Developer’s Guide (Mac OS)

Preparing solution files 3-3
1 Do you want your end-users to open
and close auxiliary files?
In the FileMaker Pro Runtime application, several menu options have
been eliminated, including Open and Close. If you want your end-user
to open and close auxiliary files, you must provide scripts in your
solution to perform these operations.
1 Are you running your files in kiosk mode?
If your solution files will be run in kiosk mode, the entire interface must
be accessible via buttons on the layouts. FileMaker Pro menus and menu
commands are not available, so you must create scripts to perform menu
commands, such as creating new records, sorting, and even closing the
solution files. Include a Quit button if the file needs to be closed.
1 Is this a cross-platform solution?
It is safe to follow DOS naming conventions, which limit the
filename to up to eight characters, followed by a period and your
three-character extension (for example, SAMPLE.USR). If you
rename solution files, be sure to reset all relationships, value lists, and
scripts to locate the renamed file. The Cross Platform Tips file
(XPLATTIP on Windows) in the Support folder has more tips on
cross-platform issues, including layouts, color palettes, printing, and
character sets, among others.
Important If you are changing the three-character extension on
Windows, you must first bind solution files on Windows, then on
the Macintosh.
1 How will you provide updates for your end-users?
Plan ahead for the time you may want to update your solution files. You
can make the process easier for your end-users by providing scripts in
your primary file to export and import their data. See “Importing to the
new solution file” on page 3-14 for sample conversion steps.
1 Which printers will your end-users have?
It’s a good idea to set document margins in FileMaker Pro 3.0 if your
solution will be printed from a variety of printers.