Font & Print problems in 4.1v1

[Bill]

We're running FileMaker Pro 3.0v1 server on a Mac G3, OS 8.6 but all the clients (about 25) are Windows NT 4 running FileMaker Pro 4.1v1. We're having an intermittent problem with the fonts, most of the time they look fine but sometimes (usually but not always) by the end of the day, the fonts have just turned to random characters. Closing the program and re-opening solves the problem. Also, when printing a page, the top portion of the page will print fine but at some point in the document, the fonts in the field go to the same type of random characters (not the field names though). Again, this is an intermittent problem. Any clue as to how to prevent these problems?

[Kurt Knippel]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill:

We're running FileMaker Pro 3.0v1 server on a Mac G3, OS 8.6 but all the clients (about 25) are Windows NT 4 running FileMaker Pro 4.1v1

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Both FMServer 3v1 and FMP4.1v1 are noth the latest revisions of the software. First thing to do is to download the updates and install them. This might solve your problem.

The other issue is a possible Mac<-->Win font translation problem. Hookup a Mac client and see if the problem occurs. In fact hookup a non-NT Win client and see if the error occurs, as it could be a Mac<-->NT problem.

Update first though.

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Kurt Knippel

Consultant

Database Resources

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.database-resources.com

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[Bill]

We're currently doing the upgrades. I'll post if that seems to fix the problems. I've been told that there are some Macs that access this database and they've never had problems with the fonts. What I don't understand is why the problem is intermittent. Much of the time there are no problems. Also, the print problems don't seem to correspond with the on screen font problems. Sometimes field contents will duplicate in another field.

[Bill]

It appears we've solved the print problem for now but are still having a problem with the fonts occationally coming up on the screen as gibberish. We've upgraded all the NT clients from version 4.1v1 to 4.1v3 and the Mac server to 3.0v3. The screen fonts being used on the NT clients are Times New Roman and Arial. Do you think changing the Arial font to MS sans-serif might help?

[Benjamin Evans]

More on the same problem Bill was writing about.

We upgraded to the latest versions (before version 5) so now the databases are running on a PowerMac G3 with FileMaker Pro Server 3.0v4. Most users access the databases from Windows NT 4.0 machines running FileMaker Pro 4.1v3, but some access the databases from Macs. Mac users never have problems.

I tried changing the fonts to MS Sans Serif (they used to be Mac fonts of course). Yet, the problem persists.

Here's the problem: for the NT users only, after a several hours of using FileMaker and switching to other applications (most frequently Procomm Plus which they use as a terminal emulator for another database, SIS), the text will turn into gibberish, wingdings and strange characters. This seems to be intermittent and not consistent for all users. In other words in happens at different times for different people and very rarely for some people. I have never been able to replicate the problem on my NT machine (on which I also do not use Procomm Plus..a connection or a red herring?).

Any suggestions would be warmly appreciated!

Thank you!

-Ben