Strange Recover Problem

[Helpful Harry]

Macintosh FileMaker 5.5 and 6 (OS 9 and X)

I'm in the on-going process of developing a database system (FM5.5, MacOS 9) for someone overseas (FM6, MacOS X) which has been working fine, but they seem to have found a peculiar problem in the Recover process ... or more likely "user error", which is hard to check since they're overseas and I don't have a network to try it on.

All the files are named using the ".fp4" filename extension (a left-over from when the system was first created in FileMaker 4.x). When a file crashes and becomes un-openable, they go through the Recover process as normal, making sure the file is called the same name, but recovered to a different folder. Everything goes fine and the recovered file is put back into service until they shut shop and can import the data into a fresh copy of the file. eg. MyFile.fp4 is recovered as MyFile.fp4.

BUT

Evidently when trying to use the file across the network, the recovered file's name in the Hosts window now has an ".fp5" extension ... which is of course causing problems when linked files try to find it. eg. MyFile.fp4 supposedly now shows up as MyFile Recovered.fp4.fp5 in the Host window.

Has anyone else come across this problem before??

Or is it just a case of "user error" on their part (perhaps not naming the file properly at the Save window at the start of the Recover process)??

I'm guessing the second option, but they insist they're doing it right.

Any info. appreciated.

[Vaughan]

Officially there was *never* an "fp4" extension, it was either "fp3" or "fp5" and this is probably your problem. Change them all to "fp5". Yes this will break a lot of links, but they're broken already aren't they.

This is where the FMP Developer tool pays for itself.

I've got to ask, why do the files need recovering so often?

[balooka]

Hi,

One thing I've found out about OSX is that it can do some strange things with the file extensions. Not just in FM it sometimes does this 'double' extension thing, but (on my system) also in some GoLive pages... I've noticed this can happen when I duplicate a file and then rename it. It'll show up as supposed on the desktop but all applications that can 'see' the file (in an OPEN dialog) show the double extension, causing links in any GoLive AND FM file to be useless...

I usualy reboot the system and convert the extensions once more - that usualy does the trick for me.

Just my 2 cents

JP

[OSX.2.4, FMD5.5 / FMP6]

[Helpful Harry]

Officially there was *never* an "fp4" extension, it was either "fp3" or "fp5" and this is probably your problem.

I know, I just used ".fp4" to help me to distinguish the files from files for the older FileMaker I also had installed at the time - I'm regretting it a little now though.

Change them all to "fp5". Yes this will break a lot of links, but they're broken already aren't they.

This is where the FMP Developer tool pays for itself.

Rats! I was hoping not to have to buy Developer. After spuring out on Developer 4 and only using the Binder once, I decided to just get the cheaper normal FileMaker when I updated to version 5.5.

I've got to ask, why do the files need recovering so often?

Sorry, that was my fault. As far as I know this is the first time this has happened ... or at least the first time they've complained about this problem.

[Helpful Harry]

One thing I've found out about OSX is that it can do some strange things with the file extensions.

Ahhh ... so it's a MacOS X problem, I should have guessed. I knew there were more reasons why I haven't bothered "upgrading" from MacOS 9.2.

Surely this means that even IF I bother renaming all the files, they can still end up with a double extension, only now it'll be "MayFile.fp5.fp5".

I'll just have to tell them that they HAVE to import the recovered data into a fresh copy of the file ... that's what they should be doing anyway.

Thanks for the help both of you.

[balooka]

hey Harry

you only have some chance of getting double extensions when you duplicate and rename, and not even on all files. It did happen to me once when I was building a new interface for CommunigatePro... was very annoying but it seemed to help that after I edited (the copied) file, and renaming it afterwards the problem would not occure... as if the filingsystem needs some time to update. Also, it started to happen after turning journaling on, on my system

HTH

JP

btw - for me OSX rocks, I still use 9.2 on another box but mainly for those non carbonized apps

[Chuck]

Regarding the extensions on Mac OS X. This can easily be avoided by setting the preference to always show extensions (Finder->Preferences). There is one case where this doesn't work: Applications will still hide the ".app" extension.

I have found this behavior to be an annoyance for systems where this preference isn't set, and I wish Apple would just make that the default. I think the system is harder to use when it isn't set this way. You could have two files with different names in the same folder but look like they have the same name (File.txt and File.fp5, but the extensions are hidden, so all the user sees is File and File).

Chuck

[BobWeaver]

I've noticed that on OS9 and earlier, Filemaker seems to be fairly forgiving about whether or not the .fp5 extension is present or not. I had a set of 20 files with no extension, and then decided to add the extension to all the files to ensure cross-platform compatibility. I expected a lot of work re-establishing all the links, but Filemaker seemed to recognize all the files correctly without having to do anything at all.

So, it might be worth a try to copy these files to an OS9 system, change the extension and then see if FM fixes the links automatically.