awaited functionality. always create tables in databases, no matter if there are no features. This streamlines schema-only migrations, allowing users to replicate database structures from source to destination without requiring data.
• Database Case Control — Table and Column Names: Users can choose to convert names to uppercase, lowercase, or keep the original case while ensuring compatibility across different database systems.