Optimizing Performance

---

Web Server Tips

• A properly configured web server has only the bare minimum of System Extensions and Control Panels installed.
• The web server should DEFINITELY run as the front most application.
• Keep FileMaker Pro as a hidden background application. If a database layout is visible during a transaction, than screen refresh of a database window can severely affect database performance. Here are three options for hiding database windows:
  • Use WindowShade (included with System 7.5) to display only the title bar for a database window, thus hiding the current database layout.
  • Select "Hide Others" from the application menu.
  • Make the default database layout sparse with graphics and database fields.
• Avoid running unnecessary additional applications on your web server. For best performance the web server software and FileMaker Pro should be the only running applications.
• If you do run additional programs on your web server, then do some performance comparisons with these other applications both running and not running. Running certain ftp software for example, can adversely affect web server performance. Web servers such as WebSTAR have a transaction duration parameter which can be enabled in the log window for reference purposes.
• Run the most current versions of both FileMaker Pro and your web server software.
• Avoid using File Sharing on your web server machine unless you need to.

---

FileMaker Pro Tips

• When adding or updating database records, specify a target layout for the transaction. This may require that you modify your database with a new layout (perhaps with name "www") that only contains fields which exist on your html form. With fewer fields on a target layout there are fewer fields that must be dealt with.
• Database calculation fields which evaluate HTML should normally have their Storage Options set to "Do not store calculation results - calculate only when needed". This is especially important if your web solution Adds new database records, since you do not want FileMaker Pro to evaluate the formula again and again for each field update.
• In general do not store HTML calculation field results. One exception might be the "html" field and any other fields which are generally returned as a hit list of found records. Another exception is if the database is used for Find purposes only, than you may want to store results so that the formula evaluates only once and is saved, rather than having it evaluate every time the field is accessed. Your decision to store results may also depend on the processor speed of your web server machine. Certainly never index an HTML calculation field unless you intend to use the index for a value list.
• Avoid sorting found records or invoking ScriptMaker scripts unless you need to do so. Of course, most webmasters need to do both these things.
• Store and open your database from the hard drive or RAM disk of your local machine. In other words, avoid opening the database as a client of another machine hosting the database as this will add network overhead.
• Keep in mind that it can often be faster to search a single database field than it is to search several. Design your search forms accordingly. When submitting a FORM, fields with the same name will have their values combined with a space delimiter.
• It may be faster to use a pre-defined serial number field in the database for the "field" and "value" parameters than it is to rely on"RecID". It's likely faster to search on RecID, but slower building a web page with the value for [RecID] substituted.
• Avoid enabling multi-user mode for your databases unless you need to.
• Periodically use FileMaker Pro's command to "Save a compressed copy" of your database.