File references

[Kieron]

I think this is the right forum for this query.

I have both mac and pc's access a server, from a small FM database on each individual machine that when opened opens the 'proper' database on our server.

When they 'log out' it should automatically go back to this local file.

The problem I have is that I can't find a location on a mac where I can install a file that is the same place for all users

i.e. for a PC it is easy

filewin:/C:/Documents and Settings/All Users/Desktop/***.fp7

but for a mac it is

filemac:/Macintosh HD/Applications/FileMaker Pro 8/***.fp7

but the problem is that people rename their hard disks!

Can somebody help me??

Thanks,

Kieron

[Genx]

When loging into the main file, prior to closing the opener, pass along the get(filepath) value into a global field or store it as a global variable, then on closing of the other file, run your script to re-open that one...

~Genx

[Kieron]

I'll give it a go and post my results here.

thx.

[Fitch]

Not a big deal, but FYI this has nothing to do with the Separation Model.

[Brian C]

Try using this path:

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/

You may have to futz with permissions on the file after placing it here if you want other users to have more than read only access to the file once it is placed here.

--

Update - just reread your post and realized the issue of the changing HD name. Disregard this post. ;)

Edited April 3, 2006 by Guest

[Brian C]

I have read this again and decided on a couple of things:

The directory:

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/

should suffice for most purposes.

What is the reason for you needing a consistant place to store a file for your users where the path name does not change? What are you doing in your solution that would require such a dependance at the user workstation level? Are you trying to re-open the same file that the user had open to log-in with?

Maybe you should leave this file open and hidden once the user is logged in and then have it unhidden and reset to the proper layout once the user "logs out"?

If you are trying to find a consistant place to install a file for maintenance purposes, maybe you need to look into using applescript if you want to do some fancy parsing of the HD name within filemaker if the platform is deemed as being OSX.

Just a thought.

[Fenton]

In FileMaker 8 you have new functions, such as Get (DesktopPath) or Get (DocumentsPath). The hard drive name would be the 1st thing returned, so you can get it with a text calculation, unstored. There's also Get (FileMakerPath), which is the application path.