Developer’s Guide

Creating a database solution 2-3
In the runtime application, several FileMaker Pro menu options are
not available to the user, including File menu > Open and File menu >
Close. If you want users to open and close auxiliary files, you must
provide scripts in your solution to perform these operations. Then,
place a button or startup script in each auxiliary file that returns to the
main layout of the primary file.
The \Developer Extras\FileMaker, Inc\Examples\Creating Dynamic
Buttons\ folder on the FileMaker Developer 5.5 CD contains information
about buttons you can use to make opening and closing files easier for
users. See “Creating dynamic buttons” on page 2-6 for information.
1 Will the runtime application operate in Kiosk mode?
If your runtime database solution will display in Kiosk mode, the
entire interface must be accessible via buttons on the layouts. See
“Creating dynamic buttons” on page 2-6.
1 Do you want users to be able to modify the database?
Although many menu commands are unavailable in a runtime
application, users can still access the menu commands by opening
your runtime database solution files in FileMaker Pro. (For a
complete list of available menu commands, see appendix A, “Feature
comparison of the runtime application and FileMaker Pro.”)
If you do not want users to modify your files, you can create
passwords to prevent them from opening the files in FileMaker Pro.
(See “Protecting your database solution files” on page 2-7.)
You can also make your files permanently unmodifiable by selecting
the Permanently prevent modification of database structure option in the
Developer Tool. (See “Removing design access to your databases”
on page 4-10.)
1 Will this be a cross-platform runtime database solution?
For advice on handling fonts, graphics, and general cross-platform
issues, see “Design tips for cross-platform solutions” on page 2-11.
1 How will you provide updates for your users?
Plan ahead for the time you may want to update your runtime
database solution files. You can make the process easier for users by
providing scripts in your primary file to export their data and import
it into the updated solution. See “Importing data into an upgraded
runtime database solution” on page 2-17 for an overview.
1 Will your users be printing reports or other information from your
runtime database solution?
It’s a good idea to set document margins in FileMaker Pro if your
runtime database solution will be printed from a variety of printers.
See “Specifying page margins” in the FileMaker Pro 5 User’s Guide
or see FileMaker Pro Help.
Considerations for Kiosk mode
When you create a solution to run in Kiosk mode, you need to
consider if you want to make your solution a stand-alone application,
how the user will navigate your solution, and how the user will be
able to quit the solution.
Displaying a database in Kiosk mode
To display a solution in Kiosk mode, you must either create a stand-
alone application or assign a limited access password to the primary
file. See “Protecting your database solution files” on page 2-7 for
information about assigning a limited password, and “Creating
Kiosk-mode solutions” on page 4-9 for information about creating a
Kiosk-mode solution.
Navigating in Kiosk mode
The primary file is the main database that users see first in your
Kiosk solution. Because Kiosk mode does not contain any menus or
window controls, the primary file must contain buttons that users can
click to navigate through the solution, close the files, and to quit
FileMaker Pro or the runtime application.