Single vs Multi-User

Using PracticeMaker®

The Single User Environment

This is the simplest way to use PracticeMaker®. Since no one else will be logging on you do not have any of the network considerations. This is the default setting for PracticeMaker®LE.

If you purchased PracticeMaker® for more than one user, it has been set to multi-user and uses FileMaker Pro’s built-in multi-user capabilities. There is record locking that prevents users from changing the same record at the same time. You can view a record being modified by another user but you cannot edit this record in any way!

It is possible for the computer that hosts the PracticeMaker® files to also be used as a workstation (except when using FileMaker Pro Server software!). This will, however, slow down network transactions. Also, if the user on the host machine does something strange the machine could crash leaving all guests without program access.

Network Protocol for Macintosh

On the Macintosh there are basically two network protocols to use, namely AppleTalk and TCP/IP. On fast machines this works just fine with 5 or less users. After 5 users you may want to consider FileMaker Pro Server which dramatically increases database access. To set up your network for TCP/IP, which is the faster of the two protocols please consult your operating system manual. Setting up your network is not included in your technical support.

Network Protocol for Windows

On Windows machine you need to select either TCP/IP (and assign EACH machine a unique IP address) or SPX/IPX as the network protocols. If you intend to use TCP/IP you must remove the IPX dialup adapter from each machine. Otherwise Windows gets confused and does not recognize FileMaker Pro as a client!

FileMaker Pro does not need Novell to work and can use Windows built in peer-to-peer networking. On fast machines this works just fine with 5 or less users. After 5 users you may want to consider FileMaker Pro server for Windows NT.

PracticeMaker® can also operate in a mixed network of Macintosh and Windows. If this is your environment, you will want to use the fastest computer available (at the time of this writing it’s the Apple G3 450Mhz Blue and White with an ultra-wide SCSI2 hard drive). Make sure that you have the appropriate networking software and connections. Contact your network administrator for further information. Setting up your network is not included in your technical support.

NOTE: If you are not using FileMaker Pro Server, only that computer that actually has the files on its hard drive should be the host, or first computer to open a multi-user file. All other computers would then be guests. If a guest computer tries to be the host of a multi-user file, this will seriously slow down performance of the software. PracticeMaker® will beep and warn the user of that fact, but still allow the user to continue if desired.

Being the Guest of PracticeMaker®

When PracticeMaker® is being setup on a multi computer network (be it Macintosh, Windows, or mixed), only the host machine should have a full copy of PracticeMaker®! If you install the full program on more than one computer on the network, it will get really nasty really fast!

Do not install PracticeMaker® on each computer.

Fixing this error is NOT included in your technical support contract

Then how does everyone use PracticeMaker®?

Each workstation must have it own copy of FileMaker Pro (whether or not you are using FileMaker Pro Server).

Only the host machine has the actual PracticeMaker® files loaded on it. Each guest machine has the file User Log On.fp3 or PracticeMaker client.

The user simply double clicks on the file and the screen below appears as well as the accompanying dialog for you to make sure that PracticeMaker® is up and running on the host machine.