Filepro and Samba

[Jay R. Ashworth]

On Wed, Nov 08, 2006 at 11:19:45AM -0500, Boaz Bezborodko wrote:
> Quoting Boaz Bezborodko (Wed, 08 Nov 2006 10:53:00 -0500):
> [... filePro on Windows network ...]
> > I changed the subject title to more accurately reflect the direction of
> > my questions.
> > 
> > Since I only use Filepro as a fileserver and print server, can I use a

I believe you meant "Novell" there.

> > Linux server running Samba instead?  With this Filepro is still running
> > natively on the local windows machines and sees the files on a drive on
> > the network just like normal.
> > 
> > Will this work?
> > 
> > If it does then it also gives me a chance to get my feet wet with Linux
> > without having to worry about porting all my applications over to it.
> 
> I believe that there are already people out there (some, as I recall,
> are on this list) using SAMBA with Windows filePro.  As I understand
> it, SAMBA allows the Linux filesystem to appear as a sharable drive
> to Windows, just like any other network share from a Windows server.

Correct.

> Simply connect to the SAMBA share from Windows, and point filePro to
> that drive.  (Or, with the additional UNC capabilities of 5.6, simply
> point filePro to the UNC path directly.)

If you're brave.  :-)

> Note, however, that you can't share the filePro data between Windows
> and Linux versions of filePro.  (Differences in filenames, such as
> "prc.automatic" versus "auto.prc", as well as checksums.)  Yes, the
> key/data/indexes can be shared, but not map/screen/output/etc.

Correct.  Although you *can* have your Windows formats on the Samba
server as well, they just can't be *the same format files* as the ones
that the Linux filepro install is using.  You do that with, what,
PFDSK, Ken?

And yes, using Samba to serve Windows native filepro formats and data
works fine... 

Cheers,
-- jra
-- 
Jay R. Ashworth                                                jra at baylink.com
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