Starting FileMaker on Server Automatically

[dukerochester]

I just assumed responsibility of a number of FileMaker databases from a developer who left our company. I have very little FileMaker experience so please forgive my ignorance.

Our server support folks indicated that they have to manully start FileMaker on the server everytime the server is rebooted (i.e. log on to the server and restart FileMaker). It is possible to have FileMaker start 'automatically' when the server comes up (maybe through a script)?

All of our FileMaker databases are served up via the web.

Thanks!

Edited May 25, 2010 by Guest

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Welcome to FM Forums.

Yes it is possible, but it's not a good idea. If the server goes down, you want to take a look at the files before re-hosting them.

I certainly [color:red]emphatically hope that the IT people are closing the files and stopping the database server service--and in that exact order--before doing these reboots. Otherwise your files are going to get corrupted.

Steven

[dukerochester]

The reason I ask about the ability to start FileMaker and open the FileMaker database via a script is that I would like to add a regular backup and the only backup indicated in filemaker documentation was done through a script within filemaker that creates a backup after the database is closed every n times.

[Vaughan]

If this script uses the "Save as copy as" script step -- which I bet it does -- then it won't work on hosted files because that step is disabled specifically so that copies of the hosted database cannot be made.

Once a file is hosted the responsibility for making backups lies with FMS itself. Users of hosted files cannot make copies of them any more. (This is a Very Good Thing - having multiple copies of databases around the place is a Very Bad Thing.)

Best read up on how FMS works, how to create database backups, and how to backup those backups.

And as SHB mentioned, train the server support folks how to shut down the FMS properly, or even better talk them out of regularly re-booting the server altogether.

Something not mentioned is that FMS can be started remotely using the admin console.

[dukerochester]

Thank you both for the information.