The situation is:
- One person in the office is tasked with data entry. He/she is the *only* person who is authorized to make changes to the database. Any other users that want to add/edit/delete records do so by submitting a request to the data entry person.
- Occasionally, other users want to access the database for reports, labels, counts, etc. They want/need to be able to do so while other users are in the database.
- The organization cannot/will not obtain additional FM licenses or FM server.
A solution is:
- Load ebase and Filemaker onto the data entry person's computer. Call it "ebase central".
- Load runtime ebase onto the other computers.
- All data entry occurs on ebase central.
- On a regular basis, the ebase files (all .10x files) are copied to the other computer(s).
- The other computers can run ebase using runtime ebase. They can run reports, do searches, send email, create labels, etc. Anything they can do in ebase *except* enter or change data. They know that anything they do will get clobbered the next time that ebase central dumps a new copy of ebase onto their computer.
Two people cannot make changes at the same time - if someone has ebase open, nobody else is able to open it. We have a strict understanding that nobody is to
make changes to ebase while not networked in the office, to avoid having two versions with different info. I am really not sure why it was set up this way
originally, but yes, people do copy the newest version of ebase onto their computers when they want to use it. What are the advantages/drawbacks to multiuser?
(Jack, do you happen to know why we're doing things this way?)
Rachel
Dave Shaw wrote:
> I'm not entirely sure I understand what your procedure is, but it
> sounds unstable. If I understand right, people use ebase by copying
> the file set onto their machine then doing some data entry? How do
> you coordinate this if two people try to make changes at the same
> time? Why not do this over the network by setting the files to
> multiuser?
>
> >Not sure what the simplest way to explain this is, but... We keep a copy
> >of ebase in the shared folder on my computer (we are not doing
> >multiuser). This is always the most up to date copy, and when other
> >people want to use it, they pull a copy from there onto their desktops.
> >What I want is to have an extra copy around so that I don't have to back
> >up every time somebody alters the copy (which can be many times a day).
> >For example, I'd have one in the shared folder that people use, but
> >another elsewhere on my computer in case screwiness ensues, including
> >when I'm using it and experimenting with customization. I understand
> >that having multiple copies of ebase on one machine can cause confusion,
> >but what is the best way to do this? Could I drag my extra "temporary
> >backup" copy into the trash while I'm using and prevent any problems?
> >(I'm on a mac) Then just drag it back out if I mess up the copy I'm
> >working on?
>
> Best way is to use a removable disk like a zip. You can physically
> remove the disk from the machine so ebase and the users don't get
> confused about which is the current version. It's instantly
> available, though, if you need it. Keeping it in the trash will work,
> but it would be too easy to inadvertently delete it by casually
> emptying the trash.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Noll - ebase consultant and wildlife advocate
Check out a *great* program at
www.beardogs.org
---------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------ Reminder to each recipient: To change your list account preferences, go to
http://email.sparklist.com/scripts/lyris.pl?enter=support and enter the email address you used to subscribe to the ebase support list:: [email protected]
To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ebase - Relationship Management for Nonprofits, http://www.ebase.org
---------------------------------------------------------------------
