Managing FileMaker 15 External Containers

[Roark Holz]

Hello, I am wondering if someone can help me understand how external container fields work in FileMaker 15. For testing purposes I have created a very simple database shared from our FileMaker 15 Server, the database has two fields, a single text field and a single container field. I have set the container field to store files externally which works, the files end up in a subfolder on the FileMaker server where the database itself resides. 

Now I would like to change the external location where the files associated with the container are stored, I found a section in the manual called "Managing external storage of container data" but this is where I am running into a problem. While logged into the database as the admin user I go to File-->Manage Containers. There is one location listed under Base Directories: "[hosted location]/Container Test/" however all of the buttons that I should be able to use to manage my containers are grayed out (New..., Edit..., Delete and Transfer Data...). The only buttons in there that work are cancel and OK. It seems like a permissions problem but I am logged in as the admin user with full access.

Can anyone tell me what I might be doing wrong?

Ultimately I would like files uploaded to my container fields to be stored on a file share, either referenced by UNC path or by mapping a network drive. 

Thanks in advance for any assistance anyone can provide.

[Wim Decorte]

  On 5/9/2017 at 5:24 PM, Roark Holz said:

 

Ultimately I would like files uploaded to my container fields to be stored on a file share, either referenced by UNC path or by mapping a network drive. 

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Nope, won't work.  That's not what the remote container feature is about.  You're after a document management feature with the files being shared.

The RC feature is just how FM internally manages container data to keep the file size down and backups efficient.  Just like you wouldn't place the FM file itself on a network share you don't want to put the RC data on a network share.  It's still live FM data.

[Roark Holz]

Ok, thank you for your response, that was helpful. Our FileMaker server is running on a Hyper-V guest but there is some limitation as to the drive space available so I thought it would be advantageous to store these attachments elsewhere, especially since they will only be accessed rarely. I do think there are some third party solutions that add this functionality so perhaps I'll look into one of those.

I am still confused however as to what the "Manage Containers" menu option does if you can't change where your container data is stored? And I'm also still confused as to why those buttons are grayed out to me. Not that I guess it matters much if I can't use them the way I was hoping to.

Thanks again for the clarification.

[Lee Smith]

Please update your profile to reflect your current FileMaker version, OS and Platform.

[Wim Decorte]

  On 5/9/2017 at 8:02 PM, Roark Holz said:

 

I am still confused however as to what the "Manage Containers" menu option does if you can't change where your container data is stored?

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If you have the file hosted on FMS, there is only a couple of locations that the RC data can go, which is why those options are greyed out for a hosted file.  For a non-hosted local file you can pick pretty much any location.

[Roark Holz]

  On 5/9/2017 at 8:24 PM, Wim Decorte said:

If you have the file hosted on FMS, there is only a couple of locations that the RC data can go, which is why those options are greyed out for a hosted file.  For a non-hosted local file you can pick pretty much any location.

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OK now I understand, thanks again for your help!