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A script in Filemaker that changes layouts...


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I am very confused with IWP and FMP 7 in a sense that I was told 7 is attempting to make IWP almost a mirror of the FileMaker database and that 70 or so scripts work with it. Why is it then that I cannot use a script that changes layouts on the web with IWP? This is just a basic function. Although the script step is web-compatible and that it does perform the step in FileMaker database, it does not do it online. Also, I tried to maybe have a script step that opens a URL that has a -lay as the parameter, but there is not such parameter with IWP? How am I supposed to use FileMaker 7 and IWP to web-publish even the simpliest of datbase solutions if I can't use such a simple script step as this? I am coming from a high PHP/ASP background with custom web publishing with FMP 6 but now that 7 is out my supervisor has said that he would like to try IWP since it was quicker and easier to develop. Also, does anybody know if FMP.asp works with FMP 7 or FMP 7 advanced server?

Thanks.

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"I was told 7 is attempting to make IWP almost a mirror of the FileMaker database and that 70 or so scripts work with it."

Do you know if ScriptMaker in version 7 is multi-threaded? I know that in 6 and earlier it is single-threaded, which creates problems for web usage. If it still is single-threaded, then all scripts used on the web should be rigorously tested with a minimum of a half-dozen near-simultaneous requests made over several tests.

In addition to the web, there are issues in 6 and earlier with multiple ScriptMaker event requests in a peer-to-peer environment. If those issues continue in 7 then it should follow that the IWP "mirror" will suffer the similar issues.

I laugh and laugh...Improvement or the smoke and mirrors of hyperbole.

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Keith,

I know that globals now work in the same way as when sharing over a LAN connection in that every web user gets their own global field. This shows that FileMaker was thinking about scripts over the web and that I am sure they have fixed all of those issues that have arose in the past. But this post isn't about the problems of concurrent scripts. I am concerned as to why I cannot use the change layouts script in Filemaker and have it work on the web. How else am I supposed to have the user use FileMaker on the web in the same manner as they use it in FileMaker as IWP is supposed to do.

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"This shows that FileMaker was thinking about scripts over the web and that I am sure they have fixed all of those issues that have arose in the past."

Oh I would not be so certain of that.

Reason One: the issue is the engine which drives ScriptMaker. Through version 6 it is single-threaded. To resolve that issue FileMaker would have needed to make the engine multi-threaded. I do not believe they have done that with version 7. You could always ask them.

Reason Two: In the past FileMaker had posted their position on using FM on the web. Basically it said that they are a db solutions company and the web does not figure strongly into their plans. Not only were they not planning on expanding the CDML tags, they seem to have eliminated CDML from version 7. Based on their past performance and their position statement, I strongly recommend that when you get the IWP scripts working you test them rigorously with multiple, near-simultaneous requests; unless only three people in the world will be using the site, and then not at the same time.

On the positive side, versions 4 through six all still work quite well with CWP (CDML) on the web, which makes an upgrade to 7 questionable at best. And if 7 is required for peer-to-peer solutions, I understand that copies of data gathered and stored in earlier versions can be imported.

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I have done a little IWP in FM7, and changing layouts via script seems to work fine. Some of my longer scripts seem to bomb out though, but most of that seems related to record validation messages which don't seem to work properly (or at least as they do from FM).

If I set error capture on though, I can trap for validation errors and get around this.

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Yeah, I got the layout scripts to work fine now. I am still concerned with what Keith said about if looping and other scripts will work with simultanous users clicking a button at the same time. I know globals with FM 7 are differnet now online, in that each user gets their own, but is other scripts like that two, in where the changes are only added to the database, instead of the changes being made instantanously, as in a loop sequence. Hopefully we will see more insight into these types of questions.

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I think it was before your times, but Keith Davie was Script-Over-the-Web man a couple years back and spent a lot of development time figuring out how to execute scripts safely over the web, so he got to know ScriptMaker pretty darn well. He even made his solution available commercially so interested parties could implement their scripts for their web solutions. I learned a lot from his (and others) posts.

FM7 is a major, major upgrade. Keith referenced FileMaker's position regarding the web, but I think they had stated that more to defend their existing product at the time versus where they were headed, despite how they phrased it.. Either that or they changed their minds because I don't think they could afford NOT to enhance FileMaker's web capabilities. By improving Instant Web Publishing, they have reduced the need for amateur/semi-pro Custom Web Publishing which had required a little more technological skills but not so much that you had to be a programmer/developer. I was in that niche and am now forced to go down/back or go up to pro-level scripting and web development.

With FM7 Server Advanced 's (IMO late) release, it's hard to evaluate whether IWP is really at a "good enough" level and to what extent scripts now function and how SA's arrival will affect FM web developers. I'm still somewhat steamed at CDML's demise.

--ST

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