Database complete, Question is how to publish it on web?

[kulmansam]

I have used file maker before and I am familiar with internet.

I have just finished updating a database (about 1374 records), I would like these to be available to my clients on line for viewing or printing.

How do I go about doing that?

I have read the books but they seem to confuse me more than anything.

I am willing to dedicate a computer for static page publishing.

However, we are out in the country side the best we can have on internet is 26.4kb on 56kb modem!!

Any kind of help and information will be appreciated and noted.

Thanks

[tlsparker]

You can publish your database on the internet using the following options:

-Instant Web Publishing--this is the quickest and easiest but least flexible way. Produces "canned" web pages served by web companion.

-CDML--allows you to customize your web pages served by web companion.

-Lasso--a separate product from blueworld, gives you industrial strength capability to generate custom web pages that integrate and interact with FileMaker data.

There are also other third-party products similar to Lasso (WebFM and Tangor are a couple that come to mind). JDBC is yet another option.

To get you started, there are several tutorials out there. Check the following:

www.briandunning.com

www.fmwebschool.com

www.advancedsoftwaretraining.com

Also, the FileMaker, Inc. site has links to many resources at www.FileMaker.com

Or: there are many consultants paying attention on these lists who will be more than happy to get you started or build your site for you. Simply making your data available on the web would not require very many hours from an experienced programmer. Security, complex queries, variable access to data are what adds time to these kinds of projects.

Tom Parker

[email protected]

[The Bridge]

One other option, considering the speed of your connection and the fact that you just want to present the data for viewing/printing, is to generate canned HTML pages using ScriptMaker. Not exactly a dynamic solution, i.e. you'd have to generate/upload pages each time you updated the database, but again considering your connection speed and user needs this may suffice.

[kulmansam]

To Tom P,

Thanks for that clear guidance in your response.

1. However, I do not have the "Instant Web Publishing" option appearing in any of my menu or sub menu options. I have enabled Web Companion {File, Sharing, check to enable Web Companion, Set up views, selected Lavender}

Then went to {Edit, Preferences, Application, Enabled web companion etc}

Restarted FMP5, still no sign of Instant Web Publishing option in any menus.

2. Could some one tell me what CDML is? I went to cdml.com and all I found there was a calculator for download.

3. I will check out LASSO and see what its about.

But I would like to try what should supposedly have (since I don't have money to spend for third party programs at this time).

If some one can tell me what I did wrong or what else I need to do to be able to use Instant Web Publishing.

Thanks

The Bridge,

Thanks for your input too I have already saved portions of the file as HTML and published it on the web.

But I would still want people to be able to search the database without having to navigate through all the portions of HTML files and browsing, coz we are talking of more than a thousand files/records and I would just want to make it easy

But thanks and your advice already taken

[kulmansam]

One more thing,

When I am connected on internet, and I start FMP5, the internet connection icon lights up twice to show that there is some data transfer. Should I be concerned? or is that because of the TCP/IP port check??

Also incase this may be of any help, I am using WindowsME currently, the database program will finally be transported to cemetery compute which runs Windows98

[ January 04, 2002: Message edited by: kulmansam ]

[tlsparker]

If you have enabled web companion and set up sharing via web companion, your database should be ready to view with a web browser. You will not find a web companion function in the FileMaker menus--you interact with your file using a browser like Internet Explorer or Netscape. Read closely chapter 14 in your manual (assuming you are using FileMaker 5).

If you are testing locally (not on a network or over the internet) set your URL to http://localhost. If you have configured web companion for port 591, use http://localhost:591. This will bring up your web companion home page and here is where you set up your pages. You must have the file(s) open and running for web companion to see them. The help menu in FileMaker provides more details than the paper manual.

CDML is a proprietary FileMaker programming language that allows you to integrate commands that interact with your databases with an html document. CDML is command line programming, just like raw html. You can find more information about CDML at the FileMaker site.

Good luck and give a holler if you have more questions.

Tom

[email protected]

[kulmansam]

Thank you very much.

I tried the local host thing with http://localhost:591/ the problem is you had it like this http://localhost:591./ ( with a period after 591, I'm sure it was not intentional), it just would not pull up.. I restarted the machine and finally Itried it without the period and it worked

Thanks again. I really appreciate it.

Now at least I know one part is working and I can move to the next step.

I have already downloaded the utility (from fm site)to make customized webpages, you know the CDML utility.. yeah thats it.

Thanks Tom.

I sure will come back in the future when I have problems, or maybe to help some one else who might have same issues as I have had..

Regards and happy new year.