Absolute Newbie Needs HELP!

[John Chamberlain]

I have a copy of FM Server that I do not know how to implement.

I have a solution that has two users who are allowed to make changes, and four users that are allowed to look at the data, but not make changes. The two "blessed" users serve different functions, but their files depend on each other's integrity and relationship. I have kept these files in sync by editing them each week and handing them back to the two users on each Monday,but it is time to turn it over to everybody.

I want the four "No Changes Allowed" users to be able to make thier own layouts, do searches, etc. but not be able to change anything in any of the files.

The solution consists of eight related files that only the two authorized users can touch. Can I install FM Server and accomodate the four persons that want to "just look"? What happens if one of my two "blessed" users want to change a record in one of the files at the same time? I bought FM Server without knowing what to do, but thinking it came with documentation - it doesn't, and if it did I probably could not understand it.

I really am out of my depth here - can anyone tell me what to do, or how to proceed? Is there a good book on this?

TIA,

John

[stanley]

John:

There is a "FileMaker Server Best Practices" white paper somewhere on FileMaker's site, which has a ton of useful and important information and advice in it. I think it is in their "publications" section, perhaps under "support."

Otherwise, for a simple overview:

FMServer would host the files for all of your users. Via the Access Priveleges, you can set what a user can and can't do. When two of your "blessed" users access the same record at once, only one can change that record. They are locked out from making any changes until the first user has exited the record. This is done to ensure data integrity.

Something sounds awry in your description of "syncing up" two of your files. You shouldn't have to do this by hand, as it sounds like you are doing. Without more info, I can't say what the solution is.

Good luck

-Stanley

[stanley]

Furthermore:

Remember that when accessing a hosted file, the users must access via FileMaker's "Open Host..." dialog, or via an "opener" file, both of which are covered a number of times in other posts in this forum. Accessing files via OS-level file sharing is a guaranteed path to destruction.

-Stanley