Developer’s Guide

Sharing your solution over a network
Because the runtime application does not support FileMaker Pro file
sharing (peer-to-peer or client/server networking), users cannot
share your runtime database solution over a network unless they
access the files using the FileMaker Pro application on their
machines.
For optimal performance, they can host the solution files using
FileMaker Server.
For information about the FileMaker Server and FileMaker Pro
products, and information about volume license sales, see the
FileMaker, Inc. web site at www.filemaker.com.
Documenting the installation procedures
You’ll need to provide instructions to your users for how to install
your runtime database solution. Here’s a list of things you should
document:
• Provide written instructions for copying or installing your solution
to your user’s hard disk.
• Include software and instructions specifying how your users can
decompress your solution files.
• Include information about the minimum equipment and software
requirements.
For suggestions on other information to include with your runtime
database solution, see
“Including printed documentation” on
page 4-10.
Starting your runtime database solution
The first time users double-click the runtime application icon, the
runtime application will auto-register and move appropriate items
into the System folder on their machines.
Distributing FileMaker Pro runtime database solutions 7-5
Runtime application icon
Double-click
to start
Primary file icon
In Windows, the three-character filename extension associated with
the solution will not be registered by the operating system until the
runtime application has been started. If a primary or auxiliary
solution file is double-clicked before the runtime application has
registered the extension, the runtime application won’t be found.
Important Your users should start your solution by double-clicking
the runtime application icon, not the primary file icon. Double-
clicking the icons for the primary or auxiliary files might result in
errors, depending on whether there are other copies of the runtime
application on the hard disk. If your users have more than one
solution on their computers with the same three-character extension
and they double-click the icon for the primary file, the most recently
installed runtime application is opened, which may not be the correct
application for your solution’s primary file.
Each time the runtime application is opened, it looks for the primary
file that has been bound to it. If the primary file can’t be found, the
user is asked to locate the primary file.
Caution your users that they should not rename the primary or
auxiliary solution files. If they do, relationships and external scripts
may not work properly. They can rename the runtime application
after it has been installed.
Note When you make a change to your solution, you should make
sure that your users can import their data into your updated solution.
Include a script attached to a button to make it easy for your users to
import their data into the new solution files. For more information,
see
“Converting and upgrading solution files” on page 4-16.