Reverse Engineering a FM4 Runtime program

[MarianTrygg]

Hi

We need help with a Filemaker 4 runtime program where the programmer has run away and left us unable to update our product files. We need to be able to update prices in our product list on a regular basis and want to write a program to 'edit' the file. We know nothing about FM - are scripts included in the .FM3 files as there seems to be a lot more in there than just our data when viewed in ASCII.

Can anyone help us?

[Kurt Knippel]

quote:

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Originally posted by MarianTrygg:

Hi

We need help with a Filemaker 4 runtime program where the programmer has run away and left us unable to update our product files. We need to be able to update prices in our product list on a regular basis and want to write a program to 'edit' the file. We know nothing about FM - are scripts included in the .FM3 files as there seems to be a lot more in there than just our data when viewed in ASCII.

Can anyone help us?

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Send me the files and any passwords that you have and I can look into it and give you a quote on the price for the job. I generally just charge an hourly rate.

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Kurt Knippel

Senior Filemaker Developer

http://www.database-resources.com

mailto:[email protected]

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[Vaughan]

Errr, I think they expected somebody to just give them the answer for free. You know, hold down the shift key, choose "Reverse Engineer..." from the "File" menu, then select a folder to save it in and click OK.

<sigh>

I used to teach photography at evening colleges. On the first day of one weekend course there was this slickly dressed woman who kept interupting me with questions about large format architectural photography (like, woah!!!). After a few times I turned to her and suggested politely that large format is a little bit beyond a two day photography course, and asked her why on earth she would want to know about that anyway. She anwered that she works at a magazine and thought she could save money by taking the architectural snaps herself instead of paying an expensive pro photographer to do it -- and they all use large format. I later found out the magazine was the local Australian edition of a really classy "lifestyle" magazine and she was in fact the Editor! She never came to the second day funnily enough...

[MarianTrygg]

Originally posted by Vaughan:

Errr, I think they expected somebody to just give them the answer for free. You know, hold down the shift key, choose "Reverse Engineer..." from the "File" menu, then select a folder to save it in and click OK.

No, not really as we are computer professionals who have been approached with this from a half external source ie a group we are involved with on a non-professional basis. We know nothing about FM but plenty about Access/Excel which is where we want to put all the data eventually. Just thought that forums are usually full of nice helpful people who might have some ideas where we could start with this problem other than trying to write a program to pick the file apart byte by byte. Not everyone unfamiliar with FM is a complete dummy!

[Kurt Knippel]

quote:

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Originally posted by MarianTrygg:

Originally posted by Vaughan:

Errr, I think they expected somebody to just give them the answer for free. You know, hold down the shift key, choose "Reverse Engineer..." from the "File" menu, then select a folder to save it in and click OK.

No, not really as we are computer professionals who have been approached with this from a half external source ie a group we are involved with on a non-professional basis. We know nothing about FM but plenty about Access/Excel which is where we want to put all the data eventually. Just thought that forums are usually full of nice helpful people who might have some ideas where we could start with this problem other than trying to write a program to pick the file apart byte by byte. Not everyone unfamiliar with FM is a complete dummy!

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As in any kind of "reverse engineering" there is no secret button to press. An expert needs to be involved and perform the function of a reverse engineer.

The first question I would ask is why the Excel/Access solution? If the answer is because a copy comes with every version of Office, I would suggest you rethink that.

Regardless, someone (perhaps myself or another expert) would need to look at the files in addition to having any and all passwords that you have for the solution before we could even begin to know the scope of the project.

I would however, highly recommend that you look at Filemaker as a viable RDMS for your solution over Excel/Access since neither is a truly viable RDMS.

I would be happy to help advise you on this situation, please contact me privately and we can work something out.

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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Kurt Knippel

Senior Filemaker Developer

http://www.database-resources.com

mailto:[email protected]

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

[MarianTrygg]

We only want to use Access/Excel as we are familiar with that program and can do it ourselves. We do not want to get 'caught' again thru having to rely on external support. I don't want to start learning a new DBMS at the moment.

Anyway, this is all rather besides the point as what we need now is an update to the FM4 files currently in use in the current system.

I am in touch with the powers that be about your original offer to quote for this job. If they give the permission we'll be in touch with you directly.