After 20 plus years building our development business on FileMaker (FM) we’ve come to the end of the road and it seems like Xojo is the best product to move forward with. We believe the future is delivered through a browser (thin client) and it’s time for us to embrace this fully or fall by the wayside. Haven’t made the switch yet as still evaluating which software to go with but Xojo seems like the most logical product.
If anyone has a moment to answer any of these I’d be most grateful:
Does Xojo create an application that would be installed on a client’s desktop machine that would look to a remote server for all its data
How many users can it support
Is there a server application and will it run OK under Windows Server 2012 R2 using MySQL
Can it live on the same server as FM Server v.14
Does anyone have any experience of moving from FM to Xojo
Many thanks in advance - it’s likely to be a brave new world out there for us so squeaky bum moments all round !!
yes - you can also make a web app and connect from the client using a web browser. but the user interface will be better with a native app than a web browser.
the number the database engine supports. you won’t have any problem until 50 users I think.[quote=317321:@Patrick Ripley]Is there a server application and will it run OK under Windows Server 2012 R2 using MySQL[/quote]
mysql licence scheme is quite obscure. I prefer postgresql which is entirely free, and will run on a windows server (almost anything in fact)
yes you can even change the listening port on FM and postgres.
I move many databases (mainly 4th dimension but also bento or filemaker) to xojo for some times now.
you will have some helps and code examples from users here like Bob Keeney or Hal Gumbert, and Tim like Markus said above.
your main concern will be listbox that accepts great amount of datas (I don’t know how many records you have to deal with)
you can either buy a listbox extension like pidog, or make your own
then dont think in filemaker, this is en entirely new world you can do almost anything you want, filemaker is too restricted in term of user interface.
We’ve designed it from the start from a FileMaker perspective. The full source for the version we demoed at XDC is available from that page, but since then we’ve overhauled how the controls work with the database to make expanding what they can do simple…
I have used both FileMaker and Xojo for some time. They both have their pluses and minuses. I love the speed with which I can get an app up and running in FileMaker. It takes considerably more effort in Xojo but I deeply believe I end up with a much better app. As mentioned above, ListBoxes are a pain but they are very capable.
I’m an old Cobol/CICS/DB2 programmer so the FileMaker scripting process and DB Relationships I think are a big drawback. I like to code my own processes and code my selects the way I want them to work. And I REALLY hate the idea that the code and the data are one file unless you do the extra effort to use the “separation model” - which has it’s own problems.
I think you will be very happy with Xojo. And when it comes to Cross-platform, it just really can’t be beat.
I’ve used both extensively. The area that FileMaker has a big advantage is in a multi-developer shop and/or in cases where you need to make small changes to a live system. In FileMaker, one (or more) authors can be editing the database and UI as it’s running, and if you aren’t editing a table/form (layout) currently in use, there’s generally no problem.
By contrast, Xojo WebApps have the more traditional cycle: Edit (offline), Test (offline), Deploy (online) - and when you Deploy you are necessarily going to terminate the live sessions of everyone using the database.
FileMaker has recently made a push to cloud hosting which is a lot like Xojo’s cloud hosting. FileMaker also is making a push to wring every $ possible out of their customers, it seems.
I like and use both and although I’ve considered going all in with Xojo, I still find both tools have their uses.
once you’ve correctly designed a “biglistbox” object (in fact containercontrol) xojo becomes really faster.
I can make a fully working relational database (like chinook) in an hour. local or remote.
[quote=317391:@Michael Diehr]FileMaker has recently made a push to cloud hosting which is a lot like Xojo’s cloud hosting. FileMaker also is making a push to wring every $ possible out of their customers, it seems.
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yes one big filemaker fail is the money you have to spend on each client to deploy your app.
And you should always use the right tool for the right job.
Personally I will pick Xojo over Filemaker/FoxPro any day of the week, as I can fit all my knowledge of both of those products on a postage stamp and have room left over.
My situation sounds very close to yours. Late last year I made the decision for a complete change and have been rewriting my product from scratch in Xojo. It’s a definite change of approach and depends on how familiar you already are with OOP. For me, I’m estatic; very happy that I made the decision and everyday I find new things to be happy about. I’m enjoying programming again.
I still use Filemaker 14 for little quickies and helper db’s that I need and I can mock them up fast with FMP but that’s it. I will not be upgrading or spending any more $$ on FileMaker. I concur with another poster here… the ONE thing I really liked about FileMaker was the ability to log onto a live system and make changes immediately. It was a real marketing strong point. I even logged on to customer’s system through my iphone and made changes while going 80 mph out through west Texas (no, I wasn’t driving). But other than that ability I see no real reason not to move to Xojo.
Many thanks to everyone for responding and all very encouraging. I was hoping to get to the Berlin Xojo conference but it clashes with a pre-planned boys golf trip to France, so it’s a no brainer there. Next year for definite though.
Forums are great - thanks guys (and girls) - updates at 80 mph through West Texas has to become the gold standard for online updates…