For example, consider the case of "Change password at first login" vs. "Allow user to modify their own password." When creating a user account in Accounts & Privileges, you can require the user to change his password at first login. This is a nice feature because an administrator can give a new user a generic default password he must replace with a new password when he logs in for the first time. With this method, the user can have a completely private password even the admin doesn't know; the feature also prevents easily guessed default passwords from floating around for long.

When using this option, you must make sure you've assigned the user account to a privilege set that has the "Allow user to modify their own password" option checked. Otherwise, the user won't be able to log in, and, in fact, he'll be presented with an infinite loop of dialogs prompting him to log in, enter a new password, and the message that he doesn't have the privilege to change his password.

This tip comes from "FileMaker Pro 7 Features in Opposition" in FILEMAKER ADVISOR magazine. In the article, Jonathan discusses several featues in FileMaker Pro 7 that may seem counter-intuitive; learning about these nuances can improve your FileMaker Pro 7 development efforts. Magazine subscribers can read the article online at http://Advisor.com/doc/14508.