newbie image import, disappearing from container

[fwsue]

I have been searching the forums and will continue to look but I wanted to add a newbie question about networked users on mac and pc. We are importing images into our database on a Win 2000 server with Filemaker server. The image is imported without a reference. First question is the images can be seen in the field, but later seem to disappear from the database, then we are importing them again using import file. We have tried importing them using folders with subfolders, just folder contents, and singly. We also tried cutting and pasting the image into the container. Second question is not all images are imported from folder.

When we take the database off-line and import the images from a local folder, it imports all images. Not sure if images will disappear yet.

There are several things going on but looking for any ideas, thanks.

[dkemme]

I don't understand your setup. You say you import images into Filemaker Server, but server cannot import images.

Here is what we do that works great!. One machine runs FMServer and does nothing else. Another machine that does all the scanning scans images into a folder (happens to be TIFF format). That scanning machine has FMPro and opens the files being served using the host button. We then import image from t he folder than the images were scanned into, importing without reference. The images are immediately saved to the database being served on the FMServer machine and visible to all other users connected to the database.

[fwsue]

Thank you Doug.

My description was somewhat panicky and incomplete, and I appreciate your patient reply in explaining your setup for importing images sucessfully.

Our Sys Administrator changed settings in FM file so now it is necessary for Users to use the host button to open FM file and things seem to be going smoother. I'll check into what else we can change, I appreciated hearing what works for you.

In this problem 3 machines were involved and this is what was happening-

1. FM Server (Win2000), FM files and other files

2. Server (Windows), office's main server and storage site, 1400 150kb jpg image files

3. Mac OSX.3 and WinXP network users. User opens remote FM file, and became a host when opening (something was wrong with this) Then user tried to import images with import command, using subfolders. Command seemed successful but when db was checked not all images were imported. And then when FM file was reopened later, imported images were not there.

So besides user error, I don't know exactly what caused the disappearing images.

Thanks again for your insight.

Sue

[dkemme]

Glad you have things sorted out, sounds like your problem was the users opening the files without the host button. Be cautious of the "other files" on your machine with FMServer. IMHO best practices preclude that machine being used for anything else, other than some backup functions... Do not allow that machine to be accessed from remote machines for filesharing...