All my users have reported problems with FileMaker randomly crashing on them. They're in the database, browsing records, clicking buttons, switching layouts, etc when suddenly the app quits and the standard Apple prompt is displayed ("The application FileMaker Pro has quit. No other applications have been affected...", etc)

Q: How can I best troubleshoot this problem? Would examining log files on the server and client machines yield any clues? I've looked at ~/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/FileMaker Pro.crash.log but am unable to interpret its contents.

Some background, if it would help:

The solution is hosted on FileMaker Server 9. It is accessed over the LAN by no more than 6 users, all of whom are using Macs (mostly MacBookPros, OS 10.4.11 and 10.5.2) with FM 9.0v3. Also, several users access the database remotely, while away from the office. All of them are also on 9.0v3, using MacBookPros as well as older Macs.

FM Server is running on an Intel-powered MacMini (hmm, maybe that's the problem!) on Mac OS 10.4.11 with an upgraded hard drive and a fast Internet connection. The solution relies heavily on a plug-in, which plays audio (soundfiles are on a mounted afp share) when certain scripts are launched.

So far, no patterns or commonalities regarding where/when these crashes happen. I'd certainly like to get to the bottom of this, do you folks have any suggestions? Many thanks in advance--

Have you contacted the plugin developer? Maybe it's not fully FM9-compatible.

Audio files on a mounted afp share... that sounds like it could be dicey too.

Thanks for your reply, Fitch. The plug-in is compatible with FM 9, Tiger, and Leopard. The crashes usually happen when the plug-in is not even being invoked.

If anyone's had a similar experience--where he/she has had to debug and figure out what's causing a crash in their solution--I would be very interested in hearing from you. Many thanks--