Images and http expres header

[Karl Kuehn]

I have inherited a FMP Unlimited project at work and have to solve some problems we are having with it. My number one issue to solve at the moment is improving performance on our (necessarily graphics heavy) site for customers on dial-up connections.

To this end I am looking for a way of setting a http expires header on all of the graphics that go into the site. This has to include both the static images on the page, as well as the images from the database. This will allow our customers to cache the images so that they can get around the site better.

Anyone have pointers for me?

[Unable]

Don't jam your db with images. Serve them by reference. Images eat db memory, memory which can be put to better use.

[omiossec]

Filemaker Web companion is poor web server, and you can not st up costum header. In order to do that you need to use at least the WSC on IIS or apache, or use tool like bluewordl lasso or JSP that allow you to modify header in your page.

[Anatoli]

RE: Filemaker Web companion is poor web server...

In fact, it is poor for something and great for something else. Lasso depends on WC to get data from FM and in that WC is just great and fast, very fast!

WC is not designed to be full-blown web server and in other aspects is plain lousy.

[Steve T.]

RE: Filemaker Web companion is poor web server...

Hi, folks! I suppose WC is not the greatest web server, but I'd like to say that IMHO, it is more than enough for many FMP users, especially the non-tech, non-developer users. The Web COMPANION to FileMaker allows folks with very little background knowledge to put their db's on the web without too much trouble. Adventurous intermediates can pick up CDML rather quickly and do a lot of really cool stuff. Those already familiar with HTML will find it a breeze.

Is it a fully functional, highly secure, web development solution? No, not even close. But I agree with Anatoli that it was not designed to be a full-blown web server. I think of it as a niche solution. Even I grumble about it once in a while, but I just wanted to encourage any newbies out there reading this to go ahead and start using Web Companion without worrying about whether or not it's worth the trouble of learning... I think it is. Just be careful not to do credit card or confidential stuff while you're starting out.

I think folks outgrow FMP WC but IMHO it's still a good place to start. Happy publishing!

--ST

[Unable]

There are ways to go that are a lot more expensive than FMPro, but if you are not creating a site which will need the power and memory (and how many servers?) of eBay ...

And if you are, but it will take you a while to get to that level, and capital is short right now ...

Well I guess I'm with Steve on this one. And Anatoli's right as well. "WC is not designed to be full-blown web server...". FMI will tell you they are in the DataBase solutions business, not the web business. But they want to sell licenses. So my guess is they are in the licensing business and not the database or web business.

[Anatoli]

RE: So my guess is they are in the licensing business and not the database or web business.

I don't care much about FM licensing business unless their software is not performing

Then we are not buying any more licenses

I was testing for myself FM Pro search speed. The setup was FM 5.5, WC <--> Lasso 6.0.4, IIS on Windows 2000. So the machine have to send request from IE 5 to IIS, IIS to Lasso, Lasso to WC, WC to FM. FM will find the records, send the first 20 to WC, WC to Lasso, Lasso to IIS, IIS to IE.

From 200,000 records find around 150 records and display first 20 records with links

First -- Previous 20 -- Next 20 -- Last.

The same thing like in real life: find me group of products e.g. Monitors from all products you are selling.

I've got very interesting result:

In FM, 202 219 records (all records)

Found set 178 records (e.g. monitors)

The times in seconds are amazing:

0.063 sec

0.062 sec

0.047 sec

0.079 sec

0.062 sec

Those times where calculated in Lasso, because FM doesn't have milliseconds. Times are the total time for the Lasso -- WC -- FM -- WC -- Lasso part of query.