Odd network behavior W2k, FMServer 5 and FMP 6

[fmcarl]

I am working with a complex FM solution called Ebase (www.ebase.org), created for non-profits. This database contains a number of server side files (these are the data files) and a number of client side files that control access by clients. All client machines get an identical set of files. This design was created to allow users to customize their database to handle new functionality (by modifying the client side files) while allowing the developers to control key files (server side files) for the purposes of creating upgrades to the system.

This is on a Windows 2000 network, set up by a consultant. Dell server running FM Server 5, clients running FMP 6. Should be plenty of memory and hard drive space.

The problem I'm having involves the database mixing up access priviledges among users on the network. When a client opens the database, their machine sends login information to the server, which then sends navigational and access data (stored in a few server files) back to the client to configure their use of the database. What happens is that when more than one user is logged into the database, the access priviledges get mixed up between or among the users. Since the data is sent back to the clients and "lives" in a file on that machine for the duration of a session, they should operate without problem. Somehow, though, the client data seems to get sent between the client machines. It's as if the two or more clients can see each others data files and get mixed up. Note that the client files all have the same names.

I've inquired at length through the support available from the developers of the database at www.ebase.org , but noone else is having this problem in a network setting, so I suspect it's a network specific issue. I'd like to know what issues I need to keep in mind in setting up the network, particularly regarding file sharing, access priviledges among the machines, etc.

TIA for any suggestions.

[Anatoli]

How FM Client will distinguish between FM files on FM server with the same names?

[fmcarl]

Let me clarify. The clients each get a set of files that temporarily hold data sent by the server. These files are identical, and hence have the same names (needed so that the relationships work, data goes to the right places etc.). The server contains only a single fileset, which is the data files (e.g. name and contact info, data on payments made, etc.). These files all have different names from the files on the client machines. So, files on the server have unique names, and each client has an identical set of files. As I see it, there's no confusion with the data files on the server, only among the clients.

Thanks

[Anatoli]

I am completely lost and I don't understand anything from that setup.

Sorry

[Guest]

Hi-

I'm guessing a bit here, but I wonder if the client side files have somehow been set to multiuser sharing? That might explain why each client seems able to see (and use FM files) on other client side machines.

Just a thought.

Steve

[WOZ Creative]

I would definitely detail and diagnose exactly which clients are "mixing up" their permissions..Is it happening between a specific set or all over? This step I think will help determine rather quickly what's going on....Just a suggestion.