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mhawker · Nov 20, 2005, 11:50 PM

Hi all,

We just bought an iMac G5 to act as the Filemaker server on our network of about 10 computers. Everything is connected by ethernet through a hub connected to a DSL router.

I have no problems connecting both ways, but what I can't seem to figure out is how to enable what would be the equivalent of "users and groups" in OS 9 on the Tiger machine.

By going through appleshare, I can connect from the 9 machines to the Tiger machine, but I have to use the Tiger machines name and password which gives that computer access to the entire HD. I read that the Public folder is the only one accessible to others, but I can't figure out how to get JUST that to show up.

My plan is to put the FM files in the public folder so others can access them

Thanks for any suggestions.

Mike

tooki · Nov 22, 2005, 01:58 PM

Search for a program called Sharepoints.

tooki

larkost · Nov 22, 2005, 07:32 PM

You need to go back and learn how FileMaker shares its files. You definitely do not want people getting at the files over file sharing.

mhawker · Nov 22, 2005, 07:51 PM

Thanks, Tooki.

Larkost,

Why not? Maybe I don't know what you mean by "file sharing". For years users log into the server using the Chooser>appleshare>select the server option. We have the folder where the database files are accessible to them and they open the files from there. Each user has FM installed on their machine and it has worked well.

Is this wrong? May be a moot point if we switch, but we are currently running this way.

On a related note, I figured out I simply needed to add a user to the Tiger machine and was able to connect from the OS9 machine and open the FM files. It worked, but much more slowly than on the OS9 machine.

Back to the drawing board.

John Strung · Nov 22, 2005, 08:10 PM

Sharepoints

and

Sharepoints Automounter

should solve your problem

jmaliga · Dec 1, 2005, 05:55 PM

M:

It's not a moot point. You have described file sharing accurately, but you could potentially damage your database or create other data problems if two people opened the same file simultaneously. FileMaker (since version 3 or earlier) allows you to set any file available for sharing, and multiple people can access and edit records in the database.

However, you have to have all the files you wish shared running on a copy of FileMaker on your server and you must enable (once for each file) that file to be shared (that command is in the File menu). You can also purchase software called FileMaker Server which allows many more files to be shared, more people to be able to access them, and to do it faster.

Once you have done that, no one needs to access the server to share the file. You simply go to the File menu, use the Open command and click on the HOSTS button. You can also create a local mini database which has a script to do that.

What you are doing is dangerous and unnecessary and you should stop immediately.

--John

Originally Posted by mhawker

Thanks, Tooki.

Larkost,

Why not? Maybe I don't know what you mean by "file sharing". For years users log into the server using the Chooser>appleshare>select the server option. We have the folder where the database files are accessible to them and they open the files from there. Each user has FM installed on their machine and it has worked well.

Is this wrong? May be a moot point if we switch, but we are currently running this way.

On a related note, I figured out I simply needed to add a user to the Tiger machine and was able to connect from the OS9 machine and open the FM files. It worked, but much more slowly than on the OS9 machine.

Back to the drawing board.

mhawker · Dec 2, 2005, 07:14 PM

Thanks, John. If I understand your warning correctly, we should NOT be logging onto the server machine using the Chooser>appleshare>.... technique, but SHOULD be using the "hosts" option (which I am well aware of).

If what I understand as your warning is correct, we have been in danger of corrupt data for about 15 years, but have never had a problem. We have multiple people with the same file (let's say Invoices") open at the same time entering invoices and printing orders. I'm glad we've been lucky.

Since you mentioned multiple people, what we have run into is that if someone is holding up the system by running a summary report or even holding down their mouse key, the server will come up with a message that says, "all users must wait......" where all users trying access that file (invoices etc) will get the "squiggly arrow" until that user is done.

Thanks for your input.

mhawker · Dec 2, 2005, 07:18 PM

One other thing that might be of use to others is that a friend pointed me to Shareway IP.

This may be similar (same) as Sharepoints, but I have not compared the two yet.

tooki · Dec 2, 2005, 07:43 PM

You don't need ShareWay IP. Mac OS 9 already includes the light version of it, which is used behind the scenes to enable AppleShare over TCP/IP (in the File Sharing control panel).

tooki

larkost · Dec 2, 2005, 08:48 PM

DO NOT USE FILESHARING. It does not matter if it is over ShareWayIP or any other method. I AM NOT KIDDING. Read the manual that came with FileMaker for how to share databases, it covers this. Ignore tooki because he/she does not know FileMaker, and should not be commenting on it.

mhawker · Dec 5, 2005, 01:08 PM

Thanks, Tooki and Larkhost.

I don't think you're kidding, Lark. I just read through the FM Pro 4.0 User's Guide's chapter 7 (Networking and Access Privileges) and did not see anything about a warning for using filesharing. It describes networking using the "hosts" option that has been mentioned (and that I'm well aware of), but no warning that I could find.

I knew I should have just replaced the HD that went bad in my old G3...... everything was so much simpler.

ghporter · Dec 5, 2005, 03:37 PM

The hosts option basically just assumes that the database file will reside on another system and will be accessed by ONE user at a time. Filesharing makes no such demand and can, as file state is generally not a concern.