Sharing Not Working?

[dshafer]

I just upgraded our databases from 4.1 to 5.5 and installed one new and one upgraded 5.5 on the LAN. We use AirPort to network.

The main machine has the FP5 files on it. The folder in which the files are stored is shared with the other computers on the network. When a machine on the net shares this folder with my main system, it can see the files in the folder just fine. All of the files are marked multi-user and not hidden and all are sharing over TCP/IP.

But any attempt to open a file which is already open on the other machine results in an error saying the file is single-user or the host can't be found on the network.

Clearly the host is found; it's sharing the file via AppleShare just fine! Clearly, the files are multi-user; I've triple-checked that. The lock problem goes both ways. If the file is opened first on the other machine, I can't open it. If I open it first, they can't open it.

So what's going on here? What am I missing about this easy file sharing stuff? I've been using and programming Macs a long, long time (maybe too long?) and this is the first I've run into a problem with AppleShare sharing files over an AirPort LAN.

[ December 18, 2001: Message edited by: Dan Shafer ]

[dshafer]

Sorry to bother the list with this one. Sheesh.

I had the protocols set to TCP/IP in one place and AppleTalk in the other. As soon as I got them both talking AppleTalk, all was well.

Thing is, I didn't set this in either place, so it appears FM did this at install time and did it differently both places.

Anyway, it's working now. I knew this had to be easy!

[BobWeaver]

Unless you have some compelling reason to use Appletalk, I suggest that you set everything to TCP/IP. It should be faster.

[dshafer]

Thanks for the advice, Bob. I'll try to get that working. This whole thing with having to connect to a "remote" database on the same LAN and how FMP thinks about "hosting" is a little out of kilter with the reality of a networked world, but I'm getting a handle on it. I think.

[greymann]

What gives? I've got the same problem as the guy above but I have both computers set to TCP/IP in network protocol. On the Mac it opens and says allowing multiuser over TCP/IP. When I link to the Mac from the PC and grab the file is says "the file is single-user or the host can't be found on the network". Is this a problem between mac and pc? I notice that when I open the file on the PC it says that there is a network error and that it can't allow multiuser yet I can see the mac through Network Places fine. I'm on a router lan.

[Anatoli]

I hope you are not trying to open the file directly from remote computer, but through Host button?

[greymann]

Yes, I've tried that too. Nothing comes up.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

> I just upgraded our databases from 4.1 to 5.5 and installed one new and one upgraded 5.5 on the LAN. We use

>AirPort to network.

>The main machine has the FP5 files on it. The folder in which the files are stored is shared with the other

>computers on the network. When a machine on the net shares this folder with my main system, it can see the

>files in the folder just fine. All of the files are marked multi-user and not hidden and all are sharing over

>TCP/IP.

This is not the correct process for peer to peer use of FileMaker Pro. And that's why you are getting the error message.

Do not use the OS networking capability for this process. Launch the the FileMaker Pro file on one machine, being sure that the file is set to multi-user. Then when a guest wants to connect, launch the guets copy of FileMaker Pro, using the same protocol as the original file. Click the "Hosts" button, and then

the guets can see the name of the file and connect.

You should really be using FileMaker Server. It's faster and it's a whole lot safer.

Old Advance Man

[greymann]

The problem was solved when I installed 5.5. Didn't work with 5.0. Go figure.

Does anyone know if it's possible to host a Filemaker database over the internet? To actually have multiple users log into the same file remotely. If not is there any database software that will do this?

[Anatoli]

Sure,

you can log 250 users to single FM server over TCP/IP or Internet. Plus one of those clients can be Unlimited serving unlimited browsers.

The only limitation is bandwidth and quality of machines

[greymann]

Thank you. That's a relief. So how is it done? The serving computer is behind a router. I assume I have to open up a port. I have 80 and 5003 open. Do I give remote users my router IP and port or the computers IP and port or what? Do I need any other software other than Filemaker?

[Anatoli]

It all depends on configuration. FM Client running on remote location must somehow get to the server through all firewalls or routers. Since 80 is for browsers you can connect browser to FM Unlimited running on 80 and FileMaker client to server through 5003. Search forum on port 5003 tips.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

quote:

---

Originally posted by greymann:

The problem was solved when I installed 5.5. Didn't work with 5.0. Go figure.

Does anyone know if it's possible to host a Filemaker database over the internet? To actually have multiple users log into the same file remotely. If not is there any database software that will do this?

---

There was a change in behavior related to NAT, Port 5003, UDP, and TCP between Version 5.0vx and 5.5vx. That;s why the problem was resolved.

Others have pointed out that you can use the public Internet as a WAN to connect users running FileMaker Pro to a FileMaker Server machine. Performance will be affected by file architecture more than any other feature. THen comes bandwidth and latency, server CPU, client CPU and disk space. Hsve at least 500MB free hard disk space on all client machines.

HTH

Old Advance Man