Database Reference
In-Depth Information
even though she's still using the database. If you have situations like this one, then set the
Session Timeout to a longer duration—the maximum is 60 minutes.
Web users are returned to the WebDirect Home page when they log out or the session times
out.
Designing for WebDirect and FileMaker Go
Sharing your FileMaker Pro databases through FileMaker Go and WebDirect is easy, but you
shouldn't stop your design planning at changing a few options in the file. There are a number
of ways that WebDirect connections differ from FileMaker Pro connections, and you should
keep each of them in mind as you develop for those tracks. FileMaker Go uses the iPad or
iPhone, which means they have a limited viewing area, and it changes when the device is ro-
tated. WebDirect users see the database through a web browser, which can only load one lay-
out at a time.
Also, performance should always be a consideration. An Internet connection will almost al-
ways be slower than a network connection. The browser has to communicate with FileMaker
server every time the layout changes, records are opened or changed, calculations are evalu-
ated, scripts are performed, or script triggers are activated, so your data is making round trips
to the server many times during a session. These round trips take time, and even if they're
fast by cellular load time standards, you know how slowly an extra second passes when
you're waiting to do your work. So to optimize your users' experience, you'll need to design
sets of layouts that respect the smaller screen size
and
that include only the elements your
users absolutely need.
Reducing Overhead
Every time a browser requests a layout and its data, FileMaker Server's Web Publishing
Engine has to translate that layout into HTML and generate the CSS and JavaScript coding
for it. FileMaker Go doesn't require this conversion process, but your users will frequently
use a cellular data plan to connect to the database, so you should reduce its overhead as much
as possible. Layouts that are filled with a lot of styles, text formatting, graphics, and other
features bog down data transfer, which in turn increases layout loading times. Bandwidth,
computer processing speed, and the quality of the network connection can all contribute to
the slowdown. The more complex your database is, the more you have to think about the ex-
tra load your data transfer carries.
Here's a list of things to consider for best performance. Individually, each item gives a slight
performance boost, but the more of these bullet points you incorporate into your FileMaker
Go or browser layout designs, the greater the benefit your users will reap:
