Runtime version of FileMaker Pro

[Thumperman]

Is there such a thing for FileMaker 5.0? A runtime version is a cheaper or free version of Filemaker 5.0 which allows the user to use the database but will not allow them to modify the code.

Some databases have this option. Does Filemaker 5.0 have this? Just curious.....

Thanks

[JPaul]

There is a 'Developer Edition' that allows the binding of run time solutions; the ability to modify the DB structure is depending on your own binding chooses (you can enable or disable this option).

Regards

[JPaul]

Yes, with the Developer Edition you can deliver to your customers fully stand alone solutions without the need of the entire FM environment, just as MS Access developers do when distributing .MDE files instead of MDB.

Be careful, on other hand, that run time solutions aren't multi user !!

The ability to modify or not the DB is choosen by yourself at the 'binding time' (ther is a radio button to enable or disable this option).

Hope this clarify.

[ June 08, 2001: Message edited by: JPaul ]

[Thumperman]

Thanks for your input....

You mentioned that the runtime solution is not multi-user. So I can't develop a solution for a small office unless it is used by 1 person only?!? Two people can't have the same solution open and modifying it at one time? It kinda defeats the purpose of creating a database (for more than 1 person to use).

Am I interpretting this wrong? Please clarify...

[Thumperman]

Hi--

So does this mean that if i buy the developers version, write a database for one of my clients, I can then let them run the database (without access to modifying the code) without buying a copy of Filemaker?

Please let me know. Thanks.

[JPaul]

As Chuck correctly said, run time (RT , for short) solutions are single user; then two users of the same RT dbs can't do the same job the same time.

FileMaker (i think this is due to a licensing problem) introduced this limitation starting from rel. 4 of FileMaker Devel. bundle (while rel. 3.0 RT solutions were multi user).

An interesting provocation: host your RT solution (.USR files, i mean) and then open them concurrently from 2 stations running FM standard environment and you may have surprises ....

Best regards.

[ June 09, 2001: Message edited by: JPaul ]

[Thumperman]

Thank you for your responses...

I wonder why FileMaker decided to change it from multi-user to single-user (more profitable the new way perhaps)?

There goes the solution to save any money for the client tight on funds. Oh well....

[Chuck]

No, you are correct. FileMaker Developer is meant to create run time solutions, but those solutions are single-user only. The runtime software has no networking.

If you need to have networking, then if it's a small office, I would say no more than five users or so, you could get a copy of FileMaker for each user, and set one of the versions to server the files for the rest of the users.

If it gets beyond that, then you're probably going to want to use FileMaker Server and have a computer dedicated to serving the files.

There is one other option, and that is to use the Web Companion to serve the data to multiple users. This will only work if you have less than 10 users accessing the system. You will still need to buy one copy of FileMaker to serve the files. This has major limitations, however, in that the interface for it is not nearly as customizable and scripting is quite a chore, as well as output to a printer. But if the client is very conservative on funds, this might work for you.

Chuck

[jorix]

Sure you can use a multiuser database with Runtime solutions... The only thing is that you need at least one version of Filemaker Pro, which hosts the database. The runtimes are able to connect to that Database.

[LiveOak]

I don't think so! Unless you are using an old version of FM, runtime does not support the network extensions necessary to access a host. You can fool yourself if FM is also installed on the same machine, the runtime file will launch the normal version of FM. The ability to network runtime solutions went away several versions back.

-bd

[Anatoli]

All runtime solutions CAN be hosted by FM server (registered) to allow numerous users use it.

If somebody thinks, that to pay 1 license for developer and let 10 - 100 - 1000 companies with 100 -- 200 computers use it, is good business, well FileMaker will be out of business and bye bye new versions.

Just check other databases prices per CPU and per seat.

[jorix]

Ok, if Filemaker is only able to let Runtime solutions be single-user databases, I'll just sell all of my Filemaker Software Packages, It's just worthless and useless for me!

Imagine: If I create a database in MS Access, create clients in Visual Basic and use javascripting to get the data to my intranet, I'll create a much cheaper solution!

And just because Filemaker Pro 5.0 doesn't understand two-way dataexchange with ODBC, it isn't possible to create a fully functional client in Visual Basic/Visual C++ .....

(and I thought Filemaker wanted to become a better product than MS Access, it's much worse than Access!)

[Anatoli]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jorick Schram:

Ok, if Filemaker is only able to let Runtime solutions be single-user databases, I'll just sell all of my Filemaker Software Packages, It's just worthless and useless for me!

Imagine: If I create a database in MS Access, create clients in Visual Basic and use javascripting to get the data to my intranet, I'll create a much cheaper solution!

And just because Filemaker Pro 5.0 doesn't understand two-way dataexchange with ODBC, it isn't possible to create a fully functional client in Visual Basic/Visual C++ .....

(and I thought Filemaker wanted to become a better product than MS Access, it's much worse than Access!)

---

Another point of view is that when you finish your first solution with ODBC and ACCESS, I will be finishing in the same time my 5th or 10th solution just in FileMaker.

Also you are limited by 2GB-file size limit and I have 50x2GB limit.

When you will put 1 million records to Access then....

[JPaul]

Hi Jorick,

.. and you omit that Ms Access does lock by page and not by record: if you have short records the side effect is that 20 / 30 records are locked at a time !!

You also forget that for a serious multi user application you have to install on the server the MSDE (MS SQL DeskTop Edition),and not simply MDBs: then why not install full SQL 7 or 2000 or, better, ORACLE ??!!

Compare the costs and the development time ....

FM is, again, user friendly while MS Access (and generally Office Suites) is not: when you have to take control on application flow you MUST be a VBA programmer , not a skilled user as you can be to develop with FM !

In my 26 years of programming experience i used many languages on many platforms (Dos, Xenix/Unix, Novell, Win & NT) i've found FM simple but consistent and very fast in devel. time.

Regards

[jorix]

I have ten years experience in programming in almost any kind off language on the PC (started in GW-BASIC, TURBO BASIC, TURBO PASCAL, ASSEMBLY, TURBO C++, DELPHI, VISUAL BASIC, C++ BUILDER, VISUAL C++, VBA, MS ACCESS VBA+SQL+RDBMS, DBASE IV,... have I forgotten something? ), so it won't be any problem to create a database in Access and clients in Visual Basic.

I also have got a MS SQL 7 Server in my business LAN which hosts our intranet. I can use that server to host another database as well.

The licenses shouldn't be any problem also, because we really own all the software packages (Filemaker Srv/Pro/Unl/Dev/Mobile and all of the MS stuff)

I'm wondering if it is possible to create a more professional looking and working tool in Filemaker than in Access... (maybe someone sees a challenge here?)

BTW: Let me straight out that this doesn't meen I won't be using Filemaker anymore, just not for my current project (A ITIL implemented Helpdesk utility)

[David McKee (Protolight)]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jorick Schram:

I have ten years experience in programming in almost any kind off language on the PC (started in GW-BASIC, TURBO BASIC, TURBO PASCAL, ASSEMBLY, TURBO C++, DELPHI, VISUAL BASIC, C++ BUILDER, VISUAL C++, VBA, MS ACCESS VBA+SQL+RDBMS, DBASE IV,... have I forgotten something?

), so it won't be any problem to create a database in Access and clients in Visual Basic.

I also have got a MS SQL 7 Server in my business LAN which hosts our intranet. I can use that server to host another database as well.

The licenses shouldn't be any problem also, because we really own all the software packages

(Filemaker Srv/Pro/Unl/Dev/Mobile and all of the MS stuff)

I'm wondering if it is possible to create a more professional looking and working tool in Filemaker than in Access... (maybe someone sees a challenge here?)

---

It sounds like you are definately NOT the typical FMP targeted developer.

FMP is not a database language, nor is it a programming language.

If you can program in C++, you really can just program your own app and use a DB engine SDK (there are a ton of licensed engines on the web). FM might be nice to prototype in that case, but in terms of production I am wondering why you even bothered with any database package at all (Access, etc).

As for "Professional looking" I'd say FMP takes the cake in terms of database packages. There are some problems in terms of controlling behavior, but in terms of polish, FMP rocks.

It is also competitively priced when you look at apples and apples.

FMP is an "End-User" database system. Meaning that you don't have to be a programmer to use it. It is in wide use, from large corporations to mom-and-pop shops. But it is not an enterprise level Oracle killer.

-Dave

[Simon Leibowitz]

With reference to the origional issue here. I had exactly the same question and put it to Filemaker sales/helplines here in the UK. I had produced a solution in Filemaker 5 for a small office and my client was interested in networking it across 4 or 5 machines. It struck me to be much cheaper to produce a Runtime solution in Developer than buying multiple copies of Filemaker 5. I was assured this was perfectly true and feasible by Filemaker themselves. From what has been said on this Forum it seems quite clearly not to be the case. Many thanks, we were about to go out and buy Developer.

[Simon Leibowitz]

Are there not other features that are only available when using Develop that would be regarded as essential to complete a fully polished, closed enviroment, professional solution. For instance as I understand it, you need Develop in order to remove the close boxes in open windows and to remove the last few remaining Menue commands. If this is so it implies it is not possible to produce a multi-user solution with these features??? Am I making sense??

[SteveB]

You can remove all menu commands by using a plugin from Waves in Motion, which I believe is available for the Mac and the PC. However, without the Developer version you can't build a kiosk, nor can you link the runtime engine in to your solution.