Developer’s Guide

Creating a database solution 4-3
The \Developer Extras\FileMaker, Inc\Examples\Creating Dynamic
Buttons\ folder on the FileMaker Developer CD contains information
about buttons you can use to make opening and closing files easier for
users. See
“Creating dynamic buttons” on page 4-6 for information.
• 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 4-6.
• 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 4-7.)
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 6-11.)
• 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 4-11.
• 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 4-17 for an overview.
• 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 User’s Guide
or see FileMaker Pro Help.
• Do you want users to be able to perform spell checking on records?
The FileMaker Developer Tool does not automatically include a
spelling dictionary in the runtime solution. You must choose the
main dictionary for your solution database from within
FileMaker Pro. Once a main dictionary is selected for the solution
database, your users can add or modify a user-defined dictionary to
the runtime application. See the FileMaker Pro onscreen Help for
details about main and user dictionaries.
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 4-7 for
information about assigning a limited password, and “Creating
Kiosk-mode solutions” on page 6-9 for information about creating a
Kiosk-mode solution.