old database, no access

[legba42]

I'm working on a fairly big project with lots of databases but there is one file I'm having trouble with. This file was created and used in FM5, I think. I have FM7 and this file was converted successfully. In fact all of the other files are working fine. When I open the problem file the the following menus are greyed out:

File > Define > Database

File > Define > File References

File > Define > Accounts & Privileges

Also, when I attempt to access the Open/Close and Text tabs in the menu File > File Options I get the following: "Account privileges do not allow you to perform this action"

No where does it ask me for a password. How can I unlock this file? I have the original file, any way to break that thing open?

Thanks,

Brian

[Ender]

Hold the Option (Alt?) key down as the file opens. This should prompt the password dialog. The ability to auto-login can be changed (once you successfully login with a master password,) in the File->File Options dialog.

[legba42]

Um ... nope, that didn't work. Holding down Alt, Ctrl, Shift and any combination of those keys did nothing to change the situation. No password dialog. All of the menus described in the first email are still in their same state.

Anything else I can try?

Brian

[Lee Smith]

Hi Brian,

It's only one key. Hold down the Shift Key on Windows, when you either double click the icon of the file, or use the "Open" file in the Menu.

HTH

Lee

[legba42]

Really, I tried. Just the shift key. The file opens just fine but the menus are still in the same configuration. I tried the left shift key, no password dialog. Same for the right shift key. I tried to open from the desktop, from windows explorer, from the FM File > Open menu, all using the shift key and still get the same result.

This is probably some sort of bug in FM, what else could it be? Thanks anyway, looks like I will need to start over with this one database, that really sucks for me and my client!!!

Brian

[Ender]

Maybe in your FM5 version of the file, you can remove all passwords, and reconvert.

[BrentHedden]

I'm with Ender. Obviously, the original programmer set plenty of user restrictions on this solution. Hopefully you know or can get the master password. If you don't, there are other alternatives to finding out the passwords, but that involves purchasing additional software.

Hopefully you have a copy of FileMaker V6 or V5 around, so you can open up the original files that way.

In general, I usually strip out all of the passwords before converting a solution to 7. It's just easier in the long run that way.