New network/new clients (WinXP)

[LurveLeif]

I work in a hospital, we have several clients running Filemaker. When running this program on the new subnet we have problems connecting automatically ("%insertpathhere%Filemaker Pro.exe" %insertserverhere%%insertdatabasehere%.fp5). We get the error could not be found. But other clients connecting directly to a mapped drive (e.g."%insertpathhere%Filemaker Pro.exe H:pathherefilehere.fp5) works like a charm...

But, if connecting from within the program, browsing through hosts and telling servername everything works fine to server.

So wondering if I'm missing something? Or is this a command not working on WindowsXP?

Facts on old setup:

Windows NT 4.0 SP6a

TCP/IP and IPX network protocols

New setup:

Windows XP SP2

TCP/IP (with NetBIOS from DHCP server)

[transpower]

Make sure you use the Windows NT 4.0 compatibility mode on XP for FMP 5.

[LurveLeif]

Tried that right now, no difference. I get the program to work without the compatability mode set, I only have problems autoconnecting to database with string as mentioned over here when the file is on a server running Filemaker Server service...

[QuinTech]

Hi, LurveLeif, and welcome to the Forums!

The way you are trying to open these files (if i understand you correctly) is a problem. File-sharing should be disabled for all directories that contain hosted Filemaker files, so the user should not be able to see them through UNC path or mapped drive.

The second method you described is preferred. Just stick with that one. If you're after a bit easier way of doing this, you can create a local opener file that does this through a script if you want to. Search the forums for "opener file" if you're not sure how to do this.

Opening a remote file through OS file sharing is a recipe for disaster!

HTH,

Jerry

[LurveLeif]

Thanks for a good answered question! So it's better to move the files from the Filemaker Server to a mapped drive and run from there? Is the Filemaker Server better for NT environment? We have been running like that for a couple of years now here at our hospital. Just to make sure, were not running through a file share, cant see the files via UNC (the starting parameters looks like unc, but it's not...?!!).

But I will search for the opening file, or maybe move to a fileserver to open from. Anyway, thanks for helping out!

[QuinTech]

were not running through a file share

You're not? Then what did you mean by this?

connecting directly to a mapped drive (e.g."%insertpathhere%Filemaker Pro.exe H:pathherefilehere.fp5)

it's better to move the files from the Filemaker Server to a mapped drive and run from there

Absolutely not, in fact, quite the opposite. It should not even be possible to see these files on a mapped drive. The only way remote FileMaker files should be opened is by opening the FileMaker application, selecting File>Open Remote, finding the server on which the file is located, and double-clicking that file.

To begin to understand why, try to answer this question: If you open an fp5 on a remote volume, which computer is the host? The remote (where the file is stored) or your workstation (where the file is open)?

J

[LurveLeif]

Ok, let me try to specify. As said before, running from a mapped drive works (e.g."%insertpathhere%Filemaker Pro.exe H:pathherefilehere.fp5) but thats not what we're doing. We have a filemaker server, which has no shared directorys. If I do Start-->Run-->[server] I see no files or directorys. It's the Filemaker Server service that's "sharing" the files.

The only way remote FileMaker files should be opened is by opening the FileMaker application, selecting File>Open Remote, finding the server on which the file is located, and double-clicking that file.

Not true, we run our application as said earlier "[path here]filemaker pro.exe" [server here][file here.fp5] with no problems (from the filemaker server). But this was in our NT environment. On XP this doesn't work...

But I will search for opener file and try that. Thanks for helping out again!

[QuinTech]

we run our application as said earlier "[path here]filemaker pro.exe" [server here][file here.fp5] with no problems

Maybe so, but it is only a matter of time until you run into problems. You CAN run it using the syntax "[path here]filemaker pro.exe" [server here][file here.fp5], but you SHOULDN'T. Again, it gets back to the same question: Which machine is hosting the file?

If you are able to access fp5 files through a UNC path, you should consider moving those files to your (non-shared) Filemaker Server directory. There may be logical reasons you want to keep those files in a different place, but it will end in frustration. Or it could be i'm misunderstanding you; you mentioned that i incorrectly identified that syntax as a UNC path when it is not. I know there is a way to open FMS-hosted files using a similar syntax, but it escapes me at the moment.

In any case, whatever syntax you use, all fp5 files should be hidden and opened only by FMS. That much i know i know. :

J

[DykstrL]

The syntax for opening a FMS 5 file is: "fmp5://10.10.10.10/My_File.fp5".

[QuinTech]

Thanks, i figured you'd know. :