Proper setup for serving files

[ddreese]

I have about 6 database files that I want shared out onto the employee's computers. They all have FM6Pro. I have FM Server Installed on the server, but I don't know how to setup the files to be shared (other than through windows).

I was reading through a .pdf and it said it's important to not share the files through windows sharing. How else am I going to be able to add shortcuts on the desktop for the employees to open the database? They are already set up as multi-user files. Please help!

[Kurt Knippel]

Filemaker Server is on its own DEDICATED machine and is running no other software? No sharing is enabled on this system?

The proper method to open the files is to use the File menu -> Open dialog - Hosts button.

This can be automated by use of a "launcher" and "main menu" file. The launcher file is a local DB with one purpose to open the main menu off of the server. The main menu will then be used to open all the other DBs.

The launcher would have the proper password and a script in the document preferences. The script would just open the main menu db and then close itself.

The main menu file will then have buttons to control access to all the other files.

[ddreese]

Thanks for the reply, I'm going to have to look into the "launcher". Another quick question: Do I have to be running FM Pro on the Server that is running the FM server program? If Pro isn't open with the DB files open, it doesn't show up in the hosts list on the employees PCs. For some reason this doesn't make sense to me why I would need both FM Pro and FM Server on the same machine, I figure server would do the work for me. Alas, I suppose not.

[Kurt Knippel]

NO, you only run FM Server on that machine.

[Guest]

You don't need to run FMP client on the server to serve a file, but you do need it to be there just in case to _repair_ a file. This can happen if fmp "quits" without properly closing a file.

FMP server on my machine automatically hosts any multi user file in the server folder or one folder level deep in the server folder.

[jasonwood]

If Pro isn't open with the DB files open, it doesn't show up in the hosts list on the employees PCs

then server isn't actually doing anything (you probably haven't set it up fully). you are only sharing the files using the built-in sharing.