I called FM Tech Support today about these issues.

[BruceJ]

I broke down and burned up a tech support call today regarding some issues. Here's what I was told:

1. Fonts blurred - that's a feature not a bug (I anticipated that answer)- "just increase your font size until it's not blurry anymore" What - 72 pt?

2. Lag and "stickiness" in Layout Mode: They hadn't heard of any problems with this - it must me my four computers I tried it on. (I suggested they ought to do a search on this fourm - he said maybe somebody from FM will check the fourm, but the tech support folks have never heard of it).

3. Instant Web Publishing - Sometimes a list layout will show up with misaligned fields in the browser - again - must be al of the nine computers I tried this on.

4. Instant Web Publishing - Open New Window just takes you to another view, does not open another window - they guy wasn't sure if it was supposed to do that or not.

5. Number of Hosts that FMPro client will support: Hard coded to only allow 5, users will get error message it more than 5 users - couldn't tell if this was 5 guest plus one host, or 5 including the host.

Well, I ended up not much better off for calling, no problems solved, just problems confirmed.

Version: v7.x

Platform: Windows 2000

[davids_lot]

HI - One of your issues I maybe can help on - the font issue.

having developed FM Databases for 10+ years on both Mac & PC the font problems have been around for sometime, to be fair to filemaker this is not of their making (albeit they have a lot of questions to answer on other issues re V7) - No1 tip is to use a font that displays the same on Mac & PC - top tip is that Verdana seems to be the best one - albeit it's best not to display it at less than 10 point size . - this leads on to the layout issues being mis- aligned this is also a font issue - I have re done all my layouts to the above font (I actually did this 2 years ago) and font issues on conversion to v7 were minimal

Hope this helps - David

[Hurican]

I definitely agree on the font that is best for cross platform functionality is Verdana. Has been my favorite font for a long time. :-)

[CyborgSam]

I also agree about Verdana for cross platform. Other fonts change their layout between platforms. Make some field labels and fields on one platform and look at it on the other: often the labels will appear closer/further from the field on one of the platforms. Verdana 12 regular and bold look the same on both to the pixel!

Verdana is a bit spaced out, good for screen readability, but other fonts do this better in less room. The Lucida Grande in Mac OS X has quickly become a favorite of mine, too bad it isn't cross platform...

[Fitch]

Arial at 11 pt is reliable cross platform.

[davids_lot]

I aint going in to all the issues that bruce mentioned tonight but another issue is that file conversions leave a lot to be desired...

Pointers that I have found are this:

Any FM Dbase that was created in v6 converts OK ( albeit it still needs font mods and restructuring in to v 7)

any previous versions ( 4,5,5.5 ) have lots of probs to convert to v7

I have a v large d base originally created in v 4 and has been upgraded over the years from 4 to 5 to 6 etc . without probs, but the conversion to 7 has been my biggest nightmare - the links are lost - relationships are lost etc .... I emailed Tech support over major issues and they confirmed nowt..... it is probably FM's biggest upgrade and their worst thought out conversion - this scenario reminds me of Microsoft's upgrade of Word from 5.1 to 6 , when MS had to have a menu built in to use Word 5.1 menus ( Someone might rember it!)

Dave

[Echo33029]

I don't believe that this font problem is a cross platform issue and it has not been around a long time. This is new to FM7. In varying capacities, I have been a FMP user/developer since 1990 on both Mac and PC and this is the first time I have seen this problem.

Concerning the slow response in layout mode,I have noticed that the csrss.exe process hogs the CPU (70%) when trying to move objects around on the screen. Filemaker.exe hogs another huge amount of CPU at the same time. All this is while my mouse is stuck and I cannot even move it around. This also happens in Browse mode, just click the background a few times and see how slow the response is.

[davids_lot]

HI in response to what you said -the font issue is the same as it always has been, but OSX in particular renders fonts in a much more accurate way than a PC and this is some of the font problems - the other issue that the program hangs, for want of another expression, is that filemaker looks for associated files in a different way (Both Mac & PC) and cant find them the only way to resolve this. is to re-align the file associations dave

[Echo33029]

Dave,

I am not sure if we are talking about the same things. The fuzzy fonts issue is definitely a FM7 thing. Just check the forums for numerous complaints.

About the program hanging, this has nothing to do with any interfile relationships. This is a brand new file created in FM7 with only one table and one field,no relationships, one layout. Add fields, text, buttons to the screen and try moving them around. The system hangs and lags pretty bad.

Echo

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Regarding conversions, there are a number of specific issues to be followed including file references, passwords, scripts, Go To Related Records, record locking, etc. to name but a few. The behavior of all of these has changed, in some isntances dramatically.

See the tech briefs:

http://www.filemaker.com/upgrade/techbriefs.html

HTH

Steven

[davids_lot]

Hello Steven

thanks for the advert

I will check out the Filemaker site as soon as I am let out of the house.

Many Thanks

Dav id

[Aussie John]

You can adjust the font size at which text smoothing will not operate and how heavy the effect is.

(system prefs/appearance)

Remember to restart filemaker to see the effects.

I have it set to turn off below 9 point and that seems good

[CyborgSam]

Again: FM7 has its own built in font rendering engine. Settings for font smoothing in Mac OS and Windows have NO effect in FM7.

Version: v7.x

Platform: Mac OS X Panther

[BruceJ]

Thanks guys,

The Font issue wasn't a cross platform issue, it was the fuzziness of the fonts. Echo was right on the mark.

The slow response time in layoutmode/hanging/lagging - again Echo was on the mark.

My frustration is that the Tech Support was as much help as a one legged man in a butt kicking contest. I guess I was under the delusion that they would take these issues seriously and actively pursue a solution.

At least I can be understood in this forum, even if the solutions are not.

[rogermax]

I sure haven't fond anything in my OS that helps. Besides every other app I run has the text rendered very crisp. Nice and sharp. The fonts in FM7 look like crap. This IS an issue that my users, mostly in the printing industry really care about. They just won't look at the screen with it like this. That means fewer sales. FMI needs to give us the choice to switch it off. I have sent my feelings throught the FMI channel, but I doubt I will ever get a response.

Version: Developer v7

Platform: Windows XP

[CyborgSam]

My Bad... When I said:

"Again: FM7 has its own built in font rendering engine. Settings for font smoothing in Mac OS and Windows have NO effect in FM7."

I erred. FM7's font renderer does respond to font smoothing settings on the Mac. I verified this with screenshots & Photoshop.

The state should have said:

FM7 has its own built in font rendering engine. Settings for font smoothing in Windows has NO effect in FM7.

On my XP with FM7, I used screenshots & Photoshop to verify this. A user informed me that his XP definately responds to ClearType, I'm hoping to get screenshots so we can track this issue down.

[spb]

Back on fonts, the cross-platform font issues discussed are true (and the Verdana tip is a good one). But this is not the original complaint about FM7. What is different in 7 is that they are anti-aliasing fonts now. This will make large fonts look nice & crisp, but paradoxically will make smaller font sizes fuzzy.

If anyone is familiar with Photoshop, you can make a test font layer & turn anti-aliasing off and on to see what is happening.

Most graphic or layout software has a preference that can be set for this, Quark for example. You can set it to turn anti-aliasing off for font sizes below a set amount (ten points, for example). By adjusting a pref like this to your monitor and/or screen resulution, you can end up with sharp-looking fonts at all sizes.

FM7, as I understand it, now anti-aliases all fonts, *regardless* of size, with no user control. Thus point sizes of ten or less will go fuzzy for everyone.

At the very least, FM should allow a developer to set a document pref to simply turn this on or off. Few developers make layouts with lots of big type on them. Most of us need lots of tiny field labels & etc.

Steve Brown

[rogermax]

At the very least, FM should allow a developer to set a document pref to simply turn this on or off. Few developers make layouts with lots of big type on them. Most of us need lots of tiny field labels & etc.

Precisely my point. I have tried ClearType settings. They have, so far as I can tell, no effect on the type IN FM7, the ClearType settings have effect on everything else, menus, OS rendered fonts, etc. I am soooo glad I can turn that off. Please FMI, save our eyes! Let me turn off this "feature". (and yes, I have sent that plea to FMI)

Version: Developer v7

Platform: Windows XP

[hayesk]

Just to add some perspective. I was skeptical at the anti-aliasing of small fonts, but they look pretty good on my screen. (Helvetica 9pt on Mac PowerBook 15")

Maybe MacOS X has a better font "smoother", but I really can't complain.

[Jocul]

Just to add, I never noticed the fuzzy fonts in early versions. Also I find that even using the darkest setting the characters are more grey than black.

And the last point(vent). Is I don't understand how come the fonts are fuzzy but if you have a drop down in the field the list in the drop down is nice and clear!! aarrgghhh!

[shadowdoc]

I agree with echo...this font thing is new to FM7 and so is the layout problem. Please see other posts of mine concerning the font problem and help of CyborgSam with the screenshots. I certainly wouldn't consider this a "feature" of FM7. If so, it's a feature causing me to delay rollout of a database solution until a service patch is released. I have also experienced weird behavior when I try to move a graphic or field around a layout...I get a circle with a line through it not allowing the move...go figure.

As a follow-up...I checked my file again and ALL fonts, regardless of typeface, look blurry up to 18 pt, beyond which they look fine. These same fonts display perfectly, however, in drop down menus. My graphics also look a bit fuzzy and the layout response time is very sluggish.

[Ken Newell]

I converted a large solution (87 files) without losing any relationships. It too has been around a long time from v4 days. Did you convert the files one at a time or as a group?

FileMaker Version: Dev 7

Platform: Mac OS X Panther

[Billy from Holland]

Hi,

It's not only the fonts we are talking about. I've made some buttons by adding a 16x16 point picture in FM 6, and if you blow up the picture, you see in version 6 the perfect sharp lines in the picture.

And in version 7, the picture is hardly to recognize!!

So, any parameters for fontsettings has nothing to do with it, it has something to do with the whole renderingsystem in FM7.

[CyborgSam]

Billy->

I assume the 16x16 pictures were made in something like Photoshop and pasted into FM7. If so, this adds yet another issue: bitmaps are blurry. FM7's built-in rendering engine definately renders fotns and vector graphics, I don't think anyone had yet tested it on bitmaps.

FileMaker: fix this ASAP!

[Billy from Holland]

Hi Sam,

Yes, the pictures were made as you suggested, I've made them with paintbrush and copy/paste them into the layout of Filemaker.

Did you tested it as I discribed?

[DrRoebuck]

I have several bitmaps in the database I'm currently converting. They look fine.

HOWEVER, as standard practice I use the "Insert" command for bringing any and all graphics into a FileMaker database, as this will keep my b**t covered when developing cross-platform solutions. If your bitmaps are blurry, maybe try inserting instead of copying/pasting.

And for the record, the fonts look terrible. PLEASE let this be fixed.

[shadowdoc]

As a general rule, what is the best graphic format to use in FM ? I have always used clipborad PICTs or imported TIFFs, but recently have started using 256 color GIFFs which look fine and have the benefit of background transparency. Any thoughts from those with more experience ?

[BruceJ]

I've been trying to use PNG and GIFFs. I'm not certain how friendly they are to the network though. I know in previous FM version, FM native graphics were the optimal.

[DrRoebuck]

I use JPEGs for every graphic I insert into FileMaker, because of the true color, small file size and, most important, cross-platform compatibility.

FileMaker Version: 7

Platform: Windows XP

[Billy from Holland]

I don't have any experiance with Apple, so I don't know what effects I have if my applications shows on them.

As far as I can see, the bitmaps works perfectly well in FM6-Windows by copy/paste them from PBrush, even the file-size is small and working on a network it performs perfectly well.

And then we've got FM7 ;-((

And there is so much work to do to transform my applications into FM7, but I'm not able to start yet.....

[Robert Vorselman]

BruceJ said:

1. Fonts blurred - that's a feature not a bug (I anticipated that answer)- "just increase your font size until it's not blurry anymore" What - 72 pt?

Version: v7.x

Platform: Windows 2000

I received an email today from Filemaker Netherlands that they are working on an update for this problem.

Grt.

Robert

FileMaker Version: Dev 6

Platform: Windows XP

[Misnomer]

MOUSE-DRAG LAG

I am having this issue as well, though in my case filemaker pro.exe shoots to roughly 50% processor usage, and not cscsrss.exe as in Echo33029's case.

That's 50% CPU usage just because I'm holding down my mouse button in whatever view.

Did anybody find a solution for this one yet?

Any clues are welcome, thx,

Misnomer