Calculation error when using FMP on LAN

[jimi]

Hi all,

I have a program to generate serveral reports. Strangely, the reports generated from the host machine is perfectly correct. But when I run the program thr' LAN on a client machine, the reports give me wrong data!

I'm sure the date and time setting of two machines are the same, both using win98se. This problem annoys me a lot, would someone please help?

Thanks in advance!!

[LiveOak]

We'll probably need a little more information about which data is wrong and the exact nature of the report

There are cases where FM's built in record locking isn't enough to guarantee correct operation with multiple users. For instance, if two users are both using a "1" in a number field to mark records and then finding the records, they will find each others records. In these cases the programmer must use other techniques to protect against unwanted multiuser interaction.

-bd

[jimi]

Hm.. to say simply, I have 2 databases, one is holding invoice and another holding account receivable. The report is to use them to find the outstanding within certain date period(user input). Just some date filtering and +/- calculations. The problem is, some data outside the date period is shown in the report. Which they are not shown when the report is printed at the host machine.

Also, the client user is surely the only user of the system when this problem occurs.

I wish I have say it clearly enough, my English is not that good. Thanks a lot!

[Moon]

Is it possible that one of the calculations depends on a global field? The host machine could be holding a value in the global that is different on the client. FileMaker globals are unique to each client.

[jimi]

global field? this sounds quite possible, in the files I've some field to store the calculation status, do you mean them?

But all the files are just stored in my host, why would the client have another value?

[LiveOak]

Each user has their own set of global fields which start out with the values last set when the file was opened as single user. If you use global field to store some value you need in a multi-user environment, this value is lost when the file is closed. For instance, if you used a global number field to store "last check number" in an accounting solution. Say the check number was 150 when the file was last opened single user. You open the file, print a check, update the "last check number" to 151, and close the file. The next user to open the file will have a "last check number of 150" (oops!). If global variables were not unique to each user, they would be useless to store such things as loop counters as two users would interfere with each other.

If you a basing a calculation on a global field AND using the global field to store something changed infrequently (sales tax?) AND set the value in multi-user mode, the value may not be what you expect.

-bd

[jimi]

oops!

Then how can I do if I really need a global field to store something? Please give me some suggestions.. the system is working with a lots of error now

[ June 30, 2001: Message edited by: jimi ]

[Anatoli]

One of the ways: create database GLOBAL with only 1 record. Make a field in with value like 1 or A.

When you need truly GLOBAL field the same across all databases or all records, make relation to the GLOBAL via 1 or A. Create your required field in GLOBAL. All databases and all records can use it.

[jimi]

Oh that's a good idea! I'll try it out, thanks for the help!