Sharing Difficulties

[caveat1]

Hello,

We have 5 Macs, one running FMP 8.0 Advanced, the other 4 running FMP 8.0. One database file is on the computer with 8.0 Advanced. I have turned Network Sharing On for All Users. Don't display in Open Remote is NOT checked. I open the file on the host computer. On another computer, I can see the host computer, but no files.

On one of the other computers, running FMP 8.0, I have a database consisting of 3 files, and all other computers, including the one running 8.0 Advanced can open these files remotely.

Outside of FMP, the computer with 8.0 Advanced can't see any of the other computers, even though File Sharing and Appletalk are on. The other computers can see this computer, however.

I hope this makes sense. Do we have a general network problem that is obvious and could fix the FMP sharing issue, or could there be a solution in FMP? Any ideas would be great.

[Søren Dyhr]

Outside of FMP, the computer with 8.0 Advanced can't see any of the other computers, even though File Sharing and Appletalk are on. The other computers can see this computer, however.

This should be avioded, filesharing should be turned of for the folders where the actual files reside, they can only be seen on a network if they're opened by a copy of filemaker. So when you say:

One database file is on the computer with 8.0 Advanced.

...is it misleading - the question is solely if it's runned by 8.0 Advanced or not.

--sd

[caveat1]

I don't know a whole lot about networking, so this is the little I know about our setup. It is peer to peer. On all machines, under System Preferences, the Network tab has Appletalk active, and the Sharing tab has Personal File Sharing checked. This is so we can all see each others' hard drives.

It sounds like you are saying this configuration doesn't work with sharing FMP files. I'm not sure why the setup would work for one computer, but not another. Also how do you turn off file sharing for just one folder?

Thanks for your help. Please let me know if there is something I am missing here.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

FileMaker Pro files should not be shared using the OS level file sharing. They have their own internal peer to peer sharing ability.

Steven

[Søren Dyhr]

It sounds like you are saying this configuration doesn't work with sharing FMP files. I'm not sure why the setup would work for one computer, but not another.

It works sort of, with some real dangers indeed!!!

The issue is like two persons attempting by common efford to put back a door on it's hinges, both makes compensation for the others movement ...resulting in twice the required adjustment.

Now the user who host a file, have two choises to open a file 1) doubleclicking at it or... 2) open it from filemaker via the file menu. The other users should not be able to see any files not residing on their own machine - all access to shared files should be made by turning sharing on for the desired files INSIDE Filemaker.

Remote users should access the served files via the open remote - see image above. Just as you use http:// to deal with the current website and not have mounted the harddrive it's stored on.

Now because the owner of the file by his/her operatingsystem is allowed to open by double clicking, can remote user do the same BUT shouldn't due to concurrency descriped above - it's one more sure recipees to make file corruption to hit your system in a hurry.

You must be running some pretty old hardware since you still have a need for Appletalk??? You can't run fm8 on OS9, so it must be the printers then??

This is so we can all see each others' hard drives.

As Steven and I tries to get thru, isn't it the way to share filemaker solutions, and if you have other document types you need to have handy could (...please note COULD) they be stored genuinely as BLOB's in a container field in a filemaker file. This kind of funtionality occures when the filemaker solution is the core of the businessmodel.

Also how do you turn off file sharing for just one folder?

When opening a folder, will there be in the leftside of the window be a wheel'ish icon with a dropdown. Here choose "show info" ...somewhere in the window that opens in front of you, is ownership and permissions mentioned.

--sd

[mkruter]

I am currently developing a database on my powerbook and would like other people to be able to acces the data. It seems that Instant Web Publishing would be the best method for this and I have an old G4 that i can use as a server. That computer is a PowerPC 400mhz proccesor with 384mb of RAM and 20gb Hardrive. Before I purchase a copy of OS 10.4 and install everything on that computer I wanted to ask if that machine will be fast enough to allow up to 4 people to use the database.

A seperate less important question is about other methods for sharing the data. IWP allows anyone to access the database from anywhere with an internet connection (I have accounts and passwords set up of course), but IWP limits some of the functions in my database. I wanted to know the best way to have regular users, working from dedicated workstations that are not in the same location as each other, able to work seemlessly in the database. I know i can purchase copies of FIlemaker for each of the users but can't i also publish unlimited copies of my solution using Filemaker 8 advance and give it to people who do not have Filemaker on their computers?

[caveat1]

Thank you all for responding. It sounds like I need to change the permissions on just the folder that the FMP database is stored in. That way we can all keep sharing the other files in other softwares through the OS. Once I Get Info on the host's database folder, what do I change the permissions to?

PS - We are all running Tiger. When I go into System Preferences > Network, then click Built-in Ethernet and Configure..., there is an Appletalk tab. Under this tab, we have clicked Make AppleTalk active. This was one of the things our internet provider recommended to check to be sure we could all share our files through the OS.

[Søren Dyhr]

sure we could all share our files through the OS

Which is common sense for almost every kind of document in the microsoft world, which predominant posistion sometimes leads to assumtions that one size fits all ...if your ISP was sufficiently versed in filemaker would he/she know of the fmnet protocol.

what do I change the permissions to?

under more... turn others to "no accesss" or simply quit appletalk, and store each common document in each their own containerfield.

--sd

[caveat1]

Thank you for your response. I changed the permissions to No Access, but there was no change. Do I need to restart the host computer after changing the permissions?

Also I was curious about your suggestion to put shared files in a container field. Do you mean that you would use a Filemaker database to manage shared files of any file type, rather than using the operationg system's directory of folders and files?