session timeout limit for IWP

[ToddH]

Has anyone found away around the 60 minute timeout for Instant Web Publishing users. I find that a ridiculouse limit as my users are constantly having to log back in. I hoped there was a plugin or code or script of somekind available to increase that.

[IdealData]

I wish I knew how to make it longer too - I asked the same question a year ago, no responses.

In some ways it makes sense for IWP to be treated in this way if it is deployed to an undisciplined audience (the Internet?) as most users don't "log off". As FMP permits only 5 users then you'd use up the limit quickly. FMS permits 100 users, but still that could get chewed up pretty quickly.

AFAIK IW operates through Java, so may be a little bit of Java to refresh the screen every so often - but that would mean hacking the FM IWP code and you would break the license.

[petererik]

I too have been waiting for years for Filemaker to fix this. I even tried digging around in their Tomcat configuration on the server, but to no avail. I assume the reason why Filemaker does not want to support longer or even unlimited session lengths is because they fear loss of sales of the FMP client.

To work around the problem I wrote a Greasemonkey script that refreshes the Filemaker page 59 minutes after the last page load to avoid getting signed off. Works only with Firefox, though.

Here is the script (replace myserver with the server URL and mydatabase with the database name)

// ==UserScript==

// @name Reload Filemaker

// @namespace www.syndeotech.com

// @description Reloads Filemaker page every 59 minutes

// @include http://myserver/fmi/iwp/cgi?-db=mydatabase&-loadframes

// ==/UserScript==

to = 59 * 60 * 1000; // Timeout 59 minutes in milliseconds

now = new Date();

refresh = new Date(now.getTime() + to);

window.setTimeout('document.location.href="http://myserver/fmi/iwp/cgi?-db=mydatabase&-loadframes"',to);

[ToddH]

This could be very helpfull so I really appreciate it. I have downloaded Firefox to try and test it but that's where I'm lost. Is this a script that I setup in Filemaker or Firefox?? Not sure what Grease Monkey is. If its not to much trouble could you give me more guidance on how to implement this cript. THANK YOU in advance! If its easier my mail address is [email protected]

[petererik]

Here is how to use it (assuming you have already installed Firefox)

1. Download and Install Greasemonkey from:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748

2. In Firefox select Tools->Greasemonkey->New User Script

3. Enter:

Name: Reload Filemaker

Namespace: yourdomainname

Description: Reloads Filemaker page every 59 minutes

Includes: http://yourserver/fmi/iwp/cgi?-db=yourdatabasename&-loadframes

Click OK. Copy and paste this into the editor and save it:

to = 59 * 60 * 1000; // Timeout 59 minutes

now = new Date();

refresh = new Date(now.getTime() + to);

window.setTimeout('document.location.href="http://yourservername/fmi/iwp/cgi?-db=yourdatabasename&-loadframes"',to);

Replace yourservername with the URL that points to your server and replace yourdatabasename with the name of your Filemaker database.

CAVEAT: This only works with Firefox (Greasemonkey support is planned for a future version of Google Chrome. There is a version of Greasemonkey for IE, but I have not tested it with IE).

CAVEAT: If you are entering data at exactly 59 minutes after the last page load the screen may reload and your last entry may be lost.

[ToddH]

Your the best, THANKS, I'll try it and will let you know. It seems a little above my expertise but I'll give it a go!!

[fatima]

hello petererik, your script is a wonderful solution.

we have one more challenge with our setup. we have multiple databases we'd like to remain logged into. is there a way to make one script for all databases on the same domain? if so please share here.

thanks :

[delilahwood]

So now, with the new Firefox 37, the script no longer works and my sessions time out. Any solutions for that? I have been using the Greasemonkey script described for a long time and now, it doesn't work. I'm using Filemaker 12. Since I don't want to also purchase the FM 13 which no longer supports IWP (instant web publishing - bummer!).

[webko]

Looks like something may have been broken in GreaseMonkey with the last release - but that's not something we can do anything about from a FileMaker perspective...

See if you can get some help from GreaseMonkey: http://wiki.greasespot.net/Greasemonkey_Manual:Getting_Help