Multi-user Problems

[ecpmII]

Multi-user application on an Windows 2000 server.

 

Here is a full explanation of what we are doing, in the hopes that someone can help us

very soon. We have Ten user License Pack of Filemaker Pro 5.5.

 

We have an application on a Windows 2000 Server that is used by four users. The

databases (seven (7) total) are in a folder on the server.

All seven files on the server are shared (multi-user). We have a FileMaker Pro 5.5 database

on the server call AppOpener with one script that opens all seven databases.

 

We changed the Filemaker Pro icon (icon installed to the desktop that says Filemaker Pro)

to an appropriate icon for our application and target this file (AppOpener).

AppOpener has one script that opens the six related databases minimized, and main

database (this bring ups the main screen of the application maximized).

 

Each user machine has Filemaker Pro 5.5 installed. We changed the Filemaker Pro icon on

each user machine to an appropriate icon for our application and pointed the icon target on

the user machine to a FileMaker Pro database (RemoteOpener).

RemoteOpener is in the My Documents folder on each user machine an has one script call

Opener (which is the opening script for the database). The Opener script has one line that

opens the main file for the application on the server.

We are opening this file through the Host button.

 

Here is the Opener Script

Open ["ServerApp.fp5 (*)"]

 

When each user double clicks the icon on their desktop, they automatically go to the

application on the server.

This works fine. But, when a user is editing/posting to a record the others are not allow to

use anything in the application.

They get a message that says the user is editing.

The other users cannot access anything in the application at all until the user that was

editing gets out of the edit/post student payment layout.

 

Shouldn't the other users be able to access the application at all times? View the same

record even if another user is editing it.

Allow to edit/post to a different record in the same database (users are all posting

payments to different student records in the same database).

And use the other functions in the application?

 

What we are trying to do is to give the users a direct /automatic way to get to the

application on the server and work at the same time (view, edit, browse, run reports).

 

Please help. Thanks.

[A.DOMINGO]

What is your initial layout for one of your database? How do your users select a record to be edited? Do they select a record to edit from a list view, a find view or through a portal?

My suggestion is that you display an initial layout that has a list view (all fields must be read-only) first so that user can select a record to edit.

Add a button (Edit) for user to click when he wants to edit selected record in list view.

In this button create script that will take user to another layout, perhaps form view where he can edit record.

Add error trapping in this script by using Set Error Capture On and capture error by using status step CurrentError.

This way all users can view initially all records in list view whether they are edited or not.

If user tries to edit a selected record and someone is already editing it, you can trap it

and display a message.

Hope this helps.

[andygaunt]

Hi, you say that there is a launcher on the server.

 

Try creating a single user database to laucn the files on the server and give everybody a copy of it.

 

It may be that the launcher on the server is single user and so when someone opens it no one else can.

 

If your files are multi user then if someone is editing a record everyone else can look at it, but will be warned that it is being edited by x if they try to click into a field.

 

HTH

[Anatoli]

Opener on server?

 

FileMaker server will open all databases automatically and then people just click the host button in client and will see them (db) already opened on server in host window.

 

I am sure you do not have this set correctly.

[andygaunt]

As with a lot of developers, I create an opener to launch the databases from the server.

 

Avoids users selecting the wrong files and makes their lives easier.

 

This is fine, but the opener must be on the client machine.

 

Also, the opener needs to trap for the files not running on the server.

 

Set Error capture [on]

Open [hosts, specific file]

If Status(CurrentError) = 100

Show message "The files are not open on the server. The launcher will now close. Please contact systems admin for details"

Exit Script

End If

Close []

 

The benefit is the user does not have to go to the file menu, choose open and then hosts and then select the right file.

 

but, as I said, this file must reside on the local client, not the server.

 

Hope this clarifies the issue.

[Anatoli]

Agreed.

 

RE: Avoids users selecting the wrong files and makes their lives easier.

 

My users have only single file behind the Host button. The menu.