Development Guide

Chapter 2 | Creating database solutions 12
Starting runtime database solutions
Important Your users should start your solution by double-clicking the runtime application icon, not
the solution file icon. Double-clicking the icons for the solution or auxiliary files might result in errors,
depending on whether there are other copies of the runtime application on their hard disk. If your
users have more than one solution on their computers associated with the same one- to five-
character extension and they double-click the icon for the solution file, the first solution installed will
attempt to open the file, and this might not be the correct application for the specific file.
Distributing runtime solutions
The final steps in developing your runtime database solution are to bundle all of the necessary
files together, choose how you will distribute your solution—for example, on a CD-ROM or over a
network—and provide your users with documentation for installing your solution. In addition, your
documentation should include instructions for starting the runtime application and what to do if a
file is damaged.
Note Windows: The proper method for distributing Runtime solutions (including the executable)
is to use Installer software. This software must install components in the proper location in the
Windows filesystem and provide an uninstall capability. See the Microsoft website for information
about the location of installed files as well as location restrictions.
Organizing solution components
When you bind your database files into a runtime database solution, the Developer Utilities create
a new solution folder and place the runtime application, the bound primary and auxiliary database
files, and an Extensions folder inside it. For Windows runtime solutions, there are also required
Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files.
Note When you move multiple files into one folder to create a runtime solution, be aware that
your internal links are affected. For this reason, every data source must include a path that is just
the filename of the file being referenced. Although the runtime application will check other data
sources, it will then be able to find the file in the same folder in which it resides. You can still keep
any absolute or relative paths in the same data source reference in case the files are also used in
FileMaker
Pro or FileMaker Pro Advanced.
Double-click to start
Solution file iconRuntime application icon