open remote file via command prompt

[jkumbruck]

I guess I've got a pretty easy question: I've set up a filemaker 7 server and installed filemaker 7 pro on a citrix server. Now, I would like to publish several database files, so users just have to click the published content to access their fm7 database. I've already tried with the following program path "C:Program FilesFileMakerFileMaker Pro 7FileMaker Pro.exe" fmnet:// but this didn't do the trick. Actually, the question is: is there a way to open a remote file on a filemaker server via the run command or command prompt (so without opening filemaker pro first -> open -> remote -> and then select preferrable file)?

thanks in advance for any help,

Joeri

[QuinTech]

Hi, Joeri.

"C:Program FilesFileMakerFileMaker Pro 6FileMaker Pro.exe" fmp5://192.168.x.x/name.fp5

(where 192.168.x.x is the address of the server and name.fp5 is the name of the file you want to open) works for Filemaker 6; maybe you could use

"C:Program FilesFileMakerFileMaker Pro 7FileMaker Pro.exe" fmp7://192.168.x.x/name.fp7

for FM7?

I don't know about command line, but this will work as the "Target" argument in a shortcut file.

HTH,

Jerry

[Lee Smith]

Read your Private Messages.

I have deleted your other three, or was it four, messages [color:"red"] Please Do Not Double and Triple Post in the Forum. I wrote you a Private Message about it.

Lee

[Vaughan]

Employ an opener file. The user double-clicks the opener file, it open FMP and the remote database in one step.

[Ted S]

I just tried Jerry's syntax from the command line and it works as expected. We run a very similar setup to yours and we simply put an icon on the desktop of the all users profile that has a target like:

fmp7://10.20.30.40/FileName.fp7

That's all there is to it. I don't really know why the opener file is still heavily touted on these forums when a simple shortcut works fine.

[jkumbruck]

excellent guys!

seems that fmp7://10.20.30.40/FileName.fp7 as target works just fine!

I don't understand either why they still use an opener file when this simple shortcut does the job!

I'm a real newbie in the filemaker world (only working with it for 3 days now), so maybe there is something I overlooked here...

Anyway, thanks for your help guys!

[rogermax]

For the average user an opener file presents an easier and nicer interface. Interface is important for most users. There may be other things that a developer may want to include in the opener file -- or not. Simple file with a single button that uses an OpenUrl step set to:

fmp7://*/FileName.fp7 (note that the wildcard works if you are only running one FileMaker Server, never tried hosting from more than one)

fmp5://*/FileName.fp5 (for users running FMS 5x)

[Ted S]

Roger,

I don't see any advantage. My users click their desktop icon and go directly to the hosted file. I have an autorun script in the hosted file which gathers user info and checks system settings. The advantage here is obvious; if I want to alter the autorun script, I'm doing it on a hosted file. I don't have to replace a bunch of local opener files.

I say the opener file idea was a good workround in its day but since FileMaker provides the ability to target a hosted file directly, the opener file is just needless complexity.

[QuinTech]

Hi, Roger. Unless you have other things going on in your opener file, it seems to me you are creating a file where none is needed. The syntax i wrote above for the shortcut does exactly the same thing as the OpenURL script step, if i am not mistaken. The user does not need to use a command line; they'll still have a shortcut. But instead of it targeting

"C:Program FilesFileMakerFileMaker Pro 7FileMaker Pro.exe" C:theOpenerFile.fp7

it targets

"C:Program FilesFileMakerFileMaker Pro 7FileMaker Pro.exe" fmp7://x.x.x.x/actualFileOnTheServer.fp7

[QuinTech]

JINX!

[rogermax]

I personally set up the opener without the "other stuff" and maintain it in the hosted solution, as you suggest. In fact one could use the opener with a single on open script that opens the hosted solution without a button. I like to use it as a splash screen for shrink wrapped products.

I think the point of openers (whatever their flavor) is that they get users to the hosted solution more directly than needing to train them to use the hosts button or other such methods.