Plug-in recommendations?

[Dagel]

I developed a runtime in kiosk mode which works beautifully on some systems but hangs when opening on others. After binding in FM Dev 6, I processed through an app called Kiosk2Win. Kiosk2Win actually restores access to the user's desktop and gives them the ability to minimize my runtime. The compatibility issue lies with their (Kiosk2Win) code and they can't figure out what's going on.

What I'm trying to eliminate is the user's ability to navigate to any other layout, create new records, use any menu commands or keyboard shortcuts (other than cut and paste). I don't, by the way, want to use any password protection.

Can anyone suggest a plug-in, or combination of plug-ins, which would mimic kiosk mode. Thanks!

[Reed]

I'm using kiosk mode, and to give users access to other programs I've created buttons in filemaker that launch the apps. There is a scripting language called AutoIt that allows window and process control in windows betond what is possible with VBscript or windows script host. You can't see the desktop but you can bring up the start menu and open windows to navigate the filesystem.

As far as plugins, you could use menu-control to disable all the native filemaker menus, replacing them with items that you specify. Single user license is $89. $329 allows you to include it in any runtime you sell. To disallow navigating to other layouts, either hide and lock the status area in a startup script, or just don't include the layouts in the layout menu.

Why don't you want to use passwords and groups? This would allow you control over how much menu access users would have. You could also disallow users from creating records this way. End users would never need to know about the passwords since the database can be set to open with a default password in the file preferences.

Hope this helps.

Dana

[Dagel]

Dana-

Thanks, that does help. I hadn't thought about a default password option.

[SteveB]

I had a kiosk for a long time, but eventually changed it to a straight runtime using Menu Control from Dacons International. I did this for a number of reasons: A kiosk is a real pain to work with, and can be very tempermental (if software can be referred to like that). It also doesn't follow the Windows platform look and feel, and even on a Mac, I would think it isn't conventional.

MenuControl replaces the entire FM Menu bar with one of you own design. You create the menu topics, the menu entries and the scripts attached to them. The end result is that I have a runtime that behaves like a kiosk, but the user can minimize the app, yet he can't access any of the FM internal commands, layouts, etc. And the necessity of having every layout the exact lenght and width also goes away.

In addition to MenuControl, there is Secure Menu and its Menu Control plugin from New Millenium (I think they are the owners). Altho I used Secure Menu for awhile, it didn't have its menu control features at the time.

Steve

[Dagel]

Steve-

Thank you! I'm looking into those plug-ins right now. Since I did design all the layouts for kiosk mode, they are all the same size. I don't want the user to be able to scroll either vertically or horizontally. Is the FreezeWindow script step the only way to accomplish this?

[SteveB]

You don't need to worry about the scrolling issue. The only time a layout will have scroll bars is if it needs to (like a report). I think you'll find that a straight runtime is much easier to deal with.

The one problem you might have to deal with is preventing the user from clicking the Close Window (X). I wrote a WinBatch pgm, which I posted here that you can download to prevent this from happening. Do a search for "Stop Window Closing". If you can't find it, let me know.

Steve

[Dagel]

Hey guys-

These plug-ins do a lot of what I'm wanting to do, just one problem: Even though all of the related files open as "hidden," they still appear at the bottom of the screen and can be seen by the user. I really don't even want those visible, even if they're dimmed. What am I missing?

Also, just as an aside-are you aware of any language translation plug-ins that can translate on the fly?

[SteveB]

Open your main window as maximized.