web development

[YuChieh]

We have FileMaker Pro 6 Unlimited. We would like to extend our web sites to be database driven, dynamic sites. I am trying to figure out the best way to do it.

I used to use ColdFusion Studio as web development/programming tool to connect with SQL database and develop the sites. ColdFusion is pretty user firendly using plain English (programming per say). I am new to FileMaker. I wonder if there is any other programming tool that's similar to ColdFusion but for FileMaker Pro.

Our current system --

operating: Win2000 server

web hosting: external

web site: static information pages (using FrontPage to update text)

database: FileMaker Pro (main db), SQL server (a few small db)

Can anybody give me suggestions or pro-con list of various development tools? Lasso Studio? PHP? ...?

Thanks

[Steve T.]

Hello! FM6 used proprietory CDML technology based on a separate full-fledged product called Lasso. I've seen a Dreamweaver plug-in or something that recognized CDML code, but I actually prefer not using it since it substitutes a CDML CODE icon wherever there is CDML. I would rather just see the code in my layout. I have not heard of any other CDML-aware product. CDML is fairly easy to learn and can handle most of the basic FM functionality.

I am not familiar with XML, but this may be the route you want to take, however, if you want to be able to adapt your solution to newer versions of FM as CDML has been discontinued in FM7. FM7 is a major upgrade that has changed many things, especially in the web publishing department. IMO, PHP is a great option, whether you write your own code or opt to use Chris Hansen's FX.php class.

A quick trip to the Macromedia website tells me ColdFusion is a tag-based markup language, too, so CDML/XML/Lasso may not be a difficult transition for you.

Personally, I like CDML/FM (and a little JS) for web and end-user combination solutions, and I like PHP/MySQL for web-only solutions.

--ST

[YuChieh]

Yes, ColdFusion is tag-based. So far, I think Lasso is the closest tool to CF. I checked PHP briefly, too "programming" like to me.

We currently use FrontPage for static pages. I tried to insert some database output using FrontPage, so far it only works on SQL db, not for Excel, not to mention FileMaker Pro even I set up ODBC connection. Do you know if FrontPage can handle complex database driven web pages well?

Thank you for the information.