Mass Updating of Online FMP Database

[jbutler]

I host an FMP database online that is maintained by someone who lives in another city. Once a year, she needs to be able to replace the ENTIRE database from that remote location.

I could give her FTP access to the folder that contains the database and she could theoretically replace the file, BUT since the file is open and in use by FMP all the time the server computer won't let her over-write the file.

Does anyone have a suggestion for how to replace an entire database remotely?

Thanks!

--Jeremy

P.S. I'm running FMP 5 Unlimited on Windows NT 4.

[Anatoli]

What I am doing:

1. Do copy of new db to the server

2. Stop the running db

3. Rename the old db

4. Rename the new db with the original name

5. Start the new db

It usually takes 30sec off line.

[This message has been edited by Anatoli (edited February 10, 2001).]

[Vaughan]

I've done this:

Make an "admin" database. The db is empty of records but has a script in it that closes the other databases. (Another script in the file opens them again.) The file is shared over the web and the script is run through a web page interface.

The user can use the admin db to close their databases, update the files vis ftp or whatever, then open them again. None of the other hosted services need to be taken off-line when this peocess occurs.

[Anatoli]

That is the best procedure. I am also using that in my above example.