FMP 5.5 Unlimited keeps locking up

[wfryer]

I was running FMP 5.0 Unlimited since Aug 01 without any problems, publishing about 7 databases on the web with custom pages I made. I recently upgraded to 5.5 Unlimited and Filemaker kept on locking up on the NT server that was hosting it. I then moved it to a Mac G3 running OS 9 and it will run OK for a couple of days, then lock up again. I can't seem to figure out what is going on by looking at the logs. Any ideas or suggestions?

[Anatoli]

I am not upgrading to FMU 5.5 until such questions will be answered by FMI. I will also not recommend that upgrade to anyone.

[Will]

Are you running the latest version (5.5v3) of the web companion? See if the lockups are browser dependent - we had a problem with Netscape 6.2 locking up FileMaker 5.5.

Will

[mprime]

Welcome to the party. And its not a fun party. To this date I have reinstalled Mac OS 8.5,8.6,9.01,9.1,9.2.1 and 9.2.2 on the several servers trying to get Filemaker UL to not crash . I have stripped the extension set down to nothing. I have tried everything I can think of and am absolutely convinced FMUL is a unstable piece of garbage. I hate to bad mouth FM but their claims made about FM being a good web platform is not right. I know every type of software has its flaws but I have yet to see a week go buy without a freeze, system error or reboot.

Also get used to this answer to all of your questions: Have you updated Web Companion or FM to X.X.X?

So good luck I have been in the process of switching over to a more open stable standard but thats a hole new Unix world and a lot of learning to do.

[Vaughan]

I had FMP 4.0v3 start crashing and corrupting files on an NT server recently, after years of almost* faultless operation. The culprit was a newly installed virus protection program -- Macaffee I think. Took it off and all is well again.

*The only other time we had problems was when the volume that FMP lives on began to fill up. Freeing up a couple hundred MB fixed it.

[scratchmalogicalwax]

FMProU on it's own on a server with plenty of memory (and for Mac OS a reduced set of extensions) IS very stable, as I have said before on this forum I run two FMProU clients which have NOT crashed or been restarted since December 2001 and about 80 FMPro 5.0 and 5.5 LAN clients which crash very very rarely (sometimes due to other applications running on the client Mac/PC and not FMPro).

It took a long time to get to a good working setup and set of extensions etc for each type of setup (web or LAN) but once this was achieved everything is OK.

I'm not saying FMPro doesn't have it's bugs and problems - I have found many and heard about many more, FMPro also has it's limitations which we push every day on web and LAN applications - but to say it is garbage is plain WRONG, we would not have a traditional or web business if it wasn't for FMPro (and LASSO ) allowing us to get a "foot in the door" and get robust solutions to market and compete with the big boys (all our clients are UK blue chips). It will never be Oracle et al but it doesn't cost you $50,000 + either.

[Anatoli]

RE: but their claims made about FM being a good web platform is not right.

It is sufficient. Not perfect. There are problems with security -- we must develop our own syntax-based firewall.

Another problem is Web Server Connector. Frequently disconnects itself from databases.

We are running FMU 5. And FM server 5 and 25 clients all on Windows NT (servers and FMU) and W2K workstations.

Lasso probably helps great deal on web jobs.

As stability is concern -- FileMaker is one of the best behaving applications!

[mprime]

Look don't get me wrong. For one I was very frustrated up until last week FMUL has been unstable for me and after weeks of tweaking the machine to death Its somewhat ok.

FileMaker on its own is a great platform and yes I do believe and have personally seen and been involved with FM solutions that beat up the likes of Oracle and other large solutions from the ROI comparison and just plain better functionality.

There is a long way to go for the Web end of it to be stable and secure on its own with out a Lasso for users to pay for and deal with.

Heck My FM Server has not crashed for I dunno... and my FM Clients Never go down.

But When I see FMUL and WEB Comp. just plain disconnect for no reason or freak from a system extension (which I know isn't always FM's Fault) error then I get bugged.

like Scrath said "It took a long time to get to a good working setup and set of extensions etc for each type of setup (web or LAN) but once this was achieved everything is OK. "

Thats just annoying and time is money.

Yea garbage was a strong word ok so what I was P.off at the time.

But all in all FM's claims are as bad as their in box manuals. well maybe not that bad:-) I had a client ask me once if that was really the manual FM expected him to use to learn FM:-)

[scratchmalogicalwax]

all true . I also spent many hours shouting at my FMPro boxes till I got them right, I never had the same level of problems as you though.

Documentation is not a problem with forums and white papers on the web....flakey security is, Anatoli I agree; WSC is a load of old b******s as we say over here . I have never got it to work (what I consider) "reliably" (2 months untouched) for one reason or another....normally a different one every time.....I have tried it in every conceivable config on a Mac (classic) with WebSTAR and Lasso. I just don't think it is a particularly well written App (sorry Filemaker). What makes it harder to believe is the obvious thought and care that has gone into other parts of the application (!?).

Many more workgroup and enterprise database solutions will be / are available to the Mac user on the OSX platform. I would not want FMPro to miss out on a good opportunity to take their product into a new arena and build on their existing ones. They have a good product and a loyal user-base that many (PC originated) software houses would give their right arm for at present, it would be silly to loose it now......

Only time will tell I guess - bring on FMPro 6

[Anatoli]

One point: FMI was always producing software, which never lies. It was doing what it supposes to do nothing more, nothing less.

Then come web applications and we have complete different picture:

8-bit languages are not working

Security is week or nonexistent

Web Server Connector, starting with