Runtime Version on NT Server

[GibCo]

Help! We have customers who cannot afford to purchase FMP server PLUS all the FMP's for the users so they are using the runtime version of our software which we have created for this purpose. We are locating the solution folder inside a controlled access folder on the NT server for each user. Each user has a password for access into their folder and our software.

The supervisor wants to be able to periodically look at all the data in the Master file so I have created a script which imports all the records for the individual users into the supervisor's copy. The supervisor has access privileges to go into the individual user files but they also want a copy of their own which holds all the data. Next best thing to a FMP server. Most all of our customers plan to purchase FMP servers in the future but they are school systems and their budgets have been reduced greatly this year and next year will be worse.

Here's the hitch:

I first made a script with a loop that asked them if they had a user file from which to import data. If they said yes, it allowed them to direct the pathway to the particular user's file and do the import. Going through the loop it would ask again, if there was a user file from which to import data. In this way the user could go through all the files and import them into the master file, exiting when all had been imported.

This works but it would be more effective, and EASIER if it would work automatically. I went on site, created a new script and manually went through each import step in the script, went down the pathway to the file and thus connected to the appropriate user's file. I did this for all of the users. I also put in a Find All script which I ran as an external script from the supervisor's software. Again I went through each pathway for each user and connected to the Find All script.

After this was all complete. I ran the script and when it was completed, the only imported data was from the first file!! It ran merrily through the script and acted as if it was importing from each of the different files but in the end only the first was there. It almost seemed as if it was importing and then deleting everything it imported from the other files before it started the next import. Either that or it was finding all the records coming up with none and importing none into the master file.

My script was straight forward:

Perform external script Find All in first file

Import restored from first file

Perform external script Find All in second file

Import restored from second file

And so on until all were imported.

When I went back to see if the pathways were intact, it seemed as if the pathways were not the way I had set them up originally. But I am not sure if that was because I was opening up the pathway and it was defaulting so I could reset it. I am not sure how that works.

In the past I have had problems keeping the pathways between runtime files connected on IBM/PC computers. What works on a Macintosh, doesn't necessary work on IBM/PC because of the different architecture! But that is usually the case! :-(

One other item of information that should not make any difference, but it might. Our files that hold the user's data which are inside their own personal folders have the same file name. Could that be part of the problem?

I am frustrated. It was a lot of work to have it not function properly. I don't know where to start to correct the script so they can click on a button and all the information will import automatically into the master.

Any ideas? Or am I stuck with the script that loops and they must manually direct to each file because the IBM/PC's are not smart enough to remember where the files are?:

Much thanks for any ideas you can give me.

Bev

[LiveOak]

The "Import" script step will only save one one set of import criteria per script. As you have experienced, you are only performing one field match/file name import in this script even though you have multiple "Import" script steps. Put each of your "Import" script steps in a separate subscript and change each "Import" in you main script to a "Perform Script" step. Make sure you go back and repoint each of the Import script steps to the proper file.

-bd