Which Product Do I Need?

[clz]

I am new to FileMaker Pro. I currently have a copy of FMP 5.5 and have been creating a database to track the work we are doing. My boss would like to have this on the Internet so our customers can view the status of their jobs and submit new work to us. I am not sure how many people will access this externally. I will only have approx. 10 people access it internally. Can I do this with 5.5 or should we upgrade to 6? What would Unlimited offer me? If we use Unlimited, what do the clients need to be running to access this?

Any help would be appreciated!

Cindy

[CobaltSky]

If you want to host the web application from your own server, then you would be wise to invest in a copy of Unlimited - which is basically the industrial strength web-server version of FileMaker. Applications you develop using the standard desktop version can be broadcast to the net using unlimited.

You can enable web sharing for test purposes from a standard copy of FMP, but it will not handle volume.

If you want 10 (or more) simultaneous users on your internal network, you should also consider investing in FileMaker server (which should run on a different machine from the one Unlimited is operating on). WIth this configuration, the databases can be run on FMP server, server to the web by unlimited, and accessed internally on your lan via desktop copies of FMP.

Clients accessing the database via the web will do so via a browser interface (the db will have to be designed with this in mind). It can be done using 'Instant Web publishing' which offers basic/limited functionality - or with the assistance of CDML/LDML/XML to achieve greater flexibility and control.

The above is true of both v5.5 and v6. From what you've said, the added features of v6 will not be crucial to achieving what you want (though the added support for XML may be a bonus).

[clz]

Thanks for the reply.

I have one more question. I currently have 4 copies of FMP 5.5. I need to purchase 3 more copies which will be FMP 6. Will I have a problem running 5.5 and 6 together or do I absolutely have to upgrade the 5.5 copies?

Cindy

[Kurt Knippel]

Filemaker 5, 5.5 and 6 all share the same database structure. The only problems you will run into will be functionality that is specific to 6 will not be available to the older versions.