GoZync
We’ve been wrestling with this for a while:
How can we let users work offline in FileMakerGo and then get their work back to the main FMP system when they do get an internet connection? We can’t ask people to email a bunch of files to be processed manually, nor can we just open the served files and start importing records: what if the connection drops?
Here is our answer…
A Push/Pull framework for FileMaker Go
GoZync is an unlocked framework you can add to your own mobile files, or use as the basis for new FMGo solutions. It manages all the essential problems of offline work:
• Delivers new FMGo files and/or new data to the mobile device.
• Pushes changes up to FileMaker Pro or Server even over shaky 3G connections.
• Completely transactional
• Supports containers, related records, and signatures.
See it in Action
I don’t think I’ve had this much fun making a video is a long time…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooDGs6tD2jA]
Stay Tuned
Subscribe to SeedCodeNext to learn more as GoZync is released.
GoZync is a collaboration between geist interactive and SeedCode. Interested in how all this started? Read Todd’s great post on Going Local.
Have questions? Post ’em here.
26 Comments
I’m looking for exactly this solution. Up to 9 engineers in the field, each collecting jobs in real time. Occasionally the signal is lost to their iPhones. That’s where GoZync would come in.
I’m developing a filemaker alternative to a commercial package that didn’t suit the client. Unfortunately, they’d be hesitant at spending such a great amount of money for the engine plus user licences. Shame. I know it’s not an easy task to script so kudos to your team who’ve managed to achieve it.
Yes, if each users have 2-3 device
“Expensive” depends on what you’re using it for. It’s really about the value of the information your mobile workforce is sending back: when that, or its timeliness, is of high value, GoZync makes a lot of sense. But it’s not cheap or inexpensive: it’s a serious solution, for serious business.
it is low cost ?
No.
We’re still finishing up the site, it’s looking like $399 for the engine and $129 per connected device (iPad, iPhone, etc.)
129 $ by device it’s expensive guy
Can’t wait for you to launch this top solution John. It’s exactly what I need in my business so thanks in advance for all you’re putting into developing it!
John. We’re turning blue here, holding our breath. Are we ever going to see this wonderful solution?
=) Thanks. We’re in beta now, and demoing it at user groups in Seattle, Portland, and Santa Clara. Should be out after this week of demos is over. Stay tuned!
Looks like a great product and love the video too! How did you get your iPad on your desktop … emulation software? Please share your video making fun!
Hi Melinda, Recording video of the iPad is tricky; here is the setup we’re using… We start with the original iPad-to-VGA adapter from the first Gen iPads and plug that into an iPad 2. That gets connected to a epiphan frame grabber… http://www.epiphan.com/products/frame-grabbers/vga2usb/ …and that plugs into the Mac’s USB port. Not all recording software can see that video source, but the open source WhackedTV can: http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#samplecode/WhackedTV/Introduction/Intro.html
Hope that helps!
This is the part what was missing! Do not make very expensive and can’t wait to try it. 🙂
Hey, we want news !
can you give an approximate date.
I have need-it
THX
Hi Berry, We’re finishing up the docs and gathering feedback from our first testers so it shouldn’t be long. But I don’t think we can commit to a date. But you know you can start on your solution now since a) GoZync can be added into solutions you already have, and b) it doesn’t require the mobile and hosted files share any schema: they can have completely different field names, tables, numbers of fields, etc. More soon!
Sweet! I’m really looking forward to playing with this.
[…] will be much easier. See this post called Why go Local? for an overview of the problem and a tech preview from SeedCode for their […]
WHEN are you going to release ??????
Wow! I am thinking about implementing some reliable syncing mechanism between FM Go local database and a FileMaker Server since FM Go was released. But this goes farther than any of my thoughts. Great idea to use transactions. I am really looking forward to see it when it comes out.
I am especially curious how easy it will be to implement into an existing solution…
Thank you HOnza: means a lot. So far it is pretty easy to hook in to existing solutions. We’ve done two so far and hope to make the docs on this very clean. Best of all, it is *really* easy to add new fields, etc. to either side of your solution once Zync is in there.
Very interested to see how you all have done this. I’m working on achieving the same result right now and keep running into problems where the local file will try to connect to the hosted file at random times and cause FMGo to grind to a halt.
That is a tricky one Matt; but we’ve solved it.
WOW,
Just thinking where this can GO makes me dizzy…
Very impressive! Can’t wait till it’s available.
Thank you Bart! (I agree)
Awesome
I sometimes feel like a broken record, John, but this stuff is way kewl. Doesn’t surprise me in the least, but the scenarios in which this can run are so varied this functionality HAS to be a must for anyone developing FM Go for iPad applications.