PDF's & Networking on FM 8

[Jarvis]

I have a couple of questions about FM 8 networking.

THE PREAMBLE:

My cabinetshop right now has the following licenses:

Computer 1: FM 7 Server on dedicated Imac G5 (OS Sharing OFF)

Computer 2: FM 7 on Imac G5 (Stores PDF FIles)(OS Sharing ON)

Computer 3: FM 7 Developer on Imac G4 client station(OS sharing ON)

Computer 4: FM 7 on Imac G5 Client Station (OS Sharing ON)

Computer 1 drives the network for everybody.

Computer 2 is where we store cabinet drawings.

These drawings are available to the client stations as a referenced file that is stored in a container field.

Computer 3 is the main interface computer in the office.

Computer 4 is the one that is on the shop floor for the guys to key into.

I got all this set up about six months ago (with a lot of patience from Fenton & others) in order to see if I could actually drive pictures from the office to the shop. Other than the fact that computer 1 needed to be re-booted a couple of times a day it worked pretty good.

From there I shifted focus to task management issues and, with a LOT of help from LaRetta & others I got this module up & running. I can now create a task>assign a priority>monitor status and capture elapsed time without having to go into the back and pin a note to the refrigerator.

FM 8 has come along now with the control tabs, which is just what I was missing to component-ize my cabinet drawings. I now feel I am ready to cobble something together that will serve as a platform to get me started my someday end-all>be-all solution.

THE QUESTION(s):

Question 1: Why did Computer 1: (A brand new ImacG5 that only contained Filemaker 7 Server) keep freezing up?)

Is this a hardware or software problem?

Question 2: How many client stations could interface with each other (share the same file) without the use of a dedicated server?

Question 3: With FM 8 do I need to store my PDF documents on a dedicated image server in order for them to be referenced from a client station container field?

If anybody can help me on this I would sure appreciate it.

Thanks,

Jarvis

PS: Kudos to Filemaker for this new version.

Keep em coming!

[Keith LaMarre]

Question 1: Why did Computer 1: (A brand new ImacG5 that only contained Filemaker 7 Server) keep freezing up?)

Is this a hardware or software problem?

Question 1: - Something is seriously wrong (with your Mac?) if you have to reboot your Server only several times a day. The MAc must not be working correctly as FM Server is very stable. Also, if you really have rebooted all those times, it seems likely that the database files themselves are corrupted.

Q2: This is an interesting question. First, FileMaker Pro Server will support lots of users (up tp 250). But, when a PDF file is opened, only one person can use it AT ONE TIME. The file sharing capabilities of OS X will support up to 10 simaltaneous sessions (I think).

Q3: The PDFs could be stored on the FileMaker PRo Server.

P.S. - I don't know why you have to have file sharing ON on the 3rd and 4th computers - you DON'T need it on for the purposes you've listed.

Also, depending on how many files you have (and how much hard drive space and of course how reliable your G5 is) AND whether you want to access these PDF files outside of fileMaker (i.e.: not just as containers), you shouldn't need to do ANY file Sharing.

[macguys]

Question 1: This could be any of several things. It could be bad memory, or some sort of weirdness in the hard drive directory, or a permission set incorrectly, or any of a gazillion other things.

How much memory do you have in this machine? Is it all factory memory? Have you run the hardware diagnostic disk that came with your computer? What did it say about memory?

Your profile says you are running Panther on an iMac.

I'd start by BACKING UP and doing a diagnostic on the hard drive. My software of choice for this is Disk Warrior. I'd also run "repair permissions" from the Disk Utility.

If neither of these steps work, I'd consider doing an archive and install of the operating system. If that didn't work, I'd reinstall the FMP server software. If that doesn't work, I'd reformat the hard drive, reinstall everything and restore the data from the backup.