fastest serving of graphics

[Hans Erik]

I am setting up a website/database that serves graphic. Which is the fastest method to store the graphics: within the FileMaker database or outside (by choosing 'Store only a reference etc.)? The graphics are already in JPG or GIF format.

Or to put it more technical: the web companion converts graphics from 'FileMaker format' to JPG on the fly, but this takes CPU time. Is this avoided when the graphics are already stored in JPG? In other words, does the web companion grab the JPG files directly or does it still goes through the conversion processes?

[Vaughan]

I read somewhere (perhaps the FMP techInfo database?) that the fastest way is to just store *links* in the database: that is, the database has the <img src> text in a field.

Ideally, for maximum speed you could store the graphics on a completely different machine, kinda ike an image server, so the loading of the images won't impact the running of the FMP server in any way.

The *worst* case is storing Tiff (or some other non-web format) in the database container field. Each time the image is requested, FMP has to convert the graphic to JPEG format before. A very slow way to do it.

Storing JPEG files in the container would be heaps better, storing just a link in the database would be even faster.

[Hans Erik]

Yes you're right, storing the reference (as text) makes sense. Especially in the case of large files.

Another issue: say I have some small graphics stored in the FMP database, in a global field for instance (static graphics like icons etc.). Does the Web Companion cache these graphics one way or another? Or does it convert them over and over again every time a page is requested?

And if I want to display a graphic conditionally, would this be better to set up as a calculation in FMPro (a calc.field with container as result) or to use [FMP-if] statements in the CDML?

[Vaughan]

From what I have seen, FMP generates container-stiored graphics each and every time they are called, which is quite inefficient. I try to use "traditional" graphics on web pages whenever possible. for this reason.

[GTiRob]

I have a 50k record database that I needed to link pictures to. (DOH) Fortunately my database creates a serial number for each record. I created a Claculation field that takes the serial number and adds .jpg to the end and named my picts accordingly. something like this(="http://"&serialnumber&".jpg") I then placed all the picts into a seperate folder and sourced to there with <img

src="[FMP-Field]".

Let me know if you want more info.

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Rob Young