I am going to take that home tonight and read it really carefully - thanks for planning it all out for me!
On 15 January 2013 09:58, Richard S. Russell <[email protected]>wrote: > > On 2013 Jan 15, at 3:06, Emma Glaisher <[email protected]> > wrote: > > So what is the alternative? Sharing across the web? That's another whole > new realm for me. There's really one person actually inputting data, and > the other one accessing. Only me actually working on the structure, and I > will do that evenings/weekends as I have a day job anyway. > > I know it's not a good way of working, but not sure what alternative as > they can't just share across a network, being 50 miles apart. > > > > Well, there may be better solutions out there, and I'm certainly not going > to claim that the way I'd go about it is the pinnacle of efficiency and > security, but here's what *I'd* do. > > Let's say the person inputting data is Imogene Inputter, the person > accessing it is Albert Accessor, and person doing the design and > engineering is Emma Glaisher. That actually sorts itself out rather neatly. > I'd have Emma set up a Dropbox account (or some similar cloud-based > file-storage folder) and grant Albert (at least, and possibly Imogene as > well) sharing privileges to it. I'd designate Albert as the person who > should host the live file by day, since he's the one who's going to need to > process mass amounts of data via Finds and Sorts and thus needs to be > closest to where they live to maximize processing speed. I'd set up a firm > protocol that each of the 3 parties — Albert, Imogene, and Emma — *must* > e-mail > the other 2 whenever he or she either relinquishes or assumes control of > the live file. ("Sir, the bridge is yours." "I have the bridge.") > > At the end of the business day (or business week, if it's that kind of > business), Albert will verify that Imogene is done using the database, > close it down (ideally by quitting out of FMP altogether, just to be sure), > place a *copy* of the file in the Dropbox folder, and notify Imogene and > Emma to that effect. Emma will, by night, *copy* the file onto her own > system and notify Imogene and Albert to that effect. She will do whatever > work she's able to get at during the agreed-upon free time, then reverse > the process to get the updated file back to Albert, along with the > appropriate notifications. > > So how's Imogene supposed to do her inputting while Albert's got the live > file and is using it as well? Instant Web Publishing (IWP, AKA Web > Sharing), using FileMaker's dedicated TCP/IP port number 591. I'm not gonna > con you into thinking that this will be a cakewalk to set up, but once > you've got it up and running reliably, it should operate smoothly without > further need for constant tweaking. Using IWP, Imogene wouldn't even need a > copy of FileMaker Pro,* since she'd be accessing the database over the > internet using her hardware, operating system, and web browser of choice. > > For guidance on how to prepare the database for IWP, I refer you to the > "IWP Guide" that may be found under "Product Documentation" under the > "Help" menu. Or, if you prefer something written for normal human beings, > there's the excellent *FileMaker Pro 12: The Missing Manual* by Susan > Prosser and Stuart Gripman, beginning on Page 748 with the overview > "Sharing over the Internet". > > Good luck, Emma. > > –––––– > *It's this absence of a need for the end user to pay for a separate copy > of FMP that has led some knowledgeable observers to speculate that FMI may > revise its pricing structure for IWP-enabled copies of the program. But > they haven't yet. > > > = = = = = = > Richard S. Russell, a Bright (http://the-brights.net) > 2642 Kendall Av. #2, Madison WI 53705-3736 > 608+233-5640 • [email protected] > http://richardsrussell.livejournal.com/ > > = = = = = = > The Internet is a well-heeled beast: it has *many* Achilles' heels. > > — Peter G. 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