Developing a DB from two different computers

[MikeGuilbault]

I have FMP 13 installed on my MacPro desktop at work, and on my MacBook Pro laptop at home. BTW, I'm very new to FMP.

I have started developing a DB at work on the MacPro and thought I'd store it online via "Copy" (similar to DropBox) so that I could access it at home as well. Am I going to have problems with this?

The reason I ask, is that the other day I made a change to the layout of a table at home, but when I got to work it the change wasn't there. Before I go further, I'd like to make sure that this will work.

Mike G

[Kris M]

This is workable but fragile because drop box can damage a filemaker file if its open for editing and it is synched.

[Wim Decorte]

What Kris says; don't do that. There have been many reports of files damaged that way.  Join technet, pay $99 and set up your own dev server.

[MikeGuilbault]

What exactly is DropBox, or in my case, "Copy", syncing? When I open the file from the cloud, is something going on that I don't know about. Sorry for being slow, but this is all new to me.

[Kris M]

Mike,

You wrote...

"and thought I'd store it online via "Copy" (similar to DropBox)"

So I assumed that you were familiar with DropBox.

I would also use the same caution when opening a file for development that exists on a remote (cloud) volume as damage risks are present.

I would say that using cloud storage to transfer a file from machine to machine should be safe.

+1 to Wims suggestion to use FMS

[MikeGuilbault]

I also have Dropbox, so somewhat familiar, but didn't grasp the syncing reference. I assumed that storing a file on DropBox/Copy was the same as storing it on HD. That I could open it, edit it, and sAve it with the ability to do so on various computers, like I do with a word-processing document in iCloud (using Pages).

[Kris M]

In case it was not clear.... Dropbox is NOT a safe container for a file that is being worked on in any way.

[Wim Decorte]

I also have Dropbox, so somewhat familiar, but didn't grasp the syncing reference. I assumed that storing a file on DropBox/Copy was the same as storing it on HD. That I could open it, edit it, and sAve it with the ability to do so on various computers, like I do with a word-processing document in iCloud (using Pages).

 

Except that the data in your Pages document is probably nowhere near as important as you FM data.  You were asking about how the syncing is done in DropBox/Copy: the crux is that is outside of your control.  They do it they want they want to.  Whereas FMS is built around sharing while keeping the data safe and undamaged.

You don't want to run that kind of risk of "not knowing". The penalty is just to high.