8.5 Advanced from 8.0v3 Pro

[looter]

I just upgraded from 8.0v3 Pro (NOT Advanced) to 8.5 Pro Advacned.

My databases are hosted with FMP 8.0v4 Server on a Dual G5 XServe.

While working on my 20" 1.8Ghz G5. A couple of things I have noticed.

1. Sorting is noticably slower with 8.5 Adv than with 8.0 Pro.

2. Also, I have a script that launces, updates other dbs then hides other FMP databaes. Since I've upgraded to 8.5 Advance, it no longer hides the windows of the updated dbs instead it minimizes them.

Anyone seen any similar issues?

Thanks

[CobaltSky]

I just upgraded from 8.0v3 Pro (NOT Advanced) to 8.5 Pro Advacned.

My databases are hosted with FMP 8.0v4 Server on a Dual G5 XServe.

While working on my 20" 1.8Ghz G5. A couple of things I have noticed.

1. Sorting is noticably slower with 8.5 Adv than with 8.0 Pro.

2. Also, I have a script that launces, updates other dbs then hides other FMP databaes. Since I've upgraded to 8.5 Advance, it no longer hides the windows of the updated dbs instead it minimizes them.

Anyone seen any similar issues?

Thanks

Hi looter,

We have a test file here that performs a complex sort that took 36 seconds to complete in FileMaker Pro 8.0v3 and FileMaker Pro Advanced 8.0v3.

The same script in the same file takes 34 seconds to complete in both FileMaker Pro 8.5v1 and FileMaker Pro Advanced 8.5v1.

Clearly there is something specific to your set up that is giving rise to the results your seeing, but at present I'm not able to confirm your findings.

As regards your second point, your post is not clear. There is no script command which enables a script running in one file to hide windows which are associated with another file.

There is, of course, an option to call a subscript within another file that is set up to hide that file's window/s. Perhaps that is what you mean?

However scripts that I have tested here which use the latter method to hide windows of other database files work correctly (ie they hide rather than minimize the windows of the other database files) when running in FileMaker Pro Advanced 8.5v1 here.

So, in short, I'm not presently able to replicate either of the problems you have described.

[looter]

Hi looter,

We have a test file here that performs a complex sort that took 36 seconds to complete in FileMaker Pro 8.0v3 and FileMaker Pro Advanced 8.0v3.

The same script in the same file takes 34 seconds to complete in both FileMaker Pro 8.5v1 and FileMaker Pro Advanced 8.5v1.

Clearly there is something specific to your set up that is giving rise to the results your seeing, but at present I'm not able to confirm your findings.

Yes, the sort used to take 3-4 seconds. Now it takes about 1-2 seconds longer and I now see a layout during the sort while Filemaker is "thinking about it" or performing the sort. It shows the field with the date range then populates the data. If I run this in 8.0v3 it is quicker and I never see a layout which is blank except for a field with the date range in the middle of the sort.

As regards your second point, your post is not clear. There is no script command which enables a script running in one file to hide windows which are associated with another file.

There is, of course, an option to call a subscript within another file that is set up to hide that file's window/s. Perhaps that is what you mean?

However scripts that I have tested here which use the latter method to hide windows of other database files work correctly (ie they hide rather than minimize the windows of the other database files) when running in FileMaker Pro Advanced 8.5v1 here.

So, in short, I'm not presently able to replicate either of the problems you have described.

Yes, please note "novice". Let me elaborate. A few years ago I hired a developer to write a database for my business. And I am now working with an additional developer. As I become more comfortable with Filemaker, I am trying to do as much as i can on my own. Saving $125-$150 an hour to tweak layouts buttons and such. So, I think you get the gist of what I was describing.

There is a script to export data from the main database into 6 smaller databases that can be used by Filemaker Mobile. Basically, it breaks the database into smaller databases, like Clients, Venues, Schedule, etc.

I have been running this script every weekday since January. It opens the other databases wipes them clean then imports the current data. It then hides the windows of all the databases it has opened. However, yesterday it opened all the databases as it should but instead of hiding them it minimized them so there were 6 little windows in my dock next to my trash can. If I run the script in 8.0v3 it hides the windows as has always done.

Thanks for taking the time to run similar tests. i appreciate it. I'm wondering what has changed from 8.0v3 Pro to 8.5 Pro Advanced that COULD make the database respond differently.

To narrow it down further...

What OS and version did you use when performing your tests?

What processor did you use when performing your tests?

What server version did you use?

Regards

[xochi]

Things to check:

1. FM 8 client RAM cache settings? Perhaps you had set a higher ram cache under 8, and need to re-up it under 8.5? Or maybe 8.5 just needs more ram and you should increase it anyway?

2. maybe a "freeze window" script step would solve the flashing problem?

[looter]

xochi,

Things to check:

1. FM 8 client RAM cache settings? Perhaps you had set a higher ram cache under 8, and need to re-up it under 8.5? Or maybe 8.5 just needs more ram and you should increase it anyway?

It's just set to the default 8MB.

What would you recommend?

2. maybe a "freeze window" script step would solve the flashing problem?

[xochi]

RAM cache:

I tend to set my FM client ram caches to ridiculously high values (like 80MB or 128MB). I did this after doing some performance testing in which I realized that if you are doing a large scale operation (such as importing into a table with calc and indexed fields), that you will see horrible performance if any field index is larger than the fm client ram cache. I'm using databases which are 500MB or larger, so this is not a merely theoretical issue for me.

In my experience, you can almost never set your ram cache too high. But as always, YMMV, so you should try it with a few different settings and report back! (BTW, remember to quit / restart filemaker after changing the setting, since i think it doesn't actually take effect until you do so).

[CobaltSky]

To narrow it down further...

What OS and version did you use when performing your tests?

What processor did you use when performing your tests?

What server version did you use?

FWIW, having regard to the configuration cited in your original post, I ran the tests mentioned above using:

- A Macintosh G5 Quad 2.5GHz workstation running MacOS 10.4.7.

- A server also running on a G5 with 10.4.7 (Build 8J135) and with the files hosted by FileMaker Server 8.0v4 (06-14-2006).