FileMaker Pro11 Password Issues

[frankieb]

We are using FileMaker in my class. When the students assign an Admin password, it always works. When they assign Guest access to have either Read-Only or Data Entry, all is fine until they test it by logging in. The message they get is "The account name and password you entered does not match those for any FileMaker account". When they check the passwords in Security, the password has been changed to a 20-digit password every time. Any ideas how to get around this please?

[doughemi]

When you look at an account in Security, FileMaker displays 20 "*" regardless of the length of the actual password. This is to make it harder for someone to guess a valid password. Are you sure that the password is actually changing?

 

FileMaker Help says

The Guest account is not fully editable. You cannot delete the Guest account, change the Guest account name, or assign it a password. For more information on editing accounts, see Editing existing accounts.

 

So you are creating a new account, right, since the Guest account does not have a password.

 

Remember that passwords are case sensitive.

 

If you are 100% sure the password is changing, my first instinct is that some wise guy in the class is changing the password. Passwords cannot be changed internally, but can be changed by script with Full Access privileges (either by someone logged in with Full Access privileges, or if the script itself is marked to run with Full Access.

 

The way around this is to create a Student privilege set and assign the attributes that are common to all members of the class. Then, assign each class member his/her own account, using that privilege set. Disable the ability to change the password in the privileges.

 

You might also consider creating a new Full Access account, whose password is known only to the instructor. That way, if someone messes with the Admin password, you still have access to the file.

 

This is a great practical lesson in database security for your class. Take advantage of the opportunity to use FileMaker's security features.

[Feirefiz]

I had problems of this sort at the beginning, and it turned out to be a discrepancy between

 

File > File Options > Open

 

and

 

File > Manage Security > Accounts

 

and possibly also

 

FileMaker Pro > Preferences > General > User Name

 

I'm not sure exactly what anymore, but I think I was getting the message you are.