multi/single user issues on single machine

[veganboyjosh]

i'm running 5.5 on windows xp. there's no network, only one machine. i have a total of 4 db's, and i have scripts(buttons)to navigate between them all. the problem i'm having seems to be random, it comes and goes, altho i'm sure it's something i'm doing that makes it happen. in each file, i have 3 navigational scripts that open a different file(one script for each of the other files).

eg:

in file one, i have these scripts:

open file 2

open file 3

open file 4

in file 2, i have:

open file 1

open file 3

etc.

the problem i'm having is that mostly one--but sometimes two--of the files won't open from each other. the message i get when i try to go from one to the other is "the file is currently in use and could not be opened. the file is single user, or the host could not be found on the network."

the wierd thing is that i can get to the file i want by going to the window menu and choosing it from there. i want this to be a button on the layout, not have to use the window menu, i'm sure you can understand.

i tried changing the single-user status to multi-user, but witrh no network, i can have no network protocols, hence nothing but single user is allowed.

help me please?!?

any help is greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance.

josh

[Vaughan]

A common problem. Works the first time, but not the second time because the the files are already open. Open does not necessarily mean maximised and in front.

The solution is easy: in each file make a script that sets the layout, window appearance, and brings it to the front:

Allow User Abort [off]

Freeze Window

Set Use System Formats [on]

Go to Layout [whatever]

Allow Toolbars [off]

Scroll Window [home]

Toggle Status Area [hide]

Toggle Text Ruler [hide]

Set Zoom Level [100%]

Toggle Window [maximize]

Refresh Widow [bring to front]

Note that I do *everything* in this script. Nothing is left to chance. It's the last step, "Refresh Widow [bring to front]" that does the magic in bringing the window to the front.

Whenever you want to switch to a different database, don't use the Open step, perform the window setup script externally. If the file is closed FMP will automatically open it to run the script. If it's already open but, say, minimised or something, the script will make it beautiful again then bring it to the front.

Robust and reliable!