Visual Basic program that uses FMpro 4.1

[SnipeD]

Hi there,

I have the following question.

I have created a FM-pro db with ver. 4.1.

Now I want to create a little program that runs on a remote computer. The program should pull data from the db, and be able to update the data. (Also delete and new records).

Can I create the program using Visual Basic and how?

Any help would be very much appreciated!

[BobWeaver]

Does this need to run on PC/windows, or is it going to be Mac only? If Mac only, I would look at using applescript/applevents to do the dirty work. I haven't used Visual Basic, but I know that RealBasic can do it. I've played around with it and Filemaker a bit.

The other option is to use ODBC (which I haven't really done anything with, so I'm no help there).

[SnipeD]

I have the db running on a Mac.

But I want to use the program on windows machines...

Is it possible to create the program using Real Basic and then use the program on Windows machines??

[This message has been edited by SnipeD (edited March 15, 2001).]

[DykstrL]

You could use ODBC to access the data in the file, but you would have to upgrade to FileMaker 5.

A dumb question, why not use FileMaker on the PC's to access the db on the MAC? It sure would save a whole lot of development time.

[BobWeaver]

If you have the full version of RealBasic, you can create both Mac and Windows runtime versions of the application right on your Mac. However, you have to make sure that you don't use any platform specific features such as Applescript and Apple Events. So, that will limit you to using ODBC or possibly RealBasic's built-in database engine, depending what you want to do. If you want to try it out, you can download a 30 day demo version of RealBasic from:

http://www.realsoftware.com/

I haven't done a lot with RealBasic yet, but here are some forums for it:

http://www.reallybasic.com/

http://pub11.ezboard.com/brealgurus40472

By the way, Visual Basic may be perfectly capable of doing what you want to do. I just suggested RealBasic because I have used it a bit.

[SnipeD]

The program has to be use by very many people all on remote computers. It would cost to much to buy filemaker for all these machines and also the users would need a cours or so to be able to use is.....

These computers use windows, and therefore the program has to be created for windows.

An upgrade is out of the question I am afraid.

Actually I am not very accustomed to the Mac and I want to use Visual Basic if this is possible. I really have no idea how and where to start!

Some more information about the program I try to create:

A user runs the program, then the user must be able to create new records, alter or delete records (Only the ones he has created!).

Also it has to be able to import pictures to the database (or link the picture field to the file) and upload the picture to the server.

[This message has been edited by SnipeD (edited March 16, 2001).]

[BobWeaver]

I think you should consider getting Filemaker developer and Filemaker server. FM developer will allow you to make an unlimited number of runtime versions of your filemaker app for the client machines, and FM server can host the main db files on a server machine.

From the sound of what you are trying to accomplish, developing a visual basic app will be a tremendous amount of work, and when you are done, the limited ability of a standard version of Filemaker to serve as host will be a major bottleneck. In fact, I believe you would need Filemaker Unlimited in order to respond to requests from other computers.