The programmer is dead no way to change DB

[sandan]

Hi All

This is a weird issue the database of a friend of mine who is the historian of a car club was helped to setup a data base and layouts to record view etc..... we can do that no issue .... however we can not add a layout nor see the database in it's entirety.... unfortunately the co author took the security codes to his grave...... I can export the main fields and main data.... however I cannot see the Photo links and the History notes ( on the vehicle) I am assuming that these are therefor additional databases that are linked by the primary ID of the vehicle ... or similar.... there is a field in the DB that I can see that is a logical (Y/N) field for Photo and nothing at all for the history field... I am guessing it maybe common to all records.

so the question is short of teleporting to the "otherside" how do I break the file open to extract the balance of the data

any help would be great

sandan

[IdealData]

Contact FileMaker Inc.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Hi All

This is a weird issue the database of a friend of mine who is the historian of a car club was helped to setup a data base and layouts to record view etc..... we can do that no issue .... however we can not add a layout nor see the database in it's entirety.... unfortunately the co author took the security codes to his grave...... I can export the main fields and main data.... however I cannot see the Photo links and the History notes ( on the vehicle) I am assuming that these are therefor additional databases that are linked by the primary ID of the vehicle ... or similar.... there is a field in the DB that I can see that is a logical (Y/N) field for Photo and nothing at all for the history field... I am guessing it maybe common to all records.

so the question is short of teleporting to the "otherside" how do I break the file open to extract the balance of the data

any help would be great

sandan

FileMaker, Inc. no longer provides password retrieval for files, largely because passwords are not stored in the files.

That said, depending on the level of privileges your Account enjoys for data in the related table, you can extract these data along with their foreign keys. You can then tie them back to the data you already have.

Steven

[IdealData]

FileMaker, Inc. no longer provides password retrieval for files, largely because passwords are not stored in the files.

So how does FMP decipher, or otherwise translate, your password/name entry to a valid account name/password and resulting privilege set?

As the DB could be simply copied to another computer then does that not mean to say that the passwords are actually stored (in some form) as part of the DB?

[comment]

As the DB could be simply copied to another computer then does that not mean to say that the passwords are actually stored (in some form) as part of the DB?

"In some form" is the operative phrase here. See a fairly decent introduction here:

http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/php/understanding-hash-functions-and-keeping-passwords-safe/

[IdealData]

Hi All

This is a weird issue the database of a friend of mine who is the historian of a car club was helped to setup a data base and layouts to record view etc..... we can do that no issue .... however we can not add a layout nor see the database in it's entirety.... unfortunately the co author took the security codes to his grave...... I can export the main fields and main data.... however I cannot see the Photo links and the History notes ( on the vehicle) I am assuming that these are therefor additional databases that are linked by the primary ID of the vehicle ... or similar.... there is a field in the DB that I can see that is a logical (Y/N) field for Photo and nothing at all for the history field... I am guessing it maybe common to all records.

so the question is short of teleporting to the "otherside" how do I break the file open to extract the balance of the data

any help would be great

sandan

Without prejudice, try submitting "filemaker password recovery" into google.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Without prejudice, try submitting "filemaker password recovery" into google.

And, of course, any file ever opened by one of these crackers should not continue to be used for production purposes.

Steven

[bcooney]

Another reminder to provide your client with the master passwords. My "in case I get hit by a bus" speech.

[comment]

try submitting "filemaker password recovery" into google.

I wonder when - if ever - FMI intends to plug this gaping hole.

[Fitch]

At least there's Remove admin access.

[comment]

Yes, there is. It doesn't protect the data AND eliminates the possibility to fix a minor issue at the client's premises.

[sandan]

And, of course, any file ever opened by one of these crackers should not continue to be used for production purposes.

Steven

Many thanks for the help everyone.... still didn't fix the issue.... appears that maybe I have a runtime version... as all management is greyed out and I do not have access privlidges..... so is there a way to access the file and change the privileges.... can I uncompile the file.... I can get the data out but not the field attributes etc... is this function abailable in Pro 11 Advanced?

thanks Sandan

[Vaughan]

If the admin access has been removed form the file than AFAIK there is no way to get developer Full Access again: you need to get an original file from the developer.

I'd say it's time to get an expert in to take a look at the file. An hour or two should suffice I imagine.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Many thanks for the help everyone.... still didn't fix the issue.... appears that maybe I have a runtime version... as all management is greyed out and I do not have access privlidges..... so is there a way to access the file and change the privileges.... can I uncompile the file.... I can get the data out but not the field attributes etc... is this function abailable in Pro 11 Advanced?

thanks Sandan

You can open the data files with a copy of FIleMaker Pro. However, you are still going to need an Account Name and password.

Steven

[Vyk]

FMkey... http://lostpassword.com/filemaker.htm

I have been using FmKey for 4+ years now without a problem. I suggest testing the trial on a copy of the files you want to unlock first.