Troubleshooting

Found Sets and Sessions

When I perform a find in my database and then synchronize my handheld, all records show up on my handheld instead of just the found set that I wanted.

This is because the synchronization process occurs in its own session and does not necessarily have the same found set as the one you see in your open copy of the database. The resolution is to explicitly define the desired found set in a script that is configured, in the FileMaker Mobile 8 administration panel, to run at synchronization time. This will ensure that the found set that is loaded into your handheld is what you expect it to be.

You could write a one-line script with a find request for records set as yours, or perhaps with a specific status, and so on. FileMaker Mobile will run the script, establish the found set you need, and synchronize just those records.

If youd like to be able to synchronize the found set you have showing on your own computer, youd need to write a routine for flagging your fields in a particular way, and then searching for that flag in the script tied to synchronization.

Missing Index Values

When I add new records to my handheld, they don seem to have ID numbers. These usually fill in automatically when I add a new record on my computer. Then when I perform a synchronization, the IDs are missing in my FileMaker Pro database as well.

Auto-enter functions are not performed when records are added to a master FileMaker database via handheld synchronization. Your best option is to populate these numbers manually with a script that is configured to run after synchronization. Heres a script that will do this:

Perform Find [ Specified Find Requests: Find Records; Criteria: fixme::id: "=" ]
 [ Restore ]
Replace Field Contents
 [ fixme::id; Replace with serial numbers: Entry option values]
 [ No dialog; Update Entry Options ]
Exit Script [ ]

Missing Records

Help! I deleted unnecessary records from my handheld and then synched, but now those records are missing on the master database on the server.

It is very important to remember that FileMaker Mobile 8 on your handheld will give you the option of deleting records from your source or desktop/hosted database. It is also important to keep in mind that cascading deletes based on relationships are also performed as a result of deletions performed on your handheld. It is highly advisable to make backups of synchronized data often using FileMaker Servers backup routines or manually, in the case of single-user files.

Default Sort Order

How can I have the records that I synch to my handheld sorted in a specific order?

Records are transferred to your handheld at synchronization time in the order in which they exist in the synchronization session. Thus, lets say you want your data automatically sorted by last name and then by first name when it reaches your handheld. Simply have your presynch script perform that sort for you.

Keep in mind, however, that there is no unsort function on your handheld version of FileMaker Mobile 8, so if you choose to sort your data, it will remain sorted in that order by default.