FileMaker Server 8 ® Administrator’s Guide
© 1994-2005 FileMaker, Inc. All Rights Reserved. FileMaker, Inc. 5201 Patrick Henry Drive Santa Clara, California 95054 FileMaker is a trademark of FileMaker, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries, and ScriptMaker and the file folder logo are trademarks of FileMaker, Inc. All persons and companies listed in the examples are purely fictitious and any resemblance to existing persons and companies is purely coincidental. FileMaker documentation is copyrighted.
Contents Chapter 1 Getting started Using this manual Online Help Using FileMaker Server documentation Where to find PDF documentation FileMaker Server web resources Registration and customer support About the license key Updating the FileMaker Server license Introducing FileMaker Server How does FileMaker Server work? FileMaker Server The FileMaker Server Admin application Using FileMaker Server in your network New features Chapter 3 Installing FileMaker Server 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 10 10 10 11 12 12 Chapter 2
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Administering hosted databases Viewing hosted databases Listing current clients Sending messages to FileMaker Pro clients Disconnecting clients Closing hosted files Enabling Auto Update for plug-ins 29 29 29 29 30 30 30 Chapter 5 Configuring FileMaker Server Using the configuration assistants (Windows) Configuring client connections Setting the maximum number of clients Enabling ODBC and JDBC connections Registering the Web Publishing Engine Setting the maximum t
| Monitoring server performance (Windows) Using reported events to track activities Viewing activities in the Event Viewer (Windows) Viewing activities in the Event.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide
Chapter 1 Getting started Welcome to the FileMaker® Server application for Windows and Mac OS from FileMaker, Inc. FileMaker Server gives you enhanced database hosting capabilities on your network when used with the FileMaker Pro database management application. Note If you use FileMaker Server 8 with other FileMaker products, those other FileMaker products must be version 7 or 8.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide The following manuals are available at www.filemaker.com/ downloads: FileMaker Server web resources 1 For resources such as white papers and technical articles, see www.filemaker.com/server. 1 Registration and customer support Where to find PDF documentation Please take the time to register your product during installation, through the FileMaker web site at www.filemaker.
Chapter 1 | Getting started 9 About the license key Updating the FileMaker Server license FileMaker software comes with a unique, 35-character-string license key. Do not lose this license key; it cannot be replaced. We recommend that you keep the license key in a safe place in case the software ever needs to be reinstalled. If you want to upgrade from a trial version of FileMaker Server, or from FileMaker Server to FileMaker Server Advanced, you must update your FileMaker Server license key.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Introducing FileMaker Server How does FileMaker Server work? FileMaker Server is a dedicated database server that opens FileMaker Pro files and makes them available to clients on your network. FileMaker Server uses advanced client-server technology to take care of much of the background work associated with managing files, thus enhancing performance for clients accessing those files.
Chapter 1 | Getting started 11 Keep in mind the following points about the different uses of FileMaker Server and FileMaker Pro: 1 Use FileMaker Server to open and host FileMaker Pro files that you want to make available to FileMaker Pro clients on your network. 1 Use FileMaker Pro to create database files and to enable the extended privileges necessary for sharing with FileMaker Server. Then host the database files on FileMaker Server.
1 1 1 1 1 FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Disconnect a selected client from all hosted databases. Pause or resume hosted databases. Create scheduled tasks to back up hosted databases. View system events and event logs. Start or stop FileMaker Server.
Chapter 2 Migrating FileMaker Server from the previous version If you are new to FileMaker Server, skip this chapter and proceed directly to chapter 3, “Installing FileMaker Server.” 3. Save your FileMaker Server 7 settings using the Back Up Settings tool.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Step 2. Make a copy of databases, scripts, and plug-ins You must make a copy of any database files, script files, and plug-ins you used with FileMaker Server 7. After you run the Restore Settings tool, you will have to move these files to the new locations within the FileMaker Server 8 folder structure. In a default FileMaker Server 7 installation, database files, script files, and plug-ins are stored in the following folders: Step 3.
Chapter 2 | Migrating FileMaker Server from the previous version 15 Uninstall FileMaker Server 7 (Windows) Step 5. Install FileMaker Server 8 To remove FileMaker Server 7 from a computer: Note To install FileMaker Server you must use a login account with administrative privileges. 1. Start Windows. 2. Choose the Start button > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs. 3. Select FileMaker Server 7 from the list, and click Remove.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Step 7. Move files to the proper location For FileMaker Server Advanced users After you have restored your FileMaker Server 7 settings, you must move any database files, script files, and plug-ins you used with FileMaker Server 7 to the proper folders within the FileMaker Server 8 folder structure.
Chapter 3 Installing FileMaker Server This chapter provides step-by-step instructions for installing FileMaker Server, FileMaker Server Admin, and associated files on a computer running Windows or Mac OS. 1 You cannot run two different versions of FileMaker Server on the same computer at the same time. 1 Important If you are upgrading from FileMaker Server 7, first read chapter 2, “Migrating FileMaker Server from the previous version.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Minimum requirements for more than 50 clients 1 1 1 Intel-compatible PC with a Pentium 4 or Xeon processor 512 MB of installed RAM (1 GB or more recommended) Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition (with Service Pack 1) or Windows 2000 Server (with Service Pack 4) operating system 1 hard disk with at least 1 GB of available disk space.
Chapter 3 | Installing FileMaker Server Important note about supported operating systems To install FileMaker Server: At the time this book was written, FileMaker, Inc. tested FileMaker Server with the Windows and Mac OS operating systems listed above. These are the minimal requirements; the software may also work with later versions certified by FileMaker. 1. Insert the FileMaker Server CD into the CD or DVD drive.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Installing FileMaker Server Admin only (Windows) 3. Choose the Start button > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs. This installation procedure describes how to custom install the FileMaker Server Admin application and supporting files. You should use this procedure only to install FileMaker Server Admin on a networked computer. The FileMaker Server application is not installed. 4. Select FileMaker Server from the list, and click Remove.
Chapter 3 | Installing FileMaker Server 21 3. Enter your Mac OS authentication passphrase and follow the onscreen instructions. To install FileMaker Server Admin only: You see the FileMaker Server installer dialog box. 4. Click Install. You see the CD window. If you see only the disc icon, double-click the icon to open its window. 5. Choose the startup configuration. Click OK. 2. Double-click the FileMaker Server 8 installer icon.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide 5. Click Uninstall. Your database files, script files, and plug-ins are not deleted. 6. Click Quit. Configuring the firewall to allow FileMaker ports Verifying your installation Before you configure FileMaker Server you should verify that: 1 1 your copy has been installed and is working correctly the sample database (FMServer_Sample.
Chapter 3 4. From the pop-up menu at the top of the Connect to FileMaker Server dialog box, choose Local Servers, Favorite Servers, or Servers Listed by LDAP. If you are using FileMaker Server Admin on the same computer that is running FileMaker Server, you can choose (localhost) in the Favorite Servers view. For a remote Server, add the IP address to Favorite Servers. You can select a Server from the Local Servers list and click Add to Favorites to add it to the Favorite Servers list.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide
Chapter 4 Hosting databases Read this first Step 1. Edit accounts and privilege sets Before you can share FileMaker Pro database files, it’s important to prepare your files for hosting. The steps listed below provide an overview of the process. See the remaining sections for more information about each step. In FileMaker Pro, edit the accounts and privilege sets that clients will use for shared access to each database. Choose File menu > Define > Accounts & Privileges. 1.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Enable the privilege to Disconnect user from FileMaker Server when idle to disconnect idle users from FileMaker Server for each account (or keep them connected), as necessary. Step 2. Place database files in the proper location Place the FileMaker Pro files that you want FileMaker Server to open in the folders: Windows: Program Files\FileMaker\FileMaker Server\Data\ Databases\ Mac OS: [hard disk]/Library/FileMaker Server/Data/Databases/ Notes 1 FileMaker Server
Chapter 4 Step 3. Change group ownership for files (Mac OS) FileMaker Server and all database files, plug-ins, and scripts must be configured with the correct privileges and permissions to function properly in Mac OS.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Step 4. Verify databases are available to FileMaker clients To verify that databases were opened when FileMaker Server started and are available to FileMaker clients, check that: 1 1 the status of files listed in the Databases view is Normal you can open remote files in FileMaker Pro To check the status of files listed in the Databases view: 1. Connect to a server.
Chapter 4 Administering hosted databases After you are connected to FileMaker Server, you can view information about hosted databases by selecting Databases in the Console Root (Windows) or by selecting the Databases button (Mac OS).
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Disconnecting clients Enabling Auto Update for plug-ins Disconnect a client from a hosted database by selecting Action menu > Disconnect All Clients (Windows) or Action menu > Clients > Disconnect All Clients from Server (Mac OS). If you select a client from the Clients view, only the selected client is disconnected.
Chapter 5 Configuring FileMaker Server Use the FileMaker Server Admin application to configure FileMaker Server for optimal performance. Windows users can also use the configuration assistants to set up server properties. Use the Properties dialog box (Windows) or Configure view (Mac OS ) for access to the complete set of configuration settings. Note This chapter provides an overview of the configuration settings that are available.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Mac OS: To configure client properties, choose View menu > Configure, then click the Clients tab. Setting the number of combined FileMaker Pro and ODBC/JDBC connections If you have FileMaker Server Advanced, you can specify the number of simultaneous FileMaker Pro and ODBC/JDBC clients allowed to access FileMaker Server.
Chapter 5 Enabling ODBC and JDBC connections You can use FileMaker Server Advanced to host a FileMaker database file as a data source, sharing your data with other applications using ODBC and JDBC. For information on installing drivers, see Installing FileMaker ODBC and JDBC Client Drivers. For information on configuring FileMaker Server Advanced for ODBC and JDBC, see the FileMaker ODBC and JDBC Developer’s Guide.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide In addition, enable the Auto Update plug-in in FileMaker Pro preferences before attempting to open hosted files that require plugins. Note FileMaker Pro can check the version of plug-in files required by a hosted database and update plug-ins if the current version is not located on the client computer. For more information about downloading plug-ins automatically, see the FileMaker Server Guide to Updating Plug-ins.
Chapter 5 By default, the cache flush mechanism will attempt to scan the entire cache in a minute. In most cases this means all cached changes on the server will be no more than one minute old, although database size and hard disk speed can affect these results. To change this behavior and spread the cache flushing over a longer period of time, select Distribute cache flush over (hh:mm). Unsaved changes in FileMaker Server will be no older than the interval you specify.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Specifying additional database and default backup folders Windows: Change default folder properties in Action menu > Properties > Default Folders tab. On startup, FileMaker Server looks in the default database folder as well as an optionally specified additional database folder for databases to host. In each of these locations, FileMaker Server will only open files at the root level and in folders one level down.
Chapter 5 Mac OS: To configure administrative properties, choose View menu > Configure, then click the Administration tab. | Configuring FileMaker Server 37 Enabling remote administration Using the FileMaker Server Admin application, you can remotely control, or administer, FileMaker Server from a different computer than the one on which FileMaker Server is installed and hosting databases. Select Allow remote users to administer FileMaker Server to enable remote administration.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Mac OS: To configure log file properties, choose View menu > Configure, then click the Logging tab. Managing log files When Stats.log reaches its maximum size, FileMaker Server renames it Stats-old.log and creates a new Stats.log. Displaying statistics In Windows, you can chart real-time statistics for various aspects of FileMaker Server performance. See “Monitoring server performance (Windows)” on page 50.
Chapter 5 You can increase the Maximum Log Size setting from the default 512 KB, depending on how much FileMaker Server activity you anticipate on your server computer. You can also select Overwrite Events as Needed to continue logging events after the log file is full. | Configuring FileMaker Server 39 Mac OS: To change properties, choose View menu > Configure, then click the Directory Service tab.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Registering FileMaker Server with a directory service Setting FileMaker Server security Your system administrator should be able to give you the information you need to complete the required directory service settings. Use the Security tab to configure client authentication, filter the display of database files, and enable secure connections to FileMaker Server. 1 Specifying the login settings Choose from the following options for user authentication.
Chapter 5 Defining groups for use with security features (Windows) If you are serving files that use External Server accounts, in order to use administrator authentication, client authentication, or to filter the display of database files for local or domain users, you must: 1. Define a group on the local system or domain controller. See Windows Help for more information on defining groups. Important For administrator authentication, this account must be named fmsadmin. 2.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Protecting files with accounts and privileges It is important to use the access privileges in FileMaker Pro when files are shared on a network. Using FileMaker Pro, you can restrict what users see and do in a database file by defining accounts and privilege sets. Accounts authenticate clients who are attempting to open a protected file. Privilege sets specify a level of access to the database file, limiting what clients can do with the layouts and fields they can see.
Chapter 5 Whenever FileMaker Server restarts after sleep or a forced shutdown, you should always check the Application Log (Windows) or Event.log (Mac OS) for database corruption notifications. For more information about viewing the events, see “Viewing activities in the Event Viewer (Windows)” or “Viewing activities in the Event.log (Mac OS)” on page 51. Also, check your scheduled tasks to ensure that important backups or scripts were not scheduled to run while the operating system was asleep or off.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide
Chapter 6 Administering FileMaker Server This chapter provides information about starting and stopping FileMaker Server, monitoring FileMaker Server events, statistics and performance, enabling plug-ins, and using FileMaker Server in Mac OS. Starting FileMaker Server (Windows) FileMaker Server running in Windows has two primary components: an administration application called FileMaker Server Admin, and the services that comprise FileMaker Server.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Notes 1 You can make a shortcut for FileMaker Server Admin, but not for the FileMaker Server application. 1 Typically, FileMaker Server is automatically started when the computer is started. This can be specified during installation or with the Service Property dialog box.
Chapter 6 To start the FileMaker Server daemon on a remote computer: Note The FileMaker Server Helper daemon must be running on the remote computer and the Allow remote users to administer FileMaker Server preference must be enabled. 1. In FileMaker Server Admin, choose Server menu > Connect to FileMaker Server. 2. Select the Server you want to connect to. 3. In the Connect to FileMaker Server dialog box, with no item selected in the Favorite Servers list, click Add to Favorites. 4.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Notes 1 Quitting FileMaker Server Admin does not stop the FileMaker Server daemon. 1 Stopping the FileMaker Server daemon does not stop the FileMaker Server Helper daemon. 1 Clients are requested to close the files hosted by FileMaker Server.
Chapter 6 3. From the pop-up menu at the top of the Connect to FileMaker Server dialog box, choose Local Servers, Favorite Servers, or Servers Listed by LDAP. If you are using FileMaker Server Admin on the same computer that is running FileMaker Server, you can choose (localhost) in the Favorite Servers view. For a remote Server, add the IP address to Favorite Servers. You can select a Server from the Local Servers list and click Add to Favorites to add it to the Favorite Servers list.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Viewing usage statistics for FileMaker Server You can display usage statistics, such as how FileMaker Server is performing and how many clients are logged into FileMaker Server. When enabled, FileMaker Server updates the Statistics list every 15 seconds or less but no more than once a second. Although this reduces the overhead required to calculate the statistics, it means the statistics are approximations of how FileMaker Server is using resources.
Chapter 6 | Administering FileMaker Server 51 Viewing activities in the Event Viewer (Windows) Statistics are charted in real-time here FileMaker Server usage statistics counters To view information about FileMaker Server activities, expand the Windows Admin Tools node in the Console Root and select Event Viewer (local). Then, open the Event Viewer to select the Application, Security, System, and FileMaker Server logs. You see a list of FileMaker Server events.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Using FileMaker Server in Mac OS FileMaker Server and all database files, plug-ins, and scripts must be configured with the correct privileges and permissions to function properly in Mac OS. Mac OS is a UNIX-based operating system. When FileMaker Server runs in Mac OS, it does not run as a single executable file. Instead, FileMaker Server runs as two background processes, or daemons.
Chapter 6 Folder Purpose Notes /Library/FileMaker Server/ Data/Logs/ Output folder for Event.log and Stats.log Server administrators must be members of the group fmsadmin to be able to read and delete log files. /Library/FileMaker Server/ Data/Scripts/ Location for shell The administrator can and other script files place any shell or other script files that are to be executed as scheduled script tasks in this folder.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide 5. Set permissions to: chmod 660 or chmod -R 770 6. Enable the group read and executable bits by entering the following at the command line: The following table lists a summary of fmsadmin commands. For detailed command syntax, see Help.
Chapter 7 Scheduling administrative tasks You can use the FileMaker Server Task Scheduling assistant (Windows) or Schedules (Mac OS) to define three kinds of tasks and set the times that they execute. You can: 1 1 1 schedule database backups run script files send messages to clients of hosted databases A new scheduled task is enabled by default, which means the task will run at its scheduled time after you close the Schedules window.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Running script files You can use a script to automate administrative tasks performed by FileMaker Server. For more information, see FileMaker Server Help. Default folders for script files Before starting FileMaker Server, be sure your command files (Windows) or shell scripts (Mac OS) are in the proper folders. Viewing scheduled tasks in the Schedules view (Windows) After you create scheduled tasks, they appear in the schedules list.
Chapter 7 Viewing scheduled tasks in the Schedules view (Mac OS) After you create a scheduled task, it appears in the Schedules view. To display the Schedules view, choose Schedules. Click a column heading to sort the list by that column Drag the border to change the column width | Scheduling administrative tasks 57 Editing scheduled tasks Select a scheduled task in the schedules list and open Properties (Windows) or choose Action menu > Schedules > Edit Schedule (Mac OS).
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Enabling and disabling scheduled tasks You can enable or disable selected schedules or disable all schedules at once. To perform this action Enable a schedule when creating or editing it Do this In the scheduled task Properties (Windows) or Edit Schedule dialog box (Mac OS), be sure Enable this schedule is selected. When you create a schedule, the scheduled task is enabled by default.
Index A Access privileges, FileMaker Pro 42 Accounts 41, 42 ACL file permissions 17 Activity Monitor (Mac OS) 47 Administering closing files 30 disconnecting clients 30 opening files 28 remotely 48 enabling 37 using command line 54 viewing usage statistics 50 Application Log (Windows) 38 Assistive technology 8 Authenticating administrator 36, 41 clients 41 See also www.filemaker.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide Event.log (Mac OS) 12, 38, 51 Events checking for file corruption 43 logging 38 Extended privileges 11, 12, 25 Extensions folder 49 Extensions, filename 26 for runtime solutions 35 External authentication 26, 41 See also www.filemaker.
| IP addresses 12, 18, 23 and directory services 39 DHCP 18 static 18 J JDBC and FileMaker Server Advanced 10 enabling 33 installing drivers 17 number of clients 32 L Layouts, protecting 41 LDAP 12, 39 License key 9 updating 9 Limitations 10 setting client 32 setting file 34 Listing open files 29 Log files Event Viewer (Windows) 38, 51 Event.
FileMaker Server Administrator’s Guide S Sample database 12, 22 SAT.
