I've heard several best practice techniques for optimizing a looping script:

1. Loop through found sets in form view (not list).

2. Loop on a blank layout.

3. Avoid refreshes, try to freeze window.

4. Go to a field first.

Any others? Obviously, I'm trying to optimize a report script that's taking 4 mins. It loops thru parents, children and grandchildren so there are several gtrr, setting variables, global fields and creating new records in a report table.

Would creating a layout with a portal avoid gtrr and speed up the process (perhaps, because the gtrr is forcing a refresh of some sort?).

I was going to suggest precisely this

Look at Todd Geist's transactional technique, I find it really speeds up these loops, which is another positive side effect !

Edited April 3, 200817 yr by Guest

where can we see the technique

:Whistle:

Thanks. I will look. I believe he wrote about this model in FM Advisor, and I'm sure I have the issue. Thanks.

here's a link to Todd's article. Transactions in FileMaker

Edited April 3, 200817 yr by Guest

I'd say his blog is a must.

http://www.geistinteractive.com/

Fabrice,

Using portals (with allow create on) to create the child records, rather than grabbing keys in variables and switching layouts/new record took the report from 6 mins to 1 minute!

Wow! ...still optimizing.