Making a copy of a FM Server hosted file / File closed incorrectly

[polarpro]

Hi there,

The Filemaker solution I am responsible for is hosted on an FM server. Every now and then when I need to make bigger changes my company's IT divison gives ma a copy of the file, I change it and then they put it back on the server.

Lately it happened several times, that when I open this copy on my machine, I get an error message saying "This file was not closed correctly, FileMaker is performing a consistency check". As I found out, the reason for this is that some clients were still logged on to the file on the server while the copy was being made. The IT helpdesk member who makes a copy of the server located file for me, said that in this case everything is fine, but from what I know I have my doubts

So, my question: Is this really a safe way to make a copy of a server hosted file? Wouldn't it be safer if all the clients logged off before making a copy? I wonder if this all might lead to corrupt data.

Thanks in advance,

Mike

[LaRetta]

So, my question: Is this really a safe way to make a copy of a server hosted file?

Absolutely not - it trashes your file. And you can't 'Save a copy As' either while served. You must close the file (in Admin Console), as you've said - making sure all Users log off) then turn off FMS. Then either use OS to copy the file or 'Save A Copy As'.

[bcooney]

Or...copy off a recent backup and use that. Are the users still editing data while you work? What procedures do you have in place when you post your new file? Import/export all data and reset serial numbers?

[LaRetta]

I forgot to mention the data issue ... thanks for mentioning it, Barbara! I assumed that the Users were all read-only otherwise Mike would have thought about that but it isn't good to assume and I usually know better!

I'll add that most IT are clueless when it comes to FMS requirements. They usually want to run scans while FMS is running as well - don't let them! And backups should only be FMS backups - not IT backups. And be sure that OS auto-updates do NOT run.

It would sure to nice if there was a white paper addressed to an IT department on the proper administration of a FileMaker server box and even that it should be on its OWN box and not stuck on another server somewhere and have a static IP. Maybe there's already a pdf which covers these basics but I don't recall seeing one.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

It would sure to nice if there was a white paper addressed to an IT department on the proper administration of a FileMaker server box and even that it should be on its OWN box and not stuck on another server somewhere and have a static IP. Maybe there's already a pdf which covers these basics but I don't recall seeing one.

Both the Server Tech Brief and the Security Tech Brief discuss this as does the SE's White Paper on Server Configuration.

Steven

[polarpro]

Hey,

Absolutely not - it trashes your file.

Thank you very much for your clear advice!

Are the users still editing data while you work?

No, definitely not. We usually make a copy for me in the late evening, and if FM Server tells us that somebody is logged on I'll ask him to commit his changes and wait a few minutes.

What procedures do you have in place when you post your new file? Import/export all data and reset serial numbers?

This, too, is not a big issue at the moment. I have a script that checks for new / changed records on the server hosted file, then I import them into the file that I changed, and then we put my file on the server. As I am the one who takes care of controlling if the records meet our standards, this has worked fine so far. We talk about a few dozens of new records a week - at the moment.

And backups should only be FMS backups - not IT backups.

They are FMS backups, and we have our own server for Filemaker only.

Both the Server Tech Brief and the Security Tech Brief discuss this as does the SE's White Paper on Server Configuration.

Steven, Thanks a lot for mentioning this. I'll go through it and discuss it next week with the colleague who's in charge of the FMS. (And I am sure your course on VTC will be a good help, too.)

Thanks again for your input - great help!

Edited February 21, 2009 by Guest

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Steven, Thanks a lot for mentioning this. I'll go through it and discuss it next week with the colleague who's in charge of the FMS. (And I am sure your course on VTC will be a good help, too.)

Welcome. Be sure to look at Wim's Server 10 videos on VTC as well. They are much better than mine.

Steven

[Thomas Seidler]

Oright m'hearties,

Just planning on transferring an FMServer 5.5 hosted 47 file (having chopped out extras) solution to FMS/P 10.

Going down the Save a copy as... methodology to test conversion via MetaDataMagic etc, but slight problem.

Set up scripts to do the copying, but the filepath is my problem... :

I set it up on hosted version, but when i move into local environment to run the save a copy as script it fails to remember the filepath - even if it is same locally? Any ideas on how to fix this?

Do I need the whole path to look the same or it reverts to same folder as file:

i have it [color:blue]/Username/Desktop/temp/FMP_5_Copy on my comp where i set up the scripts...

then on the locally hosted comps when i try to run them the username is different but path the same...

Or does it invisibly use full [color:blue]/Mac HD/Users/Username path??

In which case main HD name needs to be same too? Surely this must work somehow otherwise its an impossible method to implement?

Thanks very much for any help... I am desparate now to move over to FMP10... (having coded in it for a while).

Blessings,

tom

[bcooney]

You can't use Save a Copy on a hosted file. Read above.