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File cabinet developments

It has been several months since the file cabinet space for the Ultraversity Portfolio tool was developed. The file cabinet allows researchers to upload portfolios of work for assessment by facilitators. Ultraversity researchers and facilitators have lived with a filename length limit of 32 characters for a few months now. This was imposed by FileMaker's poor handling of files, probably inherited from Mac OS 9 days....

Last week, Mark and I configured FileMaker to use the Web Connector tool which allows us to serve all requests through the Apache webserver in Mac OS X Server. This has resulted in removing the 32 character limit for all uploaded files.

Anyone who writes a piece of software with a numerical limit ought to be shot, luckily I escaped the firing line this time around. Maybe I should warn people at FileMaker HQ?

Comments

Yipee! Well done Jonathan. I'll up date the WrestlingTheFilingCabinet page on the wiki and put a link to this blog entry.

Thanks Linda, sorry it took sooo long - for me, it's about time and space to revisit developments. There's more improvements to be made to the File Cabinet - aren't there always.... but I kinda figured this one was a significant one. I just had to be brave and make a few changes. I was a little worried that I might introduce bugs or instability Appears to be ok though.

It's great working alongside Ultraversity Researchers who are subscribed to this idea of iterative development and risk taking :-)

You could argue that anyone who wants to use a file name longer than 32 chracters should also be shot!:^)

yes, quite! Luckily I have a record of researchers who have committed such offences ;-)

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