Color selection - mac vs windows

[jcd1]

I develop my solutions in both mac and windows and sell them as separate versions.

I do all my graphic work on the mac side (photoshop) then develop the solutions on the windows side. The reason for this is mostly an issue of text variables being easier to adjust in the mac version after creating the solution in windows.

The most annoying problem I experience is the color selection options available on the windows side is so limited compared to the mac options (ie no: color picker, web safe selection etc.).

Am I missing something obvious in the windows filemaker environment?

FileMaker Version: Dev 6

[Reed]

I dislike the single window interface that FM uses on windows...

[CyborgSam]

I dislike... Windows.

I develop on the Mac as much as possible. I also design graphics in Photoshop. I'll proof them for Windows RGB so I can be sure the colors will look OK on Windows (Mac and Windows use different gamma's, a given color like 23,86,183 will appear darker on a PC than on a Mac.).

My cheap PC (someone's throw-away) has an old 1024x768 monitor, my Mac's LCD has 1280x1024. I'd develop on my PC more if it had more screen real estate.

FileMaker Version: 7

Platform: Mac OS X Panther

[jcd1]

Boy it's just irony...my pc is a throw away too. I use a Belkin switch so I can use my very nice sony trinitron for both. My throw a way is a compaq 4000 and is faster than my 3 year old G4 dual. I'll still take the G4. They said I could have the pc but not the monitor...I said OOOOOKKKKK cuz who want's to pay for that stuff when the're throwin' it away.

Kinda looks like I'm not missing anything here with the color options. wow, what fun, build in windows, move to mac to correct color and add graphics, go back to windows to bind it, then back to the mac to correct the wierd stuff from windows, then... i'm tired.

[CyborgSam]

I have three PCs, all throw aways. Unless my income takes a leap for the positive, I keep spending minimum money on the PCs & put more into my Mac.

On average, Mac users keep their computers longer than most PC users. There are many cheaply made PCs out there, but no cheaply made Macs. I define cheap as no-name components. A good PC like a Dell will last as long as a good Mac, I know folks running W95...

[jcd1]

The 2 macs I now use are numbers 11 & 12. With a wonderfull interlude with the starmax (wow what a tough old bird that was) it makes a total of 13 over a 20 year span (I actually still have my Claris Filemaker 1 manual on the shelf). If I have to buy a pc some day it probably will be a sony.

...reminiscing about the past is the first sign of senility, right?

[BobWeaver]

I still use my Starmax. You're right. It's a tough old bird. I put a big hard drive and a CD burner in it a couple of years ago, and it remains a good old workhorse (er.. workbird?).

[jcd1]

I tried to install os x on my starmax and it went to toast... (stupid is as stu...)

Sometimes I just get my cart before the horse while looking too far down the road.

Here is a completely off track problem I'm having that has me a bit confused. I have a potential runtime customer that want's a kiosk portal interface for employees to work with but he wants to break out of the kiosk and be able to administer the related databases in the typical non-kiosk interface. It's looking quite impossible to me but then I am really new to kiosk. Have you ever encountered this?

[SteveB]

There is no way to break out of a kiosk to a runtime. It is one or the other.

I recently switched from a kiosk to what I believe is a better solution...a runtime with kiosk-like features using Dacons MenuControl. It replaces FM's Menu Bar with one that I designed. When I switch files, I can easily replace the menu that's onscreen. Everything is still scripted for the user, but he can minimize the solution (on Windows) and regain his desktop. MenuControl made the solution look like any other Windows app, rather than something totally foreign.

Steve

[Reed]

If you create a kiosk solution, it will not act as a kiosk if you log in as an administrator. I have tested this using FMP7's relogin script step. When I switch between admin and non-admin accounts the interface switches between kiosk and normal.

[jcd1]

I looked at Dacons MenuControl and was impressed until I got to the pricing, $3500 for the unlimited is way beyond our plans unfortunatly. If it were just one customer it would be great but the solution is actually being designed for an industry with multple sales potential.

Thanks Steve

I'm going to try Reed's login solution,

Thanks to both of you for the posts.

[jcd1]

woops, I didn't scroll down far enough on Dacons page, 329.00 is a lot better. I do like the idea of clearing off those FM useless menus.

Thanks for the tip Steve.

[jcd1]

So Reed, do you think this is a Dev 7 improve, because I haven't had any luck with your sugestion.

[Reed]

I guess what I was talking about only works if you use FMP to open the file instead of the runtime app. Then the interface switches between kiosk and not. I guess if your customer won't have access to a copy of FMP, then it won't work.

However, another thing you could do is bind the solution twice once where you bind as a kiosk and once where you don't. Normally you would just use the kiosk runtime, but you could allow the customer to move the .fp5 file(s) into the folder with the non-kiosk runtime (removing the original .fp5 files from that folder) Then when you open that runtime, it will open the files with the normal interface.

I just tried that and it seems to work. Using FMD v. 6.04 on OS 10.3.3

[jcd1]

What I have done now is download Deacons MenuControl and I think I'll just sell the farm and go with that. It really does seem to be the best way to take control of this situation. One of the things I really have never liked is Filemaker advertising on my back. i can live with the splash at the end of the runtime,it's only proper, but showing all my customers what they are missing with a bunch of dimmed out menu items just kinda burns me. A lot of my customers just barely eek their way into computer awareness...god luv'm. I really hate having them more confused with useless menu items. Anyway before I ramble, there seem to be quite a few +'s for that $329.

[SteveB]

It really does change the look of your application. He will be coming out with a new version within the next 2-3 months with some exciting features: the ability to gray-out a menu item, and the ability to use valuelists as part of a menu.

If you need to change menus between files (which I do often), you'll need scripts and some easy logic to change and restore the menus. If you need to pop up a valuelist as a menu, you can fudge it. Let me know if you need help.

Steve

[tnissley]

I upgraded to FM6 and I can't get mobile FM 2.0 to work. I move the FM mobile into the FM 6 directory, but it still doen't work. What am I doing wrong? Do I need to buy the new verson of FM mobile or is there a step I am missing? Thanks in advance

FileMaker Version: 6

Platform: Windows XP