FileMaker Server 10 ® Guide to Updating Plug-ins
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Contents Chapter 1 Updating plug-ins How automatic downloading works When the required plug-in is missing from the client computer When the required plug-in is out of date on the client computer Preparing Mac OS plug-ins with resource forks for Auto Update Where to store plug-ins on FileMaker Server Windows Mac OS Setting up Auto Update in your database Overview To set up plug-in version checking in your database External functions FMSAUC_Version FMSAUC_ FindPlugIn FMSAUC_UpdatePlugIn 7 7 8 9 9 10 10 11 11
FileMaker Server Guide to Updating Plug-ins
Chapter 1 Updating plug-ins This guide describes how to use the Auto Update feature in FileMaker® Server. Auto Update ensures that FileMaker Pro database clients have the most current plug-in software installed on their computers. You can download plug-ins from FileMaker Server by including Auto Update functions in user defined scripts saved with FileMaker Pro database files. The following describes the Auto Update feature, an example script, and the Auto Update functions.
FileMaker Server Guide to Updating Plug-ins Start Is the Auto Update plug-in enabled on the client computer? No Error: Plug-in is missing or disabled No Is the required plug-in installed on the server computer? Yes Is the required plug-in installed on the client computer? Error: Plug-in is missing No Error: Plug-in is missing Yes Yes Is it the correct version of the plug-in? No No Yes Do nothing Is it the version of the plug-in required by the database? Yes Download the plug-in to th
Chapter 1 | How automatic downloading works 7 How automatic downloading works Auto Update ensures clients have current plug-ins by addressing two situations: 1 The client is opening your database for the first time, and the plug-in that the database requires doesn’t exist on the client computer. 1 The client has opened your database previously, but has an outdated version of a required plug-in and needs an update.
FileMaker Server Guide to Updating Plug-ins Notes 1 Ask for plug-in by name and version number, separated by a space. Because spaces are used as function delimiters, plug-in names and versions cannot contain any embedded spaces. 1 Do not attempt to use the Auto Update function to update itself, or the environment may become unstable and crash. When the required plug-in is out of date on the client computer The client starts FileMaker Pro and attempts to open your database hosted by FileMaker Server.
Chapter 1 | Preparing Mac OS plug-ins with resource forks for Auto Update 9 Preparing Mac OS plug-ins with resource forks for Auto Update FileMaker Server on Mac OS temporarily converts an uncompressed Mac OS plug-in to the .tar format for downloading to clients. However, this automatic conversion deletes any resource forks, which may make a plug-in that contained a resource fork unusable by the client.
FileMaker Server Guide to Updating Plug-ins Windows To store plug-in files on a Windows server, create a folder in the AutoUpdate folder named after the plug-in, and a subfolder for each version of the plug-in. Store the plug-in file in the version subfolder. Examples: C:\Program Files\FileMaker\FileMaker Server\Data\Databases\AutoUpdate \FMS_Sample_PlugIn\1.0\ C:\Program Files\FileMaker\FileMaker Server\Data\Databases\AutoUpdate \FMS_Sample_PlugIn\1.0\FMS_Sample_PlugIn.fmx C:\Program Files\FileMaker\F
Chapter 1 | Setting up Auto Update in your database 11 To change the permissions for plug-in files on a Mac OS server: 1. Launch the Terminal application ([hard disk]/Applications/Utilities/Terminal). 2.
FileMaker Server Guide to Updating Plug-ins 4. Write a script that uses the YourPlugIn_Version function to check the version of the plug-in on the client computer and place version information in the global field named Local_Version in your Auto Update layout. For script syntax, see the Local Plug-in Check script in the AutoUpdatePlugin.fp7 sample file. Information about the YourPlugIn_Version function should be included in the third-party plug-in documentation. 5.
Chapter 1 | External functions 13 FMSAUC_Version Format FMSAUC_Version() Parameters Constant integer; 0 Data type returned Text Description This function returns the name and version string from the Auto Update plug-in located in the current user’s FileMaker Extensions folder on the client computer. If no string is found, FileMaker Pro assumes the Auto Update plug-in is missing or isn’t enabled on the client computer.
FileMaker Server Guide to Updating Plug-ins Description This function downloads the specified plug-in or support file from the server computer to the client computer. FileMaker Server looks for the plug-in in two places. First, it searches the AutoUpdate folder located in the same folder that contains the hosted database. If the file is not found there, it searches for an AutoUpdate folder located in the FileMaker Server default database folder. Example FMS_UpdatePlugIn("SamplePlugIn 1.5").
