CDML? PHP? ASP? ColdFusion?

[halbj]

This may not be the correct forum for this question, but....

I have been using CDML and FileMaker for quite some time, and with the help of FM Forums, have produced some pretty nifty web applications that work well.

What I want to know is if there is anything that I am missing out on by not using other server technologies. If so what sought of things can the other technologies do that FM Pro can't.

If anyone has any info, or can point me to a good comparison, that would be great.

Cheers

[Garry Claridge]

I'm doing a lot more php/MySQL now. This is mainly because most hosting services offer these tools for reasonable prices.

php/MySQL can offer more security options. It can do a lot more data processing on the server rather than Javascript in the users browser.

FM is great for intranets where FM Client applications are used. It is also good if a limited amount of that data is to be available on the web.

Hope this is of interest.

Garry

[halbj]

Thanks Gary

My application is Intranet based at this stage and FileMaker is easy to use. I have setup an AMP environment and had a bit of a play - I would need to learn heaps before I could produce a good working app. ColdFusion looks powerful and easy to use, but is rather expensive - especially as we have shelled out for FM box set licensing.

The other consideration is that all our databases are already in Filemaker.

I may leave as is for a while......

thanks..

[Anatoli]

Try Lasso. You can work in your FM files and temporary tasks you can switch to built in MySQL.

IMHO -- Lasso is the best web engine.

[Steve T.]

Hi, Hal! Eventually, I'll probably be "growing into" php/mySQL, too, since we also host a an email / web server (Mac OS X Server running Apache) for about 300+ college clubs and organizations and they are more likely to want to work with mySQL.

AMP = Apache + MySQL + PHP

Right now, we are just using CDML (w/a few lines of JavaScript here and there) but CDML is what I call "reactive" or "passive" web databasing. You have to query the database before showing information as CDML is processed after an ACTION has been submitted (-find, -edit, etc.). This is frustrating if you want to show info from the database on your first page (such as a "top 5" or small find sampling or records). Sometimes, I would also like to store information in variables but cannot do that unless I finagle something with FMP fields (and globals are not safe to use for multi-webuser situations).

Personally, I may look into Lasso (which is supposed to be fully functional) on my own (not work) since it is like CDML but w/much more control and features.

IMO, FileMaker is a GREAT product, even web-wise, but I think of it as a niche product that developers tend to outgrow as they move on to harder, more complex solutions. As Garry mentioned, security is also an issue. Right now, though, I am quite happy w/CDML but adapting one of our solutions to work with other campus systems is invovling some PHP/JavaScript cookie manipulation that we cannot do with stock CDML. IMHO, FMP does not play well with others (on the web, at least).

Switching to an AMP is going to be somewhat alien, especially since it's been a LONG time since I worked on any kind of command line. Web Companion introduced me to web db's through an easy, comfortable, familiar route that I'd like to stick with for as long as possible.

--ST

[Anatoli]

RE: Personally, I may look into Lasso (which is supposed to be fully functional) on my own (not work) since it is like CDML but w/much more control and features.

CDML is Lasso 1.3. Lasso 6 and v7 was just announced.

Lasso is CDML + 700+ another commands. It is multithreaded, fast and you can even write your own tags. I am doing some my tags to more follow FM syntax like this example:

<?LassoScript

define_tag:'Right_',

// do the FileMaker function Right ( text , number )

// author: Lasso Talk

// usage: [Right_: text, number] or [Right_: '00000000001234', 6]

// returns: 001234

-required='inStr',

-required='nchars';

return:#inStr->(substring:#inStr->size - #nchars+1,#nchars);

/define_tag;

?>

[halbj]

Thanks for your input everyone! - It appears as though Lasso is the popular amongst FM users. I will give it a go. I have been convinced that ColdFusion offers the goods too - it is just the price that annoys me. has anyone had any experience with it?

Thanks again

Halski

[Steve T.]

Anatoli, that is SO COOL... custom tags... wow.

--ST

[Anatoli]

Thank you Steve

I am just begginer with Lasso stuff. You should see the masters!

IMHO -- CF doesn't have direct connection to FileMaker.

[Garry Claridge]

I have been working with a major project that has been built with Coldfusion and MS SQL Server. It is hosted at WebCentral. The hosting fees are not too bad for the size of the job.

The main developers are Red5 in Sydney.

All the best.

Garry

[soci222]

ColdFusion rocks

[Anatoli]

IMHO ColdFusion is overpriced, slow and with bulky code and not running on all major platforms and doesn't have FM connector.

Where am I wrong and why?