Maia

My head is clear, I've let the cabana boys go, and the test CD burn of the database from Mac to PC to Mac went very well. (The back and forth is because the file was developed on Mac, transferred to PC to use Developer tools for windows, and then back to the Mac with the only CD burner in the office.) I tested it on two different PC's that didn't have Filemaker on them and they launched and tested fine. You are all swell in my book! Thank you very much for the tips. Maia

THANK YOU to all for your suggestions. I had such a hangover from all that rum that I didn't get a chance to see if I can get it to work properly today. I will try a test tomorrow and hopefully post a success! Off to vote in this insane election! I am in severe denial that the Terminator may be my gov as of tomorrow. Thanks again, Maia

Hello. Help! I work for a small nonprofit that needs to publish a CD-ROM version of a very simple single file Filemaker database on an iMac with OS 9.1. I tried to create a runtime version using the instructions from Developer 5.5 Developer's Guide but I couldn't open it on computers without Filemaker on it or even on a PC with Filemaker Developer 5.5 installed. I have reviewed many of the posts back to January but they don't seem to have the answer. Here is what I did to try to create a PC runtime solution: I saved a copy of our active database (basically information on how to apply for hundreds of very specialized job listings) on the network swap folder from the iMac and accessed that single file from the PC. I opened it with Developer 5.5 installed on that PC and used Developer Tools program to save it as a runtime solution. Then I transfered that folder back over the network to the iMac to burn it as is onto a CD. Then I tried to open the file on the CD on the PC and it gave me the system error message that filename.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows. When reviewing the applicable posts from this year, I saw the suggestion/mandate? to save the file using a stuffit type program which I didn't do. I also saw that it won't open directly from the CD so I copied it back to the PC but it didn't work. Do you have to use a stuffit program to install the file on any computer? This solution will need to be installed so that students can access it over a network, or at least directly from the library at each school. In looking at my runtime solution folder it appears to be missing the primary file icon. There were many dll files created, a help file, and the runtime application icon. No system folder or primary file icon. I still need to create a few additional files like READ ME or Installation instructions. Do these need to be "bound" to the single database file or can they just be copied into the solution folder? Sorry to be so detailed but I figure that helps you understand the issues. Last questions - I just left the file extensions the default usr that came up and the default binding key of 123456 as well. These were used last year on the CD's distributed. Should I make sure that they are different this year. (This should be a stand alone product, not an upgrade to last years version.) Thanks for any help. I have been designing databases for many years using Filemaker but never needed to use Developer to create products for distribution. Sorry for the basic nature of these questions but I am under a very tight deadline and of course like many nonprofits, we have no money for consultants. Last year many sites could not open the file and the person who did it last year is long gone so I am starting from scratch. Gratefully, Maia