FileMaker 7 and web publishing...

[Justin Grewe]

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.

[Steve T.]

Hi, Justin! I don't work w/scripts much or IWP at all but my guess is that FileMaker Pro can control the user environment better and do things like switching layouts, but doing so on the web would be harder since it would require sending refreshes and what not, right? It could be because of the "state/statelessness" kinda thing and the layout switching is probably just for behind-the-scenes administrative manipulation and not for end-user stuff. I'm sure FM7 IWP is much improved (that's what everyone keeps saying) but I'm fairly certain it's still limited in many, many ways.

Hmm.. haven't seen Mariano Peterson posts in a while (.asp).

--ST

[Justin Grewe]

Steve,

But switching layouts is very important for the user whether it is on the web or in FileMaker because the user does not want to use the toolbar to go to the layout when they do not even know what layout they should be going to. It should be controlled, automated, etc. Its a joke that FileMaker didn't enable this in their "New and Improved" IWP when this is such a basic function.

Oh and Yeah, I have emailed Mariano about FMP.asp a while back asking about the compatibilty of FMP.asp and FMP 7 or FMP 7 server advanced and he has not replied. Maybe he is on another skiing vacation with his wife or something...

[Garry Claridge]

I love FM 7 for its relational development tools. However, I think that they have severely limited their web publishing ability

All the best.

Garry

[Keith M. Davie]

"But switching layouts is very important for the user whether it is on the web or in FileMaker..."

Well that is not true Justin. When one does custom web publishing with 6 and earlier one needs only one layout for the web solution.

Perhaps you should custom publish with 6 or earlier and export to 7 if 7 is REALLY needed.

See the other issue I mention in re your same post on the IWP forum.

I don't think 7 deserves a donut.

[Justin Grewe]

Yes, you only need one layout when you are creating all the layouts with Custom Web publishing useing programming languages and then storing all of the information in FileMaker by using it as a backend. This time, I want to use FileMaker exactly as I use it in FileMaker on the web. This should have been possible with IWP. If FileMaker could ever do this, I mean how hard is it to create something as simple as this???, than they would have a great product. We are wanting IWP to enable our department to just create a survey in FileMaker and then click a couple of buttons and walla, you have an online survey. Why should we have ASP/PHP developers working in our FileMaker department?

We cannot use both 6 and FMP 7 and export into 7 because we only have 3 servers. We have a lot of databases and need 2 of those if using 6. We just need to have either FMP 6 or FMP 7.

I do think the FileMaker deserves a donut. They need to get their act straight otherwise they will be losing a lot of business.

[bruceR]

"Why is it then that I cannot use a script that changes layouts on the web with IWP?"

This step is web compatible and it works perfectly in IWP. Maybe you have some other issues? Like not setting up the web privilege set to allow access to the layout?

[Justin Grewe]

I know the step is web compatible and works fine with IWP in that it does change layouts in FileMaker. But on the web, it does not change layouts with the step. Shouldn't the script mirror the results that happen in the FileMaker database on the web?

[bruceR]

There must be some other issue. It works fine. It changes layouts on the web page. There just isn't really a problem with this script step. Did you look into other issues such as the privilege set definition?

[Justin Grewe]

Bruce,

So can you confirm that you have gotten this to work on IWP? How do you have all your privlages and other settings?

Thanks.

[bruceR]

Yes. It works. It's dirt simple, RTFM on web privileges.

[Justin Grewe]

OK, got it, Everything is working fine now I think.

Thanks a lot.