Security questions/new user nightmare

[Bensheim]

Background: I'm coming from ClarisWorks which I know inside-out and have been using for years to run the company customer database.

I'm migrating from Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X (Tiger) and specifically chose FileMaker Pro as it looks and feels sufficiently similar to ClarisWorks to make the migration as easy as possible. (I'm talking about a database of ~1000 entries here.)

Yesterday I loaded FM for the first time and spent four solid hours in familiarising myself with it. Fortunately I was using trial data.

Today, to my astonishment, I cannot open yesterday's file. It keeps asking for my Admin password. I supply the only password which exists on this computer but it keeps rejecting it.

I am the only person here this weekend. There are no other accounts. I have never changed my password. I have only installed FileMaker once, straight out of the box, bought from Apple.

I have no idea

(a) why it keeps demanding my password but more pertinently,

( WHY it keeps rejecting the only password I have. The computer is brand new, too.

Eventually I started all over again, but how do I know it won't happen again - especially when I go "live" with the 1,000 real-data database which I'm planning to import from ClarisWorks?

I have other issues with the registration/start-up procedure but that will wait for now. I hope someone can help me and thank you all for reading thus far.

[Fenton]

A new FileMaker file has a Full Access Account of "Admin", with a blank password. It is set to automatically use this upon opening the file. If you went into File, File Options and unchecked [x] Log in using..., then it is going to ask for it.

It has not much really to do with the "computer" account. Though, if you uncheck that box, FileMaker will by default use your computer login (long) name as the default Account in the log in dialog. That is why you're seeing it. But since it is not one of the FileMaker Accounts of that file, it won't work. I often use my name as the Full Access account, when I'm developing a file, just to make it easier.

Actually I use an AppleScript droplet to open my password-protected files, as I'm lazy -]

[Bensheim]

Hallo Fenton and thanks for replying.

I'm not used to this. I am the only person who is going to use this database here, there is no need for all this security (paranoia) and would like to switch it all off.

I've done several experiments since reading your post tonight and have found that if I:

Create new database

Go immediately to File>Manage>Accounts>

uncheck Admin

Check Guest

Double-click Guest

Set privileges to Full Access

Say OK

Go back to Manage>Accounts

Delete Admin

Say OK,

It says "The guest account has no password and has full access is that what you want?"

Quit FM. Open it again on the trial. It still makes me click on Guest and then, finally, I can do some work.

Is there an easier way of doing this!

All I want, is to create a database which will be the workhorse of this company and which does not require me to log in or verify myself every time I want to use it.

Why is something which is so integral in FileMaker's regime, not explained to new users right at the start? I've done the tutorial supplied with the DVD, I've read the book, but all this stuff about "protecting your database" is on page 167! :)

[Fenton]

The default is:

[x] Login in using: Account Name and password

Account: Admin

Password:

So, if you do nothing, it will log you in automatically. Somehow, it got unchecked. Otherwise it would never ask you; it would open without a dialog using the Full Access privilege set.

So you're kind of going around in a circle with all the messing about. If you're still having trouble, you could upload a Clone of your file (Save a Copy As: Clone), which has no records, hence is private and small.

[Bensheim]

Hallo Fenton and thank you once again for your help.

I took a deep breath and started yet another new trial database. I changed NOTHING and just started adding fields and data. Closed file. Quit.

Re-opened file. It did not ask me a single thing, which is exactly what I wanted to happen.

I have no idea what did happen to the original trial DB on Friday, but I have learned a great deal by having to re-do the work three times. I'm storming ahead now and quite enjoying it - apart from having to put in the hours here over the weekend.

I'll no doubt have further questions as my self-learning progresses. :beer: