Can't install FM ODBC driver - Why?

[mluka]

Hi, all.

I'm trying to test using Runtime Revolution as a front-end to a FM Pro database. But I'm not getting very far: apparently, I can't even install the FM Pro ODBC driver...

I've tried to follow all the procedures listed in the two FM documents ("FM 8 ODBC and JDBC Developer's Guide" and "Installing FM ODBC and JDBC Client Drivers").

For one thing, when I tried to use the "Browse" button to specify the driver file's location (which is in /Library/ODBC), the file open dialog doesn't get any further than the "SequeLink.bundle".

I then thought that instead of using the "Browse" button, I could type the full address (/Library/ODBC/SequeLink.bundle/Contents/MacOS/ivslk18.dylib).

That seemed to get me a bit further, as the driver, in ODBC Administrator, now displays a size. (When the path stopped at the "bundle", the size was 0.)

Then I configured a "system DSN", pointing to a FM Pro file, using the recommended parameters ("Localhost, port 2399 and the FM Pro file name without the extension). Saved all this but was unable to test the connection, as I don't have a clue as to what the manuals are referring to when they state "The OpenLink ODBC Administrator allows you to verify that you’ve correctly configured the ODBC client driver to access the FileMaker data source."

Then, in Revolution, I tried to create a Query that would point to the FM file in question, But I get the error message "Revdb error: [iODBC][Driver Manager]Specified driver could not be loaded"

Does anyone here have any clue as to what I should be attempting next???

Thanks!

OS X 10.4.8

FM Pro Advanced 8.0v3

ODBC Administrator 1.0.2

Revolution 2.8.1.470

Edited June 21, 2007 by Guest

[Vaughan]

What is "Runtime Revolution"?

FileMaker runtimes cannot be networked.

[Genx]

Hi Vaughan, I believe it is a completely different piece of software unrelated to FM: http://www.runrev.com/

[Søren Dyhr]

Indeed Alex, and what required in the filemaker end of the matter is fms8 not a filemaker runtime.

But the questioner should make his way thru this DIY:

http://www.runrev.com/newsletter/may/issue26/newsletter3.php

--sd

[Vaughan]

Back to the original post: I've read your post in the RR forum.

Why don't you think a decent interface can be built in FilerMaker Pro?

[Genx]

You know... as a little side note:

Why would you do this?

Runtime revolution looks like a pretty neat piece of software, but if all your using FM for is the table structure, why not spend a couple of days learning sql and then you don't have to deal with FM at all -- you could use an open source DB like MySQL or PostgreSQL - or if you wanted to blow a load of money for no real reason, you could also go to MSSQL or Oracle.

The only reason i could see you having to integrate the two together is in an environment with two different applications made in the two different environments and NOT where you are just using FM as a backend.

Anyway, just an opinion.

[Søren Dyhr]

Why don't you think a decent interface can be built in FilerMaker Pro?

Especially portals, popups and buttons doesn't abide to Apple's HUI guidelines ...or rather you need to have a large libary of aqua'ed buttons and some of the functionality still can't be implemented closely enough to share consistency with real OS X programs.

http://developer.apple.com/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/OSXHIGuidelines/XHIGControls/chapter_18_section_2.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP30000359-TPXREF186

What doesn't make much sense here is that a copy of Filemaker Pro advanced, only allow to be backbone for 5 (five) xDBC client's simultaniously ...and if you bind the filemaker solution to a runtime can it be backbone for 0 (zero)!

I have once been tempted by this concept when I saw that a server version was part of a Tecnet membership, but then did I notice that the version was patched to avoid more the 3 simultaniuos clients, an a clause stresses to importance of "for development only"

The only real argument I can see for this approach, is a fair number of Linux users in the organization, such as an entire system running this way:

http://www.ltsp.org/

--sd

[mluka]

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Hey guys! Could someone please answer my question?! (Or start another thread with the Runtime Revolution topic???)

Please help me install the bloody ODBC driver!

Thanks!!!

[Søren Dyhr]

Reread this:

http://www.fmforums.com/forum/showpost.php?post/255938/

--sd

[mluka]

Reread this:

http://www.fmforums.com/forum/showpost.php?post/25...

--sd

I did, I did!

Turns out my problem was related to nomenclature between the FM Pro database name, DSN name, etc. Revolution was also not issuing the proper message which didn't help either... And the "Browse" button in ODBC Administrator doesn't work properly, etc.

ANYWAY, the driver is installed, the connection works (between FM and Rev) and I've been able to do simple things.

Now, on to more complicated things: testing the relationships in a multi-table database, creating records in the DB from Rev, etc.

Testing for volumes, also, because Chapter 4 of the "FM 8 ODBC and JDBC Developer's Guide" flatly states "SELECT * statements on larger databases might not function correctly". How "larger" is defined is not given... Nor in what way it might not function correctly...

(Sigh...)

[Genx]

Again why it's probably not the best idea to use FileMaker as a true ODBC database -- especially with no Limit statement. Don't get me wrong, FileMaker's good at what it does... but.

[Søren Dyhr]

flatly states "SELECT * statements on larger databases might not function correctly

Gosh is it still around??? When I the last time gave this a stab ...back in the fm5.5 heydays, did we simply give up making filemaker a SQL source, and had instead to make timed imports from trigger dealings in the SQL end of the equation - in order to mirror the data in the SQL base into filemaker.

--sd