Sharing files on a network > Opening shared files as a client

Opening shared files as a client

After a file is opened by a host and shared via FileMaker Networking, you can access it as a client.

To open a shared file as a client:

1. Choose File menu > Hosts > Show Hosts.

Or choose File menu > Hosts, and choose a favorite host in the menu.

In the Hosts dialog box, if no hosts are displayed, click the arrow (Windows) or Show (macOS) next to Local.

To find a host, type a few characters of the host name in the hosts search box, or scroll.

2. To see the files available from a host, click the host name.

Files appear at the right of the dialog box.

To find a file, type a few characters of the filename in the files search box, or scroll.

To change how files are displayed, click List button or Tiles button .

3. To open a file, select the filename and click OK.

Enter an account name and password if asked. If you have an account stored by an OAuth identity provider, choose the provider, then enter your account credentials on the provider’s webpage. Use the host’s fully qualified domain name (for example, host.domain.com). See Opening files protected with passwords.

To open a shared file as a client using a network file path:

1. Choose File menu > Hosts > Show Hosts.

2. In the Hosts dialog box, click Network file path button .

3. For Network File Path, enter the address and filename of the shared file in this format:

fmnet:/address/filename

For example:

•an IPv4 address: fmnet:/192.168.10.0/My Addresses

•an IPv6 address: fmnet:/[2001:0DB8:85A3:08D3:1319:8A2E:0370:7334]/My Addresses

•a DNS name: fmnet:/host.domain.com/My Addresses

Note that fmnet:/ uses a single slash.

To add a local host as a favorite:

•In the local hosts list, right-click a host name and choose Add Favorite.

To add or edit a host:

1. Do one of these:

•To add a favorite host that’s not in the local hosts list, click Add host button next to the hosts search box.

•To edit a favorite host, double-click the host name in the favorite hosts list. (Or right-click the host name, and choose Edit Favorite.)

2. In the dialog box that appears, for Host’s Internet Address, enter the host’s IP address or domain name.

•Enter IP addresses using one of the following formats:
IPv4: 192.168.10.0IPv6: [2001:0DB8:85A3:08D3:1319:8A2E:0370:7334]

•Enter domain names using the format host.domain.com

3. (optional) For Favorite Host’s Name, type a name for the host.

If you don’t enter a name, only the host’s Internet address is displayed in the Hosts dialog box.

To remove a favorite host:

•In the favorite hosts list, right-click the host name and choose Remove Favorite.

Notes

•When a file you are opening is hosted, you may see a lock icon that indicates the security level of the connection to the host. See About the security lock icons.

•You can choose a custom icon to represent a file. See Setting file options.