From time to time, I'm asked to restore a backup of a single fmp12 file on my Filemaker Server 13 installation.  Up until now, I've been going into FMS Web Control Panel, closing the file, downloading the current file, downloading the latest backup file (every two hours, a backup is done), deleting the current file, and reuploading the backed up file using the "Share" button in Filemaker Pro 13 on my Mac at the office.  This procedure isn't very sophisticated, and is really just for occasional use.

 

I've been thinking about how the same result can be achieved by logging onto the FMS Server's Mac command line via SSH, something I can already do from my iPad.  This would be an improvement if possible, because I could do it anywhere, and it would be quick as it doesn't require any uploading or downloading.

 

Suppose I did something like this:

 

1) SSH in as unpriv user.

2) cd /Library/FileMaker Server/Data/Backups/Daily_2014-11-11_2300/Databases/GroupName

3) Login to FMS web control panel

4) Close the fmp12 file I intend to replace with a recently backed up copy, say MyDatabase.fmp12

5) Back on SSH, cp /Library/FileMaker Server/Data/Databases/GroupName/MyDatabase.fmp12 ~/Desktop/MyDatabase-removed.fmp12

5a) Not sure if I need to delete MyDatabase.fmp12 in FMS web control panel also

6) sudo cp ./MyDatabase.fmp12 /Library/FileMaker Server/Data/Databases/GroupName/

7) Re-open the fmp12 file in FMS web control panel

 

done?

 

By the way, I have considered having a copy of Filemaker Pro 13 on the server too, but I'd rather not use up a license just for this.  (Although I imagine uploading from Pro13 to FMS on localhost would be super-fast)

 

 

ping?

Ping what?  is there a question there?

You describe a normal workflow.

 

You don't even have to leave the SSH session and do the closing of the file and opening directly from the fmsadmin CLI...

Thanks :-)