FileMaker 12 startup file on Windows 2008 server not working from task scheduler

March 13, 201312 yr

Ok, so, for a long time I've used FileMaker startup files run by Windows Task Scheduler to accomplish things I can't get the Server to schedule for me. Always worked just fine.

I'm in the midst of a migration from FileMaker 11 to 12 and have built one tool in FileMaker 12 that I need to have run. I'm still on FileMaker Server 11 so I decided to just have Task Scheduler run it for me.

The trouble is, every time I try to run it, I get an error from Task Scheduler:

Task Scheduler failed to launch action "C:UserssysadminDesktopStartup_WMS.fmp12" in instance "{32805995-61c0-4cc1-9cf4-e90904ef2016}" of task "WMS_update". Additional Data: Error Value: 2147942593.

In addition, the Last Run Result in the task list is "%1 is not a valid win32 application".

I did some checking and it seems to be related to a 32 bit application being run on a 64 bit operating system.

Has anyone encountered this error before and how do you get around it?

I do have a bandaid fix where I have Task Scheduler open a FM11 file that then uses Open URL to open the FM12 file but I'd like to do it the "right" way.

March 20, 201312 yr

Of course, given that FM12 and FM11 are really totally different applications - I'd ask why you expect FM11 to be able to do that?

2 weeks later...

April 2, 201312 yr

Author

FM 11 does work. It is FM 12 that doesn't.

3 months later...

July 9, 201312 yr

Author

Ok, for future folks who have a similar issue and find this thread, I discovered the solution.

For whatever reason, Server 2008 is expecting FM12 to be a 64-bit application despite the fact that it doesn't expect FM11 to be one. So, you essentially need to tell Task Scheduler to run FM12 by path to the 32-bit folder so it knows how to run it properly. But, of course, you still need it to run your startup file.

To do that, you schedule the task to run FM12 and then list the startup file in the arguments box. So, to use my example, in the Start a Program action tab I have "C:Program Files (x86)FileMakerFileMaker Pro 12FileMaker Pro.exe" (with quotes) in the Program/Script box and "C:UserssysadminDesktopStartupFile.fmp12" (without quotes) in the Add Arguments box.