Odd or crippling performance issues in Web Direct when "scrolling" (23 Comments)

Issue report by David Simmons

Product

FileMaker Server

Version

13.0.1

Operating system version

Mac

Description of the issue

I'm testing the newly official FMP13 server through web direct and I can 100% confirm in a consistent and repeatable way that when I am using a scrolling gesture on my trackpad I get either completely crippling "grey screen and loading wheel" behavior, or on form layouts I often get very odd "hopping" behavior along with the "loading" wheel.

This behavior is very consistent with even the slightest trackpad scroll input. It makes the solution virtually unusable.

I have isolated it to the trackpad scrolling (perhaps the same as the "scroll wheel" input instruction I assume). I know it is this input because if I manually move the "Scroll Elevator" in the vertical scroll bar, or even click in the bar to move up or down on the page, the loading issues are almost non-existent or at the very least, tolerable.

Whereas, even trying to scroll a page down just a little bit, or up to where I had previously been, using the "scroll" gesture produces either an immediate "loading" wheel, or that kind of staccato up and down jumpy scrolling behavior.

This seems like a very specific and repeatable and therefore hopefully fixable issue.


It is possible it was not seen by all users because browsers and platforms and user behavior and equipment obviously differ. Many people instinctually use scroll bar controls, rather than gestures or mouse wheels. Also, on Safari on a mac, the bars hide automatically, making it less obvious and even problematic to use as a navigation element. This is because touch gestures are so tightly integrated with the UI. I don't think this is going away of course. Obviously "scroll" needs to be fully supported in FMP13 via the gesture or wheel input method.

I TRULY hope you will take this discovery and recommendation seriously. I really think this could fix an issue before the unfortunate behavior it produces becomes a major problem in the new users out there, and potentially starts creating bad comments for your new product launch.

I'm on a MacBook Pro 2.8GHz core i7 with 16GB RAM accessing a very fast remotely hosted file on solid state drives, via a reliable and symmetrical 30mbps cable connection. This is way more robust than any of my users are likely to have.

I prefer Safari, but I have tested this across multiple browsers. On Chrome I've experienced behavior almost as if the file was possessed.

Some tests with Activity Monitor opened while interacting with the solution seem to be showing SIGNIFICANT activity perhaps due to the AJAX interactions or the long polling behavior. I'm not sure.

The files perform beautifully via FMPro remote connection, and quite acceptably via FMGO. They perform absolutely ABYSMALLY via mobile web browser such as iPhone or iPad iOS7. We're talking 5-10 minute long scroll wheel hangs. (I've seen the disappointing note that mobile devices are not yet supported. Obviously this has to happen soon. FMGO is not a viable solution for all mobile use cases.)

I have tested multiple files via Web Direct. The primary file I have been testing is VERY bare bones. I had never actually intended to use it for production. I simply built it to manipulate data to move into another online platform. But when I got the Web Direct developer preview I threw it up on a server to test it. My point is that there are no fancy layouts or styles used, and it is a brand new file, built in 12. I've incrementally even built very clean and minimal layouts specifically for testing via Web Direct, and the problem still persists.

If there is ANYTHING which I or the host could look towards to rectify this, please let me know. I'd LOVE it to be a problem on our end.


Side Note: I specifically remember that at one time some of the development interfaces inside of the Filemaker app itself used to have issues with not supporting this kind of "scrolling" or "scroll wheel" interaction. But that was eventually fixed. I'm wondering if there is something inherently sensitive or odd about the way FM handles the "scroll wheel" type function.


Please consider accelerating this issue to the appropriate person who can fix it before it causes damage to what looks to be an outstanding new product opportunity for FileMaker.

Steps to reproduce the problem

1. Open any web direct interface.
2. Scroll the window or portal with the trackpad "scroll" gesture.
3. Interface greys out, displays loading wheel, and/or hops up and down without resolving to a scrolled position.

Expected result

Smooth scrolling without interruption.
Some loading in some cases possibly expected, but only a tiny fraction of what I am experiencing.
Current solutions are unusable.

Actual result

Crippling delays
Web Direct layout greyed out with loading wheel
Web Direct layout jumps up and down while greyed out with loading wheel
Unusability of the solution via Web Direct.

Exact text of any error message(s) that appear

No text

Configuration information

I'm on a MacBook Pro 2.8GHz core i7 with 16GB RAM accessing a very fast remotely hosted file on solid state drives, via a reliable and symmetrical 30mbps cable connection. This is way more robust than any of my users are likely to have.

Served at filemakerhostingpros.com on fast connection with solid state drives. Their low latency servers are in Atlanta, GA while I'm in Nashville, TN where we have a very reliable backbone.

Workaround

None found yet.

Screenshot