Speeding up Calculation Fields

[Lemur21]

Hello,

I have a slew of calculation fields in one of my files. However, 90% of them are calculations of related fields, and -- as far as I know -- they cannot be indexed. Consequently, the page loads VERY slowly.

Is there any other way in Filemaker 5.5 to make speed up the calculation field displays?

Thanks!

 

[JeanW]

Not knowing the structure of yout database or why you need all the calculatiions, basically there are more or less 6 reasons for slow calcs.
Usually with calcs over several files.

Make sure you show on layouts the fields that are necessary.
Unstored calculations must recalculate every time they are displayed.
So if you have several unstored calc fields on a layout, it will take time. Maybe a redraw of your application can avoid that.

When I say show only fields that are necessary, the form is important. A simple layout per record will be faster than a list view of records, faster than a table view.
It's not always a need to show a list.

Work with smaller sets of records. There is not always a need to work on a complete set of records. Search and sort first on a separate 'simple' layout. Usually it will give you a smaller set of records.

90 % are related...put a filter on the relationship so the calcs will go only on the filtered set of records.

Make sure to use the freeze windos step in navigations and scripts.
Use this when you don't want users to see the changing of layouts, records or files.
Freeze window does not prevent dialogs or process information from appearing. The window is automatically unfrozen when the end of the script is reached or dialog or process is activated.

A little known fact is that freeze window can speed up scripts. Now, adding a freeze window step to a script that doesn't need it will cause unnecessary screen refresh when the script ends. this makes a solution looks unprofessional.

To optimize your solution, use freeze window:
in looping scripts that switch between records
complex scripts that pass data between files
every time you use perform script
scripts that navigte to many different layouts
any script that change mode.

To know how to speed up calculations, we need to know how and what they are doing and the reason.
Not knowing that, it's guessing, without realy knowing what options you have available.

 

[Lemur21]

LOL - I'd love to say I understood what you were referring to

Here's the basic structure.

Database A is a join file between Databases B and C, with several calculations.

Then, Database B sums up the records in Database A - based on similar records using a id field, and reports them onto another sheet on Database B.

It's that reporting that takes SOOOO LONNNNGGGG to show up.

Easiest thing - really - is for me to send the file (or post it to my website)...someone well-versed in FM (I am not) would probably be able to diagnose the problem in mere minutes, as I'm POSITIVE this DB was not created in the most efficient way possible.

Chris