syncing remote and local database

[ffmax]

hi all,

I got a standalone database running on a dozen of laptop or desktop boxes (mac & pc).

From time to time, I need to sync one field, stored locally, with a FMP server file.

is there any simple way to do this ? SyncDek is not cost effective for me.

thank's,

Fab.

[Wim Decorte]

can you describe the ideal synching process?

[Fenton]

I think the guts of the process would be to use a "modification timestamp" field for that field, then compare them. You can create a timestamp field that evaluates whenever a particular field is modified. In its simplest form, an auto-enter calculation, with [ ] "Do not replace existing value" Unchecked:

Case ( field = field, Get ( CurrentTimeStamp ) )

Or, more modern method:

Evaluate ( Quote ( Get ( CurrentTimeStamp ) ) ; field to evaluate )

[There is a slight difference between these. The first doesn't happen upon new record creation, when the field is blank (unless you uncheck "Do not evaluate if all fields are empty"), whereas the Evaluate one always evaluates on creation, even with that checked. Similarly, the first will delete the TS if you delete the field contents, unless you Uncheck "Do not evaluate" (in which case they behave exactly the same). So try it out first.]

You can use that to test a particular field. But the big question is, who wins when they're different? The latest one? That's about the only way that makes sense.

Then there's the question of New records, created on the remote machines. This is actually a bigger problem than the above, especially if there's related tables, especially if new records can be created at either end. At the end of the process both files must be the same, with the same IDs in both files, ready for later synchronizations. Yet the IDs cannot be the same during creation, since the files have no connection to each other.

It requires some switcheroo routines of the IDs on the new remotely created records, to get their new real IDs, after being imported into the main file (when they get their new IDs). I'd use a separate auto-enter ID field on the remotes, at their creation. It's doable, but intensive.

[LaRetta]

The additional problem of course is that deleted records (notes, numbers etc) can then reappear. As Wim suggests, what is the definition of ideal synch process? Even Symantec ACT has spent a fortune attempting to pin down the process and, after 12 years, still falls quite short.