Controlling User experience

[duncandawg]

Okay, so I've got my solution with about a dozen inter-related files... I plan to serve this solution on my Mac to about ten users at any given time.

Some problems I am running into are:

The "Window" menu item will allow users to accidently switch windows and end up in a place which is not consistent with the scripted order in which they should arrive there.

Also, my scripts which call other files and subsequently hide them, seems to cause problems on the client machines - in that they appear to be looking for the file locally. Do I need to modify all of my scripts to call "Open Host" file??

Some of these alternate (secondary) files are only needed for a short time... would it be best to have the script close the file when finished with it, or leave it open but hidden for the other users? Which is the optimum method for keeping the solution running quickly? Is it better to keep all of the files which will be accessed by the users open and then have various WINDOWS available in the WINDOW Menu list??? Which then becomes a control issue, doesn't it?

Any suggestions to these items will be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

[keshalyi]

Well, your best option, if I understand you correctly, is to take the secondary db's, and keep them open on your database as multi-user (Hidden, I recommend, so they can't just open them up easily.)

As for the windows menu, you need to set up a password, to lock them out of that particular menu

Or maybe I just don't get the question?

[duncandawg]

Perhaps I should have posted this in the Server forum. I DO have my secondary DB's open (hidden), however, they still show up in the WINDOW Menu, and I'm not aware of how to set up a password structure to prevent the user from accessing the WINDOW Menu item.

I'm still unclear as to how this should be handled. If I know I will serving these files, should the scripts which call the various files be set to open the (HOST) file? I think they should. Great but what happens if the IP address changes on the server?

I really think I should (somehow) move this topic to the Server forum.

[djgogi]

This is how I manage file navigation:

The startup script of the main file contains the subscript "Idle" (and every other file has Idle script, too)

Allow User Abort [off]

Pause/resume Script [ ] //for ever

If [status(CurrentModifierKey)!=8] //alt key on Mac

Perform script "Idle"

end if

You will loose access to all menus so DB cannot be closed or FM quited (of course you can do it via script)

The above method is in use for allready 4 years in our DBs and I've had never experienced Stack Overflow ( in case someone would say that is safer to use loop)

To make this work you will have to select option "resume current script" for "every " button in your DB.

HTH

Dj

[duncandawg]

Thanks DJ!!!

Once again you give me such clever answers to my problems. I don't fully understand what your solution is doing (technically), all I can say is I tried it, and it works.

So Kewl!

Thank you SO much.

P.S. If you accept PayPal, I'd be more than delighted to pay for your next beer - as a genuine thank you.

Chris

[duncandawg]

Sorry DJ, one more question - (now that I've had a few minutes to play with this workaround)...

It seems if the user hits a return key (even when they ought not to be) it resumes the idle script and unlocks the Menu Items (WINDOW and SCRIPTS). Is this the way it should behave?

[djgogi]

No this is not a proper behaviour.

The if step should re call the script (if you don't hit enter while holding option/(alt on mac))

The if step is

if status(CurrentModifierKey) is not equal to 8

Dj

[duncandawg]

DJ, can you please help me with this thing a little bit more?

I have a Main Menu File which controls access to various related files. These are all running on FMP Server 5.5 (Windows 2000). On the client machines, I am installing OPENER files which simply open the Main Menu then close. I am running into all kinds of control issues where the IDLE script is taking more control than I want it to. For example, I can't have my Main Menu set to run it's opening script (which includes the IDLE Script, as the control never goes back to the OPENER file (to close it and complete its opening script) until I hold the ALT key and hit ENTER sooooooooo many times. Also, some buttons in my Main Menu file, which lead to other files aren't working properly. I have them set to "RESUME Current Script" and the file which the button calls has an opening script which also has "IDLE". It is getting so difficult for me to maintain an "IDLE" State while still having various scripts complete their processes.

If you could elaborate for me on how I can properly implement the IDLE script while opening and closing related files. Thanks, Chris

[CG Software LLC]

The "Idle" script sounds like a good idea. However if you want an alternative to the Window memu issue you could try either a plug-in, secureFM and MenuChoice both allow you to disable the Window menu.

Or you could create a layout in everyfile that has is just a button that hides itself. This would be the default layout for every file so that if you choose the file from the Window menu all you can do is click the button to hide the file again. I have examples of this in my software and will send it to you if you want to see it.

Regards,

Thomas