IE Tabs

[amgdba]

Just a quick question about IE and web viewer. I have IE 7 and have very little inclination to upgrade to a newer version unless I can take advantage of certain features in the web viewer.

The question is will IE tabbed browsing open tabs within the IE window in the viewer when links are clicked that open new windows? Rather than open a new IE window outside of FileMaker.

If anyone has dealt with this I would greatly appreciate any input you could offer.

Obviously this is at the mercy of the current users settings if it is possible, and it would have to configured in the browser prefs but I could handle that if I knew that it was at least capable.

[AlanP]

No, please understand that FileMaker (in their white paper and instructions) make it clear this is not a Web "Browser" but a Web "Viewer". So it was never meant to replace a web browser.

I use IE7 so I can tell you for a fact that this does not work. In-fact, the web viewer component has not been upgraded form 8.5 to 9. However, I see you are using FMP5...where I work we went from 3, to 5, to 7 and now to 9. I've worked on all (all PC versions too). Depending on what you really want to do, all the upgrades have been worth the money including 9. I'm working on upgrding our 7 databases to 9 and, whoa, well worth it.

Now for the web viewer...honestly, for the interal work we do it may not get much action. However, it may have a great use...we have to use a web application *daily*, so I'm working on integrating this into our database and it's looking very slick so far. This will eliminate us printing out reports since we can visually see from within FM and be in the web as well.

[amgdba]

Thanks. I was afraid that was the answer. Oh well.

On another note, I should upgrade my profile. I've done major work in 8.5 and some in 9.

[AlanP]

I think the problem is the web viewer just takes the basic components of the installed browser, so we can't have any additional "full" functionality.

I'm happy that a database program actually has this, but it should definetley have *more* features and fixes for 9.5 or 10...web is the future

[amgdba]

While I do hope there is an upgrade in the future for this functionality, I disagree with you.

The web will always just be the web. The future belongs to those who realize this now.

Putting a browser into an application is infinitely more intelligent than putting applications into browsers. Where are all the ASP model millionaires? (sound of crickets chirping). Exactly, they don't exist in huge numbers and that is because the web is a sorry application medium. There is no application, no matter how well written and deployed, on the web that I have seen that was not beaten hands down by a traditional application with good old fashioned client server model implemented.

That's why FileMaker still exists. It's limited to 250 users, does poorly over WAN connections, has its share of other issues too, and it's not free, but when the S#%! hits the fan, any well written FM application just keeps running and running and can be hacked at almost endlessly with modifications and changes (not that its a good idea) and give you relatively no heartache. Front to Back End, one stop shop for nearly all your needs, all packaged in a tried and true model that just works. Yep, give me good old fashion clients and servers over networks any day over web-based front-end doohickeys that take millenniums to develop and deploy and are as fragile as a snowflake when it comes time to make a change or modify.

I guess we'll have to see what they do to support the browser material in the next rev, but they are definitely going the right direction with the browser in FileMaker, rather than FileMaker in browsers.

Edited August 29, 2007 by Guest