Comments on: An Overview of the Six Fried Rice Methodology http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/ smart business solutions Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:15:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jamie http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1750 Jamie Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:26:50 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1750 I migrated a very large file (over a gigabyte) from a single file configuration to a separated structure, similar to what you described here. Both forms were hosted on the same FileMaker Server 8 Advanced. I experienced a significant degradation in performance. Certain scrips that had been manageable became so slow as to be unusable. I wish I could remember the details of what was slower, but it's been over a year. Have you done any comparisons of performance between single file systems and double file systems? Did you encounter speed issues? Have changes been made in FM9 and FM10 that might mitigate such issues? I migrated a very large file (over a gigabyte) from a single file configuration to a separated structure, similar to what you described here. Both forms were hosted on the same FileMaker Server 8 Advanced. I experienced a significant degradation in performance. Certain scrips that had been manageable became so slow as to be unusable. I wish I could remember the details of what was slower, but it’s been over a year.

Have you done any comparisons of performance between single file systems and double file systems? Did you encounter speed issues? Have changes been made in FM9 and FM10 that might mitigate such issues?

]]> By: Jack James http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1696 Jack James Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:02:33 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1696 I employ the data separation model wherever possible. It makes life easier, keeps things easy to comprehend and document and keeps the overall complexity of a solution down. But I don't think that it really helps for maintaining a system. Even if you take the best implementation of a system, where there are no calculation fields or relationships used outside of the UI file, it is inevitable that with almost every upgrade (particularly in a larger system) there will be a need to add a new field somewhere. This is true even in PHP/MySQL solutions almost every upgrade will require changes to the MySQL database in some way (it's just those changes can be scripted). The problem with this system is that it's all or nothing: if I even have to change or add a single field outside of the UI file, then all the hard work I've done trying to keep things as separate as possible are for nothing. Note that I'm not knocking the methodology at all; as I said, I use it myself as much as possible. But I've yet to find a FM solution where upgrading is as easy as swapping out a file... I employ the data separation model wherever possible. It makes life easier, keeps things easy to comprehend and document and keeps the overall complexity of a solution down.

But I don’t think that it really helps for maintaining a system.

Even if you take the best implementation of a system, where there are no calculation fields or relationships used outside of the UI file, it is inevitable that with almost every upgrade (particularly in a larger system) there will be a need to add a new field somewhere. This is true even in PHP/MySQL solutions almost every upgrade will require changes to the MySQL database in some way (it’s just those changes can be scripted).

The problem with this system is that it’s all or nothing: if I even have to change or add a single field outside of the UI file, then all the hard work I’ve done trying to keep things as separate as possible are for nothing.

Note that I’m not knocking the methodology at all; as I said, I use it myself as much as possible. But I’ve yet to find a FM solution where upgrading is as easy as swapping out a file…

]]> By: Geoff Coffey http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1695 Geoff Coffey Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:55:35 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1695 Mike: Relationships in the data file <strong>do not</strong> show up in the UI file in any way. So if a relationship is used in both places, it needs to be defined in both places. In general relationships in the data file are needed for calculation fields. All other relationships (used for portals, layouts, scripts, etc...) go in the UI file. Hope that helps. Geoff Mike:

Relationships in the data file do not show up in the UI file in any way. So if a relationship is used in both places, it needs to be defined in both places.

In general relationships in the data file are needed for calculation fields. All other relationships (used for portals, layouts, scripts, etc…) go in the UI file.

Hope that helps.

Geoff

]]> By: Mike Bush http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1692 Mike Bush Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:36:51 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1692 Geoff: Is there a case where a relationship defined in the Data file must be redefined in the UI file too? Does the UI file automatically "know" about relationships already defined in the data file without any extra work? Geoff:

Is there a case where a relationship defined in the Data file must be redefined in the UI file too? Does the UI file automatically “know” about relationships already defined in the data file without any extra work?

]]> By: Daniel Antunes http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1397 Daniel Antunes Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:39:22 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1397 Otman: There is definitely a threshold below which data separation, while a good practice, simply is not needed. Personally, I like to use a data separated system for just about all of my projects, but it's more academic in some cases. A few times it's actually come in amazingly helpful when the system I originally thought was going to be small ends up becoming a fully fleshed out application. Planning for growth even if you don't see it can be a useful strategy! Otman:

There is definitely a threshold below which data separation, while a good practice, simply is not needed. Personally, I like to use a data separated system for just about all of my projects, but it’s more academic in some cases. A few times it’s actually come in amazingly helpful when the system I originally thought was going to be small ends up becoming a fully fleshed out application. Planning for growth even if you don’t see it can be a useful strategy!

]]> By: Otman http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1396 Otman Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:01:35 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1396 For small projects I prefer all into one self-contained file. For small projects I prefer all into one self-contained file.

]]> By: Geoff Coffey http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1358 Geoff Coffey Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:20:03 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1358 David: I'll address your question about relationships. In general, you need relationships wherever you <i>use</i> them. :) Usually, this is in the UI/Scripts file, because that's where all the viewing, editing, and scripting of the data occurs. But sometimes you'll need relationships in the data file as well. For instance, if you define a lookup for one of your fields, since the field definitions live in the data file, you'll need the relationship the lookup uses in the data file. In most of our work, the UI/Script file has <i>lots</i> of relationships and the data file has a few. Geoff David:

I’ll address your question about relationships. In general, you need relationships wherever you use them. :) Usually, this is in the UI/Scripts file, because that’s where all the viewing, editing, and scripting of the data occurs. But sometimes you’ll need relationships in the data file as well. For instance, if you define a lookup for one of your fields, since the field definitions live in the data file, you’ll need the relationship the lookup uses in the data file.

In most of our work, the UI/Script file has lots of relationships and the data file has a few.

Geoff

]]> By: David Goldstrom http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1356 David Goldstrom Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:44:55 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1356 Fascinating. I've googled around a bit and found very little information on how to separate the UI/Scripts from the Tables in Filemaker. I'm very much looking forward to part 2! BTW, one simple question that I could not figure out from my copy of "FMpro8 The missing manual" is whether the relationships go in the file with the tables, or in the file with the UI/Scripts. From experimenting on my own, it appears that they go in the UI/Scripts file. Fascinating. I’ve googled around a bit and found very little information on how to separate the UI/Scripts from the Tables in Filemaker. I’m very much looking forward to part 2!
BTW, one simple question that I could not figure out from my copy of “FMpro8 The missing manual” is whether the relationships go in the file with the tables, or in the file with the UI/Scripts. From experimenting on my own, it appears that they go in the UI/Scripts file.

]]> By: Jens Østergaard Petersen http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1336 Jens Østergaard Petersen Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:00:08 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1336 Looking forward to hearing how you make scripts do the job of relationships and calcs! Similar to scripting a web solution for an sql db, no? Jens Looking forward to hearing how you make scripts do the job of relationships and calcs! Similar to scripting a web solution for an sql db, no?

Jens

]]> By: Geoff Coffey http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/comment-page-1/#comment-1315 Geoff Coffey Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:45:39 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/an-overview-of-the-six-fried-rice-methodology/#comment-1315 @rich: Thanks for the correction :) I remember once when I had misspelled "its", a coworker corrected me. I said something about how it is impossible to remember which is which since it is completely inconsistent. After all, possessives have apostrophes and so do contractions. She rocked my world when she replied, "No possessive pronouns have apostrophes." Of course she was right. I still wonder why none of my English teachers ever pointed out this simple, consistent fact when correcting misuse in my papers. I haven't been confused about which to use since. So thanks to an old friend, and to you, for helping us keep things clean here. It is an easy mistake to make, and I missed it while editing. Geoff @rich:

Thanks for the correction :) I remember once when I had misspelled “its”, a coworker corrected me. I said something about how it is impossible to remember which is which since it is completely inconsistent. After all, possessives have apostrophes and so do contractions.

She rocked my world when she replied, “No possessive pronouns have apostrophes.” Of course she was right. I still wonder why none of my English teachers ever pointed out this simple, consistent fact when correcting misuse in my papers. I haven’t been confused about which to use since.

So thanks to an old friend, and to you, for helping us keep things clean here. It is an easy mistake to make, and I missed it while editing.

Geoff

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