I would really like to see some new server functionality, like offline
database syncing, server mirroring, etc. FileMaker really needs this to
be competitive with other datasources going forward.
- John
On 1/26/11 8:31 AM, [email protected] wrote:
You're right, of course, Jonathan. I always enjoy watching
discussions about new features people would like. There are always a
few really good feature requests that I never would have thought of.
-- Paul Spafford FileMaker Database Superhero, Spafford Data
Solutions
Tel: 613 838 9956 www.paulspafford.com
www.ottawafilemakerdeveloper.com www.fmlayoutmode.com
On Jan 25, 2011, at 11:32 PM, Jonathan Fletcher wrote:
Totally agree with you, Paul. I'm sorry to be a stick in the mud.
I would never go back to where I started with FM4, and I'm REALLY
liking 11 a lot more lately. But it's not done.
In a glass-half-empty sort of way it's frustrating to see where
FileMaker is NOT. Looking from that perspective can't help but skew
one's thinking and reinforce the negative.
When you have to restart one of your several servers every few days
because it just wants to take the afternoon off you get an
attitude. (I have a client that has a boatload of SQL and FMP and
the SQL guys just shake their heads and chuckle.)
When you have to manually update layout elements all over a large
solution to reflect one tiny little change, you dream of better
tools.
When your users are griping at you that the solution that was built
to accommodate THEIR convoluted way of working is running so slowly
they have to plan it around their lunch hours, you are stuck
between a rock and a FileMaker. (Don't talk to me about bad design:
it's been optimized by some FM gurus waaaay smarter than me.)
When you have to spend 30+ grand on a super fast server so your
critical data can be backed up in a timely fashion throughout a
high-data-volume day and not shut the place down every time you
think you should grab a snapshot...
I know it's easy to be a grumbler. The goods really do outweigh the
bads. That's why I'm still here. I KNOW we have it good.
That does not mean we cannot wish (and pray to the gods of Santa
Clara) for something even better.
Or at least bug-fixes.
j.
On Jan 25, 2011, at 11:04 PM, [email protected] wrote:
Seriously? I'm of the exact opposite opinion, Jonathan. There
have been some amazing features for developers since v6! Think of
how much faster you can develop now than you could back then.
7 offered the ability to have multiple tables -- and external
tables -- in one file which (along with the addition of script
parameters) made scripting easier.
8 gave us tabs, which totally reduced the number of layouts
needed -- and the time to create them -- as well as the data
viewer (which is HUGE for debugging and for writing new
calculations). We also got custom menus, which helped to clean up
our layouts even more.
9 gave us conditional formatting and auto-resizing, to make our
layouts cooler and faster to create, as well as non-modal
scripting windows (which is just the coolest!).
10 had the ability to insert objects into the tab order (huge
time-saver), and script triggers, which gives us more control
over the interface, and just about every other little thing.
11 has the Inspector (I like it!). It also has charts, portal
filters and quickfinds: things that we've been creating for
years, but are now native.
When clients ask me if they should upgrade, I always tell them
about the cool new stuff I can offer them. But the biggest thing
the most recent versions have to offer is that the clients won't
have to pay for so many hours to get things done.
Paul
-- Paul Spafford FileMaker Database Superhero, Spafford Data
Solutions
Tel: 613 838 9956 www.paulspafford.com
www.ottawafilemakerdeveloper.com www.fmlayoutmode.com
On Jan 25, 2011, at 6:48 PM, Jonathan Fletcher wrote:
That's all you asked for?
What about better management of memory variables? What about a
server console that doesn't lose its connection with the server
frequently? What about script control of layout objects? What
about scripting in a text editor? What about script control of
schema modifications? What about syncing between an FMGo app
and the server for intermittent connections? What about better
scalability of Server?
I could go on and on...
Honestly, FM12 will be loaded with surprises, and--if history
is any guide--it'll be chock full of stuff for the users and
not so much for us developers.
j.
On Jan 25, 2011, at 6:18 PM, Richard S. Russell wrote:
On 2011 Jan 25, at 15:57, Lee wrote:
Any idea when the next version will be released ?
A good guess would be right ...
... abbbouuuuttt ...
... ouuuttttt ...
NOW.
No, FMI is famously tight-lipped about when they'll release
upgrades, or what those upgrades will entail, but they've
been pretty good about giving you something worth getting
right around January or February of each year, and that's
where I'd be putting my money this time, too.
While we wait, we can always engage in the parlor game of
speculating about what feature we'd most like to see. I've
got 3 things I've dropped into the FMI suggestion box several
times the last year, and I'm hoping we get them both: • Bring
back the "Tools" floating toolbar (tho now it'd be called an
"inspector"). • Give us 1-click vertical-alignment buttons
right next to the horizontal-alignment buttons. (Note that
they've already done this for formatting container fields.) •
Stop auto-scrolling the "Manage Scripts" window so the most
recently worked-on script is always at the bottom.
Then there's the one that I've been suggesting for most of
the last decade, applying only to the Windows version: • Why
CAN'T I drag something out of the printable area when "Show
Page Margins" is turned on?
-- Jonathan Fletcher FileMaker 9& 10 Certified Developer
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