Open/Open Remote Script

[AlanP]

Hi everyone,

We have about 5 people remote into our main database daily. One person becomes the host each day (it is not set who, just whomever opens it first).

My question is there a way to allow any user to click on the file itself and if someone is the host it will automatically do the open remote behind the scenes and show the logon dialog? I hate for my users to always see the dialog box telling them the file is open and to use open remote.

I'm not even sure if this is possible but thanks in advance for any ideas!

[Steven H. Blackwell]

You are using the OS level networking facility to open your file. This can very easily lead to the demise of the file. The warning message you are getting is specifically designed to prevent even further damage to the file.

Please see the Tech Brief on Filemaker Server found at

http://www.filemaker.com/support/upgrade/techbriefs.html

Your best and safest bet is to get FileMaker Server 8 and have it host your file.

Steven

[AlanP]

WOW...so you mean that nobody should be using the 'open remote' command to use a shared hosted file? We were just doing what the FileMaker Pro 7 documentation said. Is there another way to use/share one database if we can't afford FM Server?

[stanley]

Alan:

You should always use "open remote" (or a scripted version thereof) to open a hosted file. Steven's point is that you're allowing OS-level access to the file over the network, which one day is going to bite you badly. What you should be doing is opening the file on the machine where it is physically located (using FMP or FMServer), then having users open via "open remote". The practice of having a rotating host is just a disaster waiting to happen.

You don't need to get Server unless you exceed the concurrent user limit set in FMP...

-Stanley

[AlanP]

Hey thanks for all the insight guys! Basically we have the file on our network drive and one of us opens it up and becomes the host (in the past with v5 we used to host it on one computer). Everyone else then remotes into that users host computer to open the file. We don't exceed the 5 user max. Is this ok?

[Steven H. Blackwell]

it is absolutely NOT OK to do this. The warning message comes as a result of a change made in FileMaker Pro 7 such that you cannot have two people with OS level access simultaneously. There waas so much damage to files as a result of that that something had to be done.

Note the advice you had about opening the file on the machine wehre it physically resides. That is good advice. get that thing out of that share. Please read the Tech Brief.

If you need help with FileMaker Server please post a question in the Server forum, and we'll get you an answer.

Steven