Improvements to Instant Web Publishing

[transpower]

I developed my new Web site, www.transpowercorp.com, using FileMaker Developer 7. It's being hosted on FileMaker 8 Server using IWP. Some notes:

1. Version 7 doesn't display scroll bars properly in IWP, whereas version 8 does. There should be a patch created for this problem in 7.

2. Version 7 does correctly enter the database when Guest is enabled, has IWP permissions, and is set in File Options. Version 8 does not do so. This needs to be corrected pronto! It's unfair for a Web surfer to have to login (or choose Guest) to enter a public site hosted through IWP.

3. Neither version correctly exits IWP upon execution of the script step Exit Application. You are returned to an IWP screen, which you then have to close manually. A checkbox to Exit Application should be added to close window and logout of IWP.

4. Neither version properly uses Set Field to transfer formatted text from a field in one table to a field in another table in IWP. For instance, text which is centered in the first tabled is changed to left-justified in the second table. This is minor, but irritating.

[John May - Point In Space]

#2 - If you only enable Guest access for IWP, the old method of being able to go directly to the database still works with FMSA8.

If you need additional users for IWP than Guest, you can work-around FMSA8's new behavior by modifying the IWP home page to bounce to your database.

#3 - You can modify your IWP home page to change said behavior.

[transpower]

Thank you so much for your tip on my complaint #2. I made the change, and it works!

As for #3, could you explain how to do it so I can instruct the tech guy at the Hosting site?

[John May - Point In Space]

Please see the other threads in the forums here regarding modifying IWP home pages.

- John

[transpower]

The problem is that the host company has other files and therefore would not be able to alter the home page much. I think FileMaker, Inc. should add a checkbox in the script step Exit Application to log out and close ALL windows of IWP for the specifc file, rather than depositing the user on the db home page. The whole point is that IWP should be invisible to the ordinary Web surfer.

[John May - Point In Space]

It would be nice if FileMaker made it easier for us, and we've submitted requests for such.

In the meantime, your host ought to be able to modify the iwp_home page for you to whatever you want by using javascript hostname detection and redirection. If they don't know how to do this, maybe you need a new host

- John

[transpower]

While, I'm at it, I'd like to suggest to FileMaker, Inc., to find a way to stop the shrinkage of fonts, etc., upon deploying a database in Instant Web Publishing. I designed my site, www.transpowercorp.com, to be considerably larger than it shows on the Web.