This CAN'T be the first time someone has asked a question like this. FileMaker's
website knowledgebase is pitifully small.

I have two databases, both are formatted with text-only fields. There are no
calculated fields, conditional fields, repeating fields, nothing. This is as
basic as it gets. There are about 48 fields. I use it for updating some business
addresses and contact information. One is the 'master' database, containing
current and outdated information. The second is a subset of the first, with
'active' or current information. Normally the master database gets updated; and
I periodically I update the 'active' version by first working from a backup,
then doing a search for the 'closed' records, deleting the found set, and
renaming the result as the current 'active' database. That one gets copied to a
laptop, and to a Treo phone for accessibility. The Treo phone only imports 12
fields out of the 48 fields available.

My problem: data is getting updated on the 'active' version as well as the
'master' version. I would like to periodically combine both databases with the
updated information via some procedure, instead of manually parsing through
several hundred records looking for changes.

FileMaker's technotes say you can synchronize the Treo (FileMaker Mobile) and
desktop versions (FileMaker Pro 7) via a HotSync, but I keep getting an error 1
when I try to do it. Is it because one DB has 12 records and the other has 48?
Is it that irritatingly annoying business about regkeys and
username/devicenames? I gave up on this after an hour.

It's not clear to me from reading in the default FMPro User Guide whether
Export/Import will update fields in individual records, and if you can choose
how you resolve conflicting data. BlackBerry syncs do this for addressbook data
without a hiccup, You plug in your preferred actions (conflict resolution, which
DB overwrites which), and off you go. Maybe I'm missing something.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Brief step-by-step points
appreciated. Thank you.

Sadder

In article <ehgesq01lbm (AT) drn (DOT) newsguy.com>,
Sadder <Sadder_member (AT) newsguy (DOT) com> wrote:

From your description it is not obvious why you need two separate
databases. Why bother with that? it just leads to the kind of difficulty
you describe.

--
For email, change <fake> to <earthlink>
Bill Collins

He needs the database to be small so he can sync with the handheld device,
which has limited memory. I'm not sure we have enough information to
troubleshoot why FileMaker Mobile is not working as designed.

"Bill" <bbcollins (AT) fake (DOT) net> wrote