Nov 29th 2005

Hello,
I've been using a program Ultraplus, a rational database. It has
functions like Browse, Find and Modify and so on. While in Browse mode,
thats all you are allowed to do. You can look but when you try to
change and data or click into a data area your are presented a message
to ineter Modify mode first. In FileMaker Pro 3.0 I have been unable to
find out how to do the same thing to prevent any data changes by
mistake.

Also you can click into a FileMaker Pro 3.0 layout and even change that
by moveing it, changing a fields size by mistake etc. It seems that
while in Browse mode you can change data layout, the data, etc. I would
like to prevent that. I guess there must be a way using scripts but
thats seems like alot of work.

Thanks for any input or suggestions.

Ed...

It's been a while (12 years?) since I used FileMaker Pro 3.0 so I am not
sure what facilities exist for controlling access to the fields like you
want. I think they were pretty limited back then.

In contemporary versions, you could control this fairly easily. For one,
there is the ability to prevent the user to enter a field in Browse mode
altogether. Second, you could set up "user accounts" -- one enabled to
Browse records, the other enabled to Modify records. A button on the layout
could switch between the two under script control.

The capabilities in FileMaker 8 are so vastly improved relative to what you
are using, I'd encourage you to find a way to upgrade if you can.

If you can't upgrade, one method that would definitely work is to "mirror"
the fields you have with calculation fields. These cannot be
entered/modified in Browse mode. Again, a button could be used to switch to
a layout which uses the actual, editable fields when needed.

Bill

"Ed" <edandroy (AT) juno (DOT) com> wrote

Ed

In FMP3 you can right-click a field, choose field format and there is a
checkbox "Allow entry into field" which you can uncheck to prevent
fields being changed on the layout. Unlike FMP7/8 (I don't know about
versions in between) this applies to both browse and find mode
simultaneously.

Regarding Layouts go to Edit > Preferences and in the Layout tab of the
property box that comes up you will find a checkbox for "Always lock
layout tools".

As Bill says there isn't much else. I never made use of Access
priveleges in FMP3 but if you want more control it might be worth
looking at these. The real answer is upgrade, the difference between
FMP3 and FMP8 is phenomenal.

Dan,

Ah yes, I forgot you could do that.

But doesn't the "Lock layout tools" command just control whether the tool
stays selected or not? It doesn't actually prevent modifications to the
layout, does it?

Bill


"Dan Fretwell" <dan (AT) owlsnet (DOT) co.uk> wrote

But doesn't the "Lock layout tools" command just control whether the
tool
I don't know for surethe answer to the question, but another option is
that, when in Layout mode menu, Arrange / Lock, you can always lock from
any modification any object(s) of the layout.
Remi-Noel

I've retreived my copy of FMP3 and tried Always Lock Layout Tools as a
preference. You are correct Bill it simply locks the tools not the
layouts. Remi-Noel;s suggestion seems to be a better option.