Save Change with the layout dialog box

[Jredeemer14]

I've been designing a filemaker pro 9 database on a mac and will be moving it onto a server soon. Yet, when I was testing my database on a windows computer I ran into a snag. I have a button that changes the view of the current layout to view as a table, but when I click on it I got a dialog box that says "Do you wish to save this change with the layout?"(btw, I am in browse mode). I never got it when I was on my mac, so... I'm wondering how to go about fixing it, because I don't want it to come up every time I click the button to change views. Thanks - Jeff

[LaRetta]

I believe that three conditions are in effect:

• You are Serving your file.
• You have privileges to make changes to your file.
• FM holds the default view in Browse mode.

You have changed the default view and you are being asked if you want to preserve it for this layout. It makes no difference (as far as I know) whether you are Mac or Windows. It doesn't ask if a Windows user ISN'T serving the file; only when they are so I am making an assumption that Macs would work the same (in this 'served' respect).

LaRetta

Edited July 1, 2008 by Guest

[Jredeemer14]

Alright, that makes sense, yet I'm looking through privilege sets and what not and I don't see how to change default view or how to make that dialog box not popup. Any suggestions?

[Fitch]

Well, one option is to make separate layouts for your form, table and list.

[Jredeemer14]

This is similar to another post of mine ( Link )

Hello, I have filemaker server on SBS 2003 and I both mac and windows clients that each share the same problems, I have a button that changes the view of the current layout to view as a table, but when I click on it I got a dialog box that says "Do you wish to save this change with the layout?"(btw, I am in browse mode). If I click no, it does nothing, if I click yes it goes to table view, but I don't want that dialog box to come up every time I click the button to change views. Any advice? Thanks - Jeff

[comment]

If I understand LaRetta's analysis correctly, they need to login with a reduced privilege set.

[LaRetta]

You can also place button in the layout heading which has script attached. If script begins with Set Error Capture [ On ] then it will suppress the dialog.

[comment]

Won't that change the default view for all users?

[LaRetta]

Oh, of course. I didn't think of that. I just always say 'no' to the message but it would indeed display for other users that way. Thanks for the catch, Michael.

[comment]

FWIW, I am not able to reproduce this. I enabled sharing on a test file, and I am the admin - but still no message. Does it require the presence of another computer, or could it be a platform issue after all?

[LaRetta]

I am not sure, Michael, I just discovered it myself when networking for the first time. IIRC, when we networked LAN, it may not have produced that message either. But I know for sure that, the first time we ran FMS and I was working in layouts, I noticed the messages. I tested it then by changing a view then running to a client computer to see what happened. It's an inefficient way to test multi-user too! ROFLMAO!

Speculations:

1) If you open the file first then you are the host and everyone else would be a client. Maybe the host can modify without the message. FMS would be the host, in which case nobody could modify without the message.

2) FM Pro is also a server so if there are no other clients connected, you may not get that message. It may only ask if other clients are currently connected.

3) It seems that I've worked on Served files and changed the layout in browse mode and NOT gotten the message; so it may indeed look for other Users.

Again, all speculation and wonderings which I shouldn't do and there are many paths to take; most leading nowhere. I do not believe it is OS specific; I believe it is server-behavior specific but I do not know the exact triggers. I will try to find out or test tonight when all Users exit. Maybe Fitch or others very familiar with networking will know.

Edited July 1, 2008 by Guest
Added sentence

[comment]

Well, I am puzzled. The original post says "will be moving it onto a server soon", so I gather it's not being served by FMS yet. Perhaps Jeff should clarify these points for us.

[LaRetta]

It almost threw me as well. But I KNOW the message does not appear on Windows unless it is served so my first point was 'you are serving your file'. Indeed, I hope we now get clarification but my sense was that he was testing by serving it and trying to use it from a Windows system.

I'm searching for answers on Tech Info. But as we all know, it is not very helpful. Even FM Help is elusive with the answers. I know WHAT it does but not the trigger of when.

Edited July 1, 2008 by Guest

[Steven H. Blackwell]

The dialog is caused by the fact that the file is hosted. AFAIK, there is no way to inhibit the dialog. What is being asked is whether the change is for the local user only or for all users.

BTW, you are running on an unsupported OS for FIleMaker Server.

Steven

[LaRetta]

These posts have been merged. "This is similar to another post of mine." No. They were not similar. They were the exact same question.

I am pleased to get a response from Steven because I was going to ask him to take a look at the thread anyway. But FM Forums would rather someone not post the same question twice but rather stick to a post until the issue has been resolved.

LaRetta

Edited July 1, 2008 by Guest

[Jredeemer14]

Wow, I really appreciate all the help thus far. I thought I'd give you some clarification and some update on the subject(also posted are a few pictures). The file is being hosted on filemaker server 9, I do get the same message on mac and windows clients(different from what I said before).

On a side note from an earlier post: Filemaker Server 9 is not supported on something as popular as Windows Small Business Server 2003? Um.....That doesn't seem right...is that true?

So the picture above shows graphically what I get on a client computer: the remote connection, the layout and the button that is pressed, along with the dialog box.

Again Thank you!

[LaRetta]

Popularity doesn't rule the world nor does it rule FileMaker. Minimum system requirements for Server 9 are these operating systems:

Mac:

Mac OS X 10.4.9

Mac OS X Server 10.4.9

Mac OS X version 10.5.1 Leopard

Windows:

Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition SP2

Windows 2000 Server SP4

Windows XP Professional SP2

... as pulled right from their website. And, it is HIGHLY recommended that you don't use Windows XP Professional SP2 either regardless of what they say.

LaRetta

[Jredeemer14]

So...looking back through these posts, am I to understand that the only way to have that stupid dialog box not popup is to make separate layouts for each form, table and list? I mean I like Filemaker pro 9, but this is one strike against them if that is the only way to do it.

[LaRetta]

That is your only option. And I do not think it is stupid at all; it is logical in its way of protecting what you would want. Simply put ... you shouldn't be designing while it is being served anyway but if you do then you should be grateful that it protects you and asks. Think about it ... you change to table view to work on something and leave it. How will FM know whether you want that as a design change or not?

Computers are NOT mind readers ... only women are.

Okay, to be a bit serious ... if you need table view then you should have a Developers view that you switch to anyway. Forms should NOT be switched to table view and forms don't display properly when switched to list view. I never mix them.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Guest
Added serious thought ... I know, it's unusual for me.

[comment]

That is your only option.

How about my suggestion to login as a regular joe?

[LaRetta]

I have no idea how a regular Joe would work it, Michael, because all my regular Joes have no menu access, privileges or ability to change ANY view (from form to table etc) and they certainly can't make design changes. Form views are restricted to form views and so on. I restrict so heavily that I can't even envision it. The question I neglected to ask was WHY the switching views was needed.

I assumed (maybe wrongly) that Jredeemer14 was designing and, for ease of viewing data, wanted to occasionally switch views. And signing off and on as someone else (just to protect the design when switching to table view) would certainly take longer than saying 'no' to a message box. But if s/he is a regular worker (as well) then they shouldn't switch views either; a list view should be provided if needed.

I would encourage Jredeemer14 to consider your suggestion though because, without knowing WHY Jredeemer14 is switching views back and forth, we can't nail it down regardless of what I said earlier ... even women aren't truly mind readers; we just want everyone to think so. :wink2:

[comment]

I'm just curious about this. I suppose that if you're logged in without layout editing privilege, the script would still work, but not produce the dialog (assuming it's not set to run with full access)?

I don't see why users couldn't be permitted to switch views on certain layouts. But clearly, your distinction between designer and user is very relevant here, so I think a decision must be made: do I enter the china store as a customer or as an elephant?

[Jredeemer14]

Well now I'm in trouble. I have tried creating new layouts in different views and I get the same message. I tried modifying the privileges sets for different users and testing them and I still get the same message. I need for my users to switch views because sometimes it is a lot easier to view records in a table than in forms, and same with the list view. I'm really stuck on this one.

[Fitch]

If you have layouts for different views, your button should switch layouts, not change views.

[LaRetta]

I suppose that if you're logged in without layout editing privilege, the script would still work, but not produce the dialog (assuming it's not set to run with full access)?

Correct, Michael. Any user could switch to table view without receiving the message, whether from script or FM menu. As you say, if they don't have design privileges, they won't be asked. It works the same when someone resizes column width on table layouts, ie, if they have privileges then they will be asked if they want to keep their change because FM does not know if they are a customer or an elephant.

I realize I don't need to tell you this but for those who may not consider it, the major danger with Users switching to table view (if button-driven navigation and with Status Area hidden) is getting trapped on a table layout because buttons which are on form view will DISAPPEAR on standard table view (unless button is in header and table layout is set to show headers).

An elephant

[LaRetta]

I had started prior post hours ago and it was just sitting here and I didn't check if there were other posts added in the meantime. I got pulled away on another issue. So I hadn't seen this:

need for my users to switch views because sometimes it is a lot easier to view records in a table than in forms, and same with the list view.

I hope you see that you should provide the SET views and not allow Users to change the view of a layout.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Guest

[comment]

Thanks for clarifying - it makes a lot of sense, and matches the Pro version's behavior: the default view is always the one selected last by a user with layout-editing privilege. So the only difference with Server is the warning - and I agree this is a valuable feature to have.

[Jredeemer14]

Well I've gone through this forum again and can't get a way to have that dialog box not popup. Yet, I would like to thank everyone for looking into it and trying to figure out different solutions, If a solution arises, I will be sure to post it here. Thanks - Jeff

[RickJM]

Hello, was just looking for the same issue when I came across your posts. Anyway, I tried this out myself with two machines (XP pro with FMP 9), as you state the table/form view will cause the window to display and wait for your answer. Saving the change will cause both machines to change to form or table view and not saving will cause only the one machine to change view. Now, I tried again by making two one line scripts and controled by buttons in the layouts. When the script is run I no longer get the dailog window and the "other" machine stays in the view it was in. So, changing view by script seems the simplest answer.

In my case, I am constantly uploading truck scale data and it is handy to switch between view so that the data can be crossed checked against the truck ticket printouts. Works well!

Hope this helps and not to late as I see the original post was several day ago.

Best wishes with your project.

Rick