Hello folks. Another hiatus from me, but I'm back with another one of my "Where did he come up with THAT one" Questions.

I have a solution that I set up to use the Separation Model back a few years now, mostly to facilitate interface updates. That has generally worked out fine for my single user clients, but one of my clients has asked whether they can install their copy on a server and run concurrent sessions--and I frankly don't know. So, here I am with a few specific questions:

1) With a SM solution, does only the back end database go on the server?

2) If the front end is on each client, are there special steps to link the front to the back?

3) Of course, I assume that Server will handle record locking and data integrity issues with concurrent sessions logged in to the same database. Is that a fair assumption--or do I have to make any special alterations for a networked environment?

I appreciate any guidance that folks can give me!

David

It is possible to distribute the "interface" file to the mutliple client machines. You would need to add the network path back the "data" file.

But that's kind of only needed in a special (poor) environment (usually heavy graphics, very slow network, etc.). Usually one just hosts the "interface" file on the Server alongside the "data" file, both accessed via relative "file references" ( file:file name ), ie., both files in the Server's database folder. Server takes care of the client sessions and data integrity (maybe the client application does some of this also).

On point 3...

Yes the server will apply record locking however if you have used scripts then you will need to amend accordingly when there is a record locked and it cannot be updated, for example.

It would be nice to be able to create a standalone separated model solution that would connect to an existing served database as a thin-client so preferred users could access a filemaker server without having to actually own it - sort of like a portable database interface, but I understand that standalone solutions are not networkable, is that correct?

The run-time engine is not networkable. Is that what you mean by "stand-alone"?

Everything you ask for can be done right now. Or are you just complaining that you need to buy a license of FMP client to make it happen and it's not free?