Custom Web Publishing Removed?!

[dshafer]

I recently upgraded from FMP4.1 to FMP5.5. I just went to work on some ideas for a FileMaker-centric Web page I wanted to build (allegedly improved Web publishing was one of the reasons I upgraded).

I find that unless I'm missing something, there is no support or documentation in 5.5 for custom Web publishing at all. In other words, FileMaker decided to DELETE from an UPGRADE a valuable and useful feature of their earlier product.

Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me I'm blind. Tell me I'm missing something. But don't tell me these guys could be this stupid.

[Anatoli]

Dan,

FileMaker Inc. decided to remove everything from standard package and put it to the Developer.

On the other hand, there are not many changes. The Tokens or better -- number of tokens, that is the most significant.

FYI, FM Inc. removed some CDML tags present in WC 5.03 so they do not exist in 5.05 and 5.06. Some of them compromised security. That is funny, because the files are still widely opened for anyone to get all record content. I do not know about 5.5, but I guess it is still the same. And FileMaker Inc. is still suspiciously quiet

[ December 21, 2001: Message edited by: Anatoli ]

[dshafer]

Thanks, Anatoli. Wow, I always admired FileMaker as a company that paid attention to its customers and did a better-than-average job of creating new value with revisions. This is a MAJOR step backward. I am now going to have to uninstall 5.5, return it for a refund and then order FMD 5.5 to get custom web publishing capabilities. That's a horrific decision on their part.

And, of course, there's no way to register a complaint that gets heard and responded to at FileMaker.com; they give you a feedback form but they all but guarantee they won't respond to your comments.

Sad.

[The Bridge]

quote:

---

FileMaker Inc. decided to remove everything from standard package and put it to the Developer.

---

This is a misleading statement, at least as far as FMP 5.0 is concerned. The only thing removed from FMP Unlimited 5.0 is the *documentation* on how to develop in CDML. As far as I know, FMP 5.5 is the same way, i.e. you can still serve data over the web, they just don't tell you how. If you are upgrading from v.4, then all you have to do is search the FileMaker web site for a list of the new tags. They are available.

This is direct from the FileMaker web site, http://www.filemaker.com:

quote:

---

FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited enables Web database publishing, bringing expanded productivity to your business workgroup. Now it's easier than ever to manage, organize, and share important information over your intranet or the Internet; authorized users can browse, search, create, update, and delete records using their browsers.

Use the built-in web server in FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited to publish your data to the Web. Use your own existing FileMaker layouts as your web pages, or choose a pre-designed Web navigation interface--either way, there's no need to write HTML code. Or, code your own custom Web interface to your databases using Custom Web Publishing, or access FileMaker information using industry standards like XML or JDBC.

---

quote:

---

Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me I'm blind. Tell me I'm missing something. But don't tell me these guys could be this stupid.

---

I won't tell you you're wrong, I won't tell you you're blind, but unless you check out all the facts at the source, you will be missing something.

[dshafer]

Thanks for the clarification, "Bridge"!

I did a search at FileMaker.com but apparently didn't look far or deep enough. I'm going to see how this stuff works starting off assuming it *will* work this time.

Maybe most of my faith in FileMaker will be restored after all.

[dshafer]

Well, it appears to me from a couple of hours of testing that some CDML stuff still works in 5.5, but some doesn't. For example, tags that are designed to include other files do not appear to work. Perhaps the syntax has changed.

But at least it doesn't appear that all is lost.

More learning to do.

[Anatoli]

Sorry about that confusion.

My FileMaker Inc. decided to remove everything from standard package and put it to the Developer. sentence was in relation to Dan sentence I find that unless I'm missing something, there is no support or documentation in 5.5 for custom Web publishing at all.

So I did lousy job with referring just to the documentation.

FileMaker Inc. is getting "Microsoftized" more and more every day. Usually the only reply from them was "wait for next version, it might be improved" kind of promise. Usually users perceive it as threat.