Sonny Software

Hi,

I'm trying to set up a remote database that I will use to sync both my desktop and my laptop with. So I manually uploaded a copy of my db to an ftp server, I have the read, write and execute privileges in the folder called bookends, which contains the db, on that server.

So, in Bookends, I am trying to find the remote db. Since I cannot enter the ftp info, I connect to it first in Finder using connect to server command, where i enter server address as ftp://user:pasword@server.com. Finder connects, but when I try to find the db using the Bookends configure dialog, I only get to the folder bookends, while my db remains grayed out.

Indeed, when I do command-I to get more info on the db file, I am told that I only have reading privileges. Which is really not true.

What's going on here? And is this the way we're supposed to connect to databases on FTP servers? Or is there a better way? Using ssh? I am confused by the Bookends configure sync dialog because it makes it seam that the remote db must be somewhere on the local network.

I'd be grateful for any tips.

All best,
Toma

Hi,

I'm not sure what's going on (perhaps someone else has a better idea), but I can tell you that when you ask Bookends to locate the database for syncing, it's using the Finder APIs. If the db is grayed out, it's possible that the metadata (file type and creator) was lost if/when you ftp'd it. You can check that with an app like File Type (free). Adding .bdb to the database name might get around that problem (better to copy with the Finder, though).

Jon
Sonny Software

thanks a lot jon, adding the .bdb suffix made it possible to select the remote db. I can also open it if I want to, so the grayed out mystery is solved.

now, when I try to sync, I get the error message "Sync failed because the remote database BibliographyDB.bdb is locked".

still one step away from syncing joy...

Hi,

That's what the Finder told you, too (read only). This is permissions problem, it seems.

Jon
Sonny Software

yup. it turns out that finder only lets you access ftp servers as read only -- apple wants it that way, there is no way around it in finder. i've installed macfusion (http://www.macfusionapp.org/) which lets you mount ftp and ssh servers as if they were local, so now i don't have permission issues anymore. all's well...