I am in the process of developing several run-time applications for my school district. The users will have their own run-time application. The principals view and possible comment on the data after viewing it. How can this process be simplified? How can it be done? If each principal has a run-time application can he/she copy the database from each of the teachers, edit the data, and then copy it back in their folder.

Is the database file in a run-time application an independent file?

Thanks,

Evan P.

The "runtime" version of Filemaker is an application that is standalone and does not require a license of Filemaker Pro to function. It is also tied to a particular set of Filemaker databases and can only work on those databases. It cannot open or create any others.

You can only move data between runtime versions by building importing and exporting capabilities into your databases.

I would be very careful in how you proceede here. From your questions, you seem to be a Filemaker novice, and I will suppose that you are not a professional database developer either. Not that either of these are problems, but I would be concearned that your plan for this "system" may have some serious flaws that will cause real problems as you proceede.

Of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong...

[ October 06, 2001: Message edited by: CaptKurt ]

Thanks for the input Kurt. You are right I am new to this. I do like to experiment though! I created a runtime application, I added two records, exited, started filemaker pro 5, went to file->open all files, opened the name.USR file, added three more records, exited the application, re-opened the runtime application and presto, the data was there!

I do want to show respect though, that's why I come to this forum; I want to learn and become a better user. I know that this in an abnormal way to deal with a database.

Well most users will have the runtime application. Only the principal will have Filemaker Pro 5.x where he'll view the report cards, and perhaps edit them, probably without adding another record. He'll modify a field within a record.

Thanks,

Evan

You example is fine. Only single user at the same time. It makes no difference if user was using Runtime or full FM client.

But do not try to run concurrently that scenario. Data corruption sounds like possible outcome of stretching your solution too far