Accessing Mac FileMaker from a WinXP PC

[Chuck Provancher]

I am running a FileMaker 4.1 database on a Mac G3 with OS 9. I need to have someone in my office access the database from her Windows XP computer. Several years ago, I had purchased some software called PC/MacLAN that would allow a Win98 PC user to read a file on a Mac running OS 9. It worked beautifully, but I haven't tried to see whether it's still available (or if it will work on XP).

Do I still need to purchase that software, or some other program like Dave? Or is the XP PC more likely to read the Mac files without it?

(Please don't tell me to convert the Windows users to a Mac, the Mac user to a PC, or the Mac to OS X. I'm stuck with the current network configuration.)

Thanks!

[DykstrL]

You do not want to share FileMaker files via file sharing - it is an invitation to disaster and corrupt files.

Both machines need to have the same version of FileMaker installed with TCP/IP set as the network protocol in FileMaker. Set the file you want to share as Multi-User under the File|Sharing... menu option.

On the other machine for version 4, select file|open. Click the "Hosts" button. If both machines are on the same network subnet, the hosted file should show up in the window. If not, you may have to specify the host and enter the IP address of the host machine.

...and that's it. FileMaker is a cross-platform software - it shares quite nicely between the platforms.

[Chuck Provancher]

Thanks, DykstrL. I installed FileMaker on the XP system (did not do any fancy file sharing stuff), and it worked beautifully!