cant get Exit Application to work in IWP

[richgod]

Hi I am trying to use the Exit Application script step with a button in IWP.

I believe this is the best way to log users out and make sure the number of licenses does not exceed the limit (10) in my case.

Unfortunately, I am hosting the IWP on a client copy running under Filemaker server 6, so I dont think I can use the diconnect when idle setting.

I dont know any alternative to this?

Any suggestions please?

[Reed]

With FM6, the limit of 10 is not for concurrent usage... it's over a rolling 12-hour period, so whether users log out isn't specifically related to that user limit. Also since there aren't sessions in IWP with v6, there's no way to end a session.

If you use v7, IWP uses actual sessions, and does not use a client copy to process the transactions. Everything is server-based with Filemaker Server Advanced, and the IWP limit is 100 concurrent users.

If you use the client by itself without FMS to do IWP, the limit is 5 concurrent users.

[richgod]

Reed, thanks for your helpful answer. Actually I realised later that Exit Application is not listed for Version 6 IWP.

So, does your answer mean that each IP addresse automatically drops out of the count 12 hours after the last usage even if I left the web page open? What degree of closure do I need to ensure for the drop to occur? Since the app is used by day shift workers, this could be promising.

I could still host it on a client or on a copy of FMPRO 5 that not shared over the LAN?

I think version 7 , probably version 8 and FMS advanced, is the way to go. It would open the site to converting most all of the applications to IWP - a much easier thing to maintain and expand. Especially for an outside developer like myself. Only problem is the site has FMS 6 running and version 5 on client workstations, so I guess that would need to be upgraded also. Would you agree?

Regards and thanks,

Richard

[Reed]

If they leave the page open they will still drop off the 10-user count, 12 hours from the last request made to the server. So as long as another action requesting data from the server is not made by a user, the count is not reset.

You can host IWP users without needing FM Server, simply using a copy of FM5 or 6, but there is no way to do automated live backups as you can do with the server version... So you have to be vigilant about doing manual backups to avoid data loss.

If you upgrade to server v7(or v8), you pretty much have to upgrade any clients connecting to it to at least v7. Versions 5 and 6 worked together for the most part, and versions 7 and 8 work together, but v7 completely changed the file format, and is not backwards compatible with older clients. (However, since IWP is so much improved, you may be able to minimize the # of FM7 clients you use, and switch them to web clients)

[richgod]

Dana, I like your website - very sharp.

Thanks a lot for your help.

Do you reckon the IWP guests will not affect the 10 licenses on the FM Server that we have bought?

Seasons Greetings to you and yours,

Richard

[Reed]

The 10 IWP guests are all connecting to one FMP client, and they don't interact with the server directly as clients. Also, FM Server doesn't know whether you bought a 10-user license. The licenses go with the client software... However, if you use more than one copy of non-volume licensed software (with the same serial number) on the server at the same time, the second one that's opened will quit with a license error.

[richgod]

Reed,

Apologies about being obsessive - seeing is believing - you probably have - but I dont have a network to play with.

I am not sure I understand the meaning of non volume licensed versions.Do you mean if you buy the basic FMPro without any ten or greater user licenses?

I presume I can share to the web on any machine that has a client installed, and for such a low traffic volume (max five per day), I could even do it without the recommended configurarion of a dedicated machine, running in services mode.

Does this make sense to you?

My main issue will be rationing of licenses, until I get buy in to converting a couple of the exisitng apps over to Filemaker Server 8 advanced when it arrives.

Thanks a million for your help.

Regards,

Richard

[apd183]

I'm fairly certain that the FMPro licenses do not apply to IWP. The licenses are only for each copy of FileMaker Pro you have running at one time.

Conceivably, as far as the license is concerned, you could have 1000 people hitting the database through IWP at any given time.

Examples:(assume all machines are connecting at once)

->1 client with FMPro serving via IWP, and 10 machines connecting over IWP - 1 FMPro license

->1 server with FMServer, and 10 machines that connect over IWP - 1 FMServer license

->10 machines, 1 server, each with FMPro installed and connecting to the server through FMPro - 10 FMPro licenses and 1 FMServer license

Edited December 15, 2005 by Guest
I can't spell.

[richgod]

Thanks APD,

that certainly makes sense. I am delighted to have it confirmed. I will in any case try it out in a pilot first.

Much appreciated,

Richard

[T-Square]

apd has this wrong with regard to the number of web-based clients you can have. Filemaker help clearly states that publishing a database in IWP under Filemaker Pro is limited to 10 database files and 5 concurrent users. If you plan on having more people connecting via the web, you'll have to move to FMS.

David

[richgod]

Hi there T-Square,

I am using Filemaker 6 and for now I will at this version.

Are your figures for sharing based on version 7?

Regards,

Richard

[T-Square]

Richard--

Yes. 7. I think IWP (named as such) only came into existence in 7; before that it was the Web Companion, which Reed provided figures for.

David

[Reed]

The web companion in FMP 6, also had something called IWP, but it was much more limited in functionality than the current version. The upside for 6 was that you could actually do CWP with FMP via CDML. Now you pretty much need server advanced to do any kind of custom web publishing.