Filemaker FileMaker Server 3 Guide

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ADMINISTRATOR’S GUIDE
©1997 Claris Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Claris Corporation
5201 Patrick Henry Drive
Santa Clara, California 95052
Claris and FileMaker are trademarks of Claris Corporation, registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Apple, AppleTalk, LocalTalk, Mac, Macintosh, and MacTCP are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.,
registered in the U.S. and other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
All persons and companies listed in the examples are purely fictitious, and any resemblance to existing
persons and companies is purely coincidental.
III
Contents
Chapter 1: Installing FileMaker Pro Server
Introducing FileMaker Pro Server
How does FileMaker Pro Server work?
Registration and customer support
What’s in the FileMaker Pro Server package
What you need
Intel and compatible systems
RISC-based systems
Networking requirements
Installing FileMaker Pro Server
Installing on Windows NT 4.0
Installing on Windows NT 3.51
Removing the software
1-1
1-2
1-3
1-4
1-4
1-4
1-4
1-5
1-6
1-7
1-8
1-8
Chapter 2: Configuring FileMaker Pro Server
Configuring the FileMaker Pro Server control panel
Setting the maximum number of guests
Setting the maximum number of files
Changing the amount of memory used
Specifying a password for remote administration
Specifying the host name
Choosing network protocols
Protecting files with a password
Before starting the FileMaker Pro Server service
Starting the FileMaker Pro Server service
2-1
2-2
2-3
2-3
2-4
2-4
2-5
2-5
2-6
2-7
Chapter 3: Administering FileMaker Pro Server
Accessing the Administer dialog box
Viewing usage statistics of hosted files
Opening a FileMaker Pro file
Closing a FileMaker Pro file
Disconnecting guests
Sending messages to guests
Stopping FileMaker Pro Server
Using the command line with FileMaker Pro Server
Command line troubleshooting
3-1
3-3
3-5
3-6
3-8
3-9
3-10
3-11
3-12
IV FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Backing up FileMaker Pro Server databases
Examining the FileMaker Pro Server log file
Using the Today function with FileMaker Pro Server
3-13
3-14
3-14
Chapter 4: Technical specifications and optimization
Limits for files and usage
Performance and usage tips
FileMaker Pro Server log file
Troubleshooting
Index
A-1
A-2
A-3
A-4
I-1
Chapter 1: Installing FileMaker Pro Server
Welcome to the FileMaker Pro Server for Windows NT application
from Claris Corporation. FileMaker Pro Server provides enhanced file
sharing capabilities on your network when used in conjunction with the
FileMaker Pro 3.0 database management application, also from Claris.
This chapter provides hardware and networking requirements, as well as
installation instructions.
Introducing FileMaker Pro Server
You’ve always been able to share database files in FileMaker Pro using
a peer-to-peer sharing scheme with the Multi-User command. Now you
can use FileMaker Pro Server as a dedicated host to open FileMaker Pro
files and make them available to FileMaker Pro 3.0 guests on your
network. FileMaker Pro Server acts only as a host, and uses advanced
client/server technology to take care of much of the background work
associated with managing files, thereby enhancing performance for
FileMaker Pro guests accessing those files.
FileMaker Pro Server also increases the number of simultaneous
FileMaker Pro guests that can access a database file over a network from
25 to 100. See appendix A, “Technical specifications and optimization,”
for more information.
Note This guide assumes you’re familiar with general database concepts
as well as the basics of FileMaker Pro. If you’re not, refer to the
FileMaker Pro User’s Guide, especially the first two chapters, for
more information.
1-2 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
How does FileMaker Pro Server work?
FileMaker Pro Server for Windows NT consists of a service and a
control panel. By operating as a service, FileMaker Pro Server provides
improved performance to FileMaker Pro guests on the network. Like
other Windows NT services, it does not require a user to be logged in to
the computer running the service, which provides better security.
FileMaker Pro Server is a tool to use with FileMaker Pro 3.0 in a
network environment to:
1 enhance the guests’ performance
1 increase the number of FileMaker Pro guests who can connect to a
file hosted by FileMaker Pro Server
1 increase the number of files that can be hosted by FileMaker Pro Server
1 host files using more than one network protocol simultaneously
FileMaker Pro Server acts only as a dedicated host to the FileMaker Pro
files; you can’t see or modify data in these files with FileMaker Pro
Server. See “Configuring the FileMaker Pro Server control panel” on
page 2-1 for more information.
Using the FileMaker Pro application to remotely administer
FileMaker Pro Server, you can:
1 open—or host—a FileMaker Pro database file, making it available to
FileMaker Pro guests on the network
1 view information about the files being hosted, such as the number of
users accessing each database
1 send messages to connected users
1 close a hosted FileMaker Pro file, making it unavailable to
FileMaker Pro guests
1 disconnect a selected FileMaker Pro guest from a particular hosted
file or all hosted files
See chapter 3 for more information on administering FileMaker Pro Server.
When you start the FileMaker Pro Server service, it automatically opens
and hosts all multiuser FileMaker Pro files located in the same folder as
the service (and subfolders one level down), up to a maximum of 100
files. This lets you easily set up the database files that you always want
FileMaker Pro Server to host on the network.
Installing FileMaker Pro Server 1-3
Keep in mind the following points about the different uses of
FileMaker Pro Server and FileMaker Pro:
1 Use FileMaker Pro Server to open and host FileMaker Pro files that
you want to make available to FileMaker Pro guests on your network.
1 As a dedicated host, FileMaker Pro Server only hosts the files.
FileMaker Pro Server can’t directly access or modify the information
in the files.
1 Use FileMaker Pro to create database files or modify the structure of
existing files (for example, to password protect each hosted
FileMaker Pro file or to access field definitions). Guests of
FileMaker Pro Server can perform most other database design tasks
(such as creating and modifying layouts, editing data, and adding and
deleting records).
1 Use FileMaker Pro to administer FileMaker Pro Server remotely. On
an IPX/SPX network, it is possible to administer FileMaker Pro
Server with FileMaker Pro on the host machine. For optimal
performance, run FileMaker Pro Server on a dedicated machine.
Registration and customer support
Please take the time to complete and mail the product registration card
that is included in this package. To register by phone, from the U.S. call
1 (800) 356-6657 or from Canada call 1 (800) 361-6075.
For information about customer support, refer to our Web site at
http://www.claris.com. U.S. and Canadian customers can also refer to
the Claris Service Directory included with the software or contact Claris
at 1 (800) 965-9090. For customers outside of the U.S. or Canada, refer
to the Technical Support brochure included with the software.
1-4 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
What’s in the FileMaker Pro Server package
The FileMaker Pro Server package includes:
Package component
Description
Software CD-ROM disc
The Setup application and all the files you need to use
FileMaker Pro Server
FileMaker Pro Server
Administrator’s Guide
Installation instructions and information about how to use
FileMaker Pro Server
Claris Service Directory
A card showing information about Claris Technical Support
and Claris Customer Assistance
Claris registration card
Information to register your copy of FileMaker Pro Server
What you need
FileMaker Pro Server for Windows NT runs on the following Intel and
RISC-based systems.
Intel and compatible systems
To use FileMaker Pro Server for Windows NT on Intel and compatible
systems, you need the following minimum requirements:
1 an Intel compatible PC with a 486DX2, Pentium, or Pentium Pro
processor, running at 50 Mhz or higher
1 20 MB of installed RAM
1 Windows NT Advanced Server or Windows NT Workstation,
version 3.51 or later. (See the End User License Agreement that came
with the Windows NT operating system for more information
concerning the number of connections.)
1 a CD-ROM disk drive
1 a hard disk with at least 1.2 MB free
RISC-based systems
To use FileMaker Pro Server for Windows NT on RISC-based systems,
you need the following minimum requirements:
1 a RISC-based system with an Alpha processor
1 32 MB of installed RAM
Installing FileMaker Pro Server 1-5
1 Windows NT Advanced Server or Windows NT Workstation,
version 3.51 or later. (See the End User License Agreement that came
with the Windows NT operating system for more information
concerning the number of connections.)
1 a CD-ROM disk drive
1 a hard disk with at least 1.2 MB free
Networking requirements
To share files among users on a network, you need to have the following
additional software and hardware installed on the host computer:
1 a Windows NT-compatible network card
1 the software driver for your network card
1 NWLink IPX/SPX Compatible Transport and/or TCP/IP network
protocol for Windows NT
Use FileMaker Pro 3.0 for Windows or FileMaker Pro 3.0 for Mac OS
to administer FileMaker Pro Server. Guests can use the following
network protocols to access database files hosted by FileMaker Pro
Server for Windows NT:
Windows 95
Windows NT
Windows for Workgroups/
Windows 3.1
IPX/SPX-compatible
Protocol
NWLink IPX/SPX
Compatible Transport
Novell NetWare Client Software
Shell version 3.26 or higher
MacIPX version 1.3.1
TCP/IP
TCP/IP
MS TCP/IP-32 version 3.11b
(Windows for Workgroups only)
MacTCP 2.0.6 application
program (or later) or Apple
Open Transport 1.1 (or later)
Macintosh
Important FileMaker Pro Server uses a proprietary networking scheme
and operates independently of network operating system (NOS) access
privileges. Any multiuser FileMaker Pro databases will be available to
FileMaker Pro guests regardless of NOS privileges. To restrict access to
FileMaker databases, use access privileges available in FileMaker Pro
3.0. See “Protecting files with a password” on page 2-5 for more
information. Database files should be shared using networking available
in FileMaker Pro. Do not share FileMaker Pro files using Windows NT
file sharing.
1-6 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
FileMaker Pro Server is designed to run by itself on a dedicated
computer—a computer where no applications are normally running.
Avoid installing FileMaker Pro Server on a computer that is a user’s
primary workstation or network file server. When FileMaker Pro Server
is hosting many guests or a large number of database files, it uses a high
level of processor and network capacity. Other processor-intensive
applications or heavy network traffic on the same computer may cause
FileMaker Pro Server to run more slowly and degrade the performance
of FileMaker Pro on guest computers.
Installing FileMaker Pro Server
Use the Setup program to install the complete FileMaker Pro Server
package on your hard disk. The installation program creates a folder
called FMServer. To host database files, move them into the FMServer
folder and then start the FileMaker Pro Server service.
The following table shows the files and folders you can install and the
best location for them on your hard disk.
File
Description
Preferred location
on hard disk
fmserver.exe
FileMaker Pro Server service
C:\FMServer
fmsrvlog.txt
FileMaker Pro Server log file
C:\FMServer
fmsrvlas.txt
Last FileMaker Pro Server log file
C:\FMServer
fmsrvexs.txt
FileMaker Pro Server excess log file
C:\FMServer
fmserve.cpl
FileMaker Pro Server control panel
C:\Windows\System32
fmserve.hlp
FileMaker Pro Server help file
C:\Windows\System32
delsl1.isu
File that uninstalls FileMaker Pro
Server
C:\FMServer\System
Sample batch files
Sample template scripts to use for
running backups
C:\FMServer\Examples
readme.wri
A text file containing important
information
C:\FMServer
Installing FileMaker Pro Server 1-7
Installing on Windows NT 4.0
To install FileMaker Pro Server on Windows NT 4.0:
1. Start Windows NT.
Log in with administrator-level privileges.
2. Click the Start button and then point to Settings.
3. Click Control Panel.
4. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
You see the Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box.
5. Click Install.
6. Insert the FileMaker Pro Server CD-ROM disc.
7. Follow the installation instructions provided on the screen.
If the hard disk has enough space, the Installer determines which
processor is on your machine and begins copying files. After
installation, the FileMaker Pro Server icon appears in the Windows
Control Panel.
Use the FileMaker Pro Server
control panel to configure
FileMaker Pro Server
Use the Services control
panel to start and stop
FileMaker Pro Server
Windows Control Panel
1-8 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Installing on Windows NT 3.51
To install FileMaker Pro with Windows NT 3.51:
1. Start Windows NT.
Log in with administrator-level privileges.
2. Insert the FileMaker Pro Server CD-ROM disc.
3. Choose Run from the Program Manager’s File menu.
Type the drive letter and then the setup command in the Command
Line box (for example, d:\setup) and click OK.
4. Follow the installation instructions provided on the screen.
Removing the software
Should you need to uninstall FileMaker Pro Server, the service must be
first be stopped. See “Stopping FileMaker Pro Server” on page 3-10 for
more information.
To remove FileMaker Pro Server using Windows NT 4.0:
1. Start Windows NT.
Log in with administrator-level privileges.
2. Click the Start button and then point to Settings.
3. Click Control Panel.
4. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
You see the Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box.
5. Select FileMaker Pro Server and click the Add/Remove button.
6. Follow the instructions provided on the screen.
To remove FileMaker Pro Server using Windows NT 3.51:
1. Double-click Uninstall FileMaker Pro Server in the FileMaker Pro
Server program group.
2. Follow the instructions provided on the screen.
The Uninstaller removes the FileMaker Pro Server files from the hard
disk. After all the files are removed, a final dialog box tells you
FileMaker Pro Server was removed successfully.
Chapter 2: Configuring FileMaker Pro Server
This chapter describes how to configure the FileMaker Pro Server
control panel and how to start the FileMaker Pro Server service.
Configuring the FileMaker Pro Server control panel
Once you have installed FileMaker Pro Server, you can configure it
using the FileMaker Pro Server control panel. Use the control panel to:
1 set the maximum number of guests
1 set the maximum number of open files
1 allocate the amount of memory (RAM) FileMaker Pro Server can use
as a database cache
1 specify a password for remote administration from FileMaker Pro
1 specify the server name that appears in the Hosts dialog box
1 specify whether FileMaker Pro Server will host IPX/SPX guests,
TCP/IP guests, or both
Changes made to the FileMaker Pro Server control panel don’t take
effect until you restart FileMaker Pro Server.
Note The memory requirements of FileMaker Pro Server are directly
related to the selection of maximum guests and maximum files. If you
select large maximum values for these in the control panel, you should
also increase the amount of RAM reserved for the database cache. See
“Changing the amount of memory used” on page 2-3 for more details.
To configure the FileMaker Pro Server control panel using
Windows NT 4.0:
1. Click the Start button and point to Settings.
2. Click Control Panel.
3. Double-click the FileMaker Pro Server icon.
You see the FileMaker Pro Server control panel.
2-2 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Choose the maximum
number of guests
Choose the maximum
number of files to host
Control access to remote
administration from a
FileMaker Pro guest
Specify the host name guests
see when they connect to
FileMaker Pro Server
Select the network protocol
guests use to connect to
FileMaker Pro Server
FileMaker Pro Server control panel
4. Set options as described in the following sections.
To configure the FileMaker Pro Server control panel using
Windows NT 3.51:
1. Open Program Manager.
2. Double-click the Control Panel icon in the Main program group.
3. Double-click the FileMaker Pro Server icon.
You see the FileMaker Pro Server control panel.
4. Set options as described in the following sections.
Setting the maximum number of guests
You can specify the maximum number of simultaneous guests, up to
100, who can connect to FileMaker Pro Server. Choose an option from
the Allow a maximum of guests list in the FileMaker Pro Server control
panel to allow any combination of IPX/SPX or TCP/IP users, up to the
maximum number of guests specified. For example, if you monitor
guest usage in the Administer dialog box and notice you never have
more than 22 guests, set the option to allow a maximum of 25 guests for
best performance on your server.
Configuring FileMaker Pro Server 2-3
To set the maximum number of FileMaker Pro guests:
1. In the FileMaker Pro Server control panel, choose 25, 50, 75, or 100
from the Allow a maximum of guests list.
Selecting a lower number leaves more memory available for
FileMaker Pro Server. See “Performance and usage tips” on page A-2
for more information about memory optimization.
2. Set any other options, and then click OK.
Setting the maximum number of files
You can specify the maximum number of database files FileMaker Pro
Server can open. If you monitor database usage, you can set the
maximum number of files for best performance on your server.
To set the maximum number of files FileMaker Pro Server can host:
1. In the FileMaker Pro Server control panel, choose 25, 50, 75, or 100
from the Allow a maximum of files list.
Choosing a lower number leaves more memory available for
FileMaker Pro Server. See “Performance and usage tips” on page A-2
for more information about memory optimization.
2. Set any other options, and then click OK.
Changing the amount of memory used
Windows NT sets aside a certain amount of memory for each application.
When you start FileMaker Pro Server, it tells Windows NT how much
memory it needs based on the Reserve MBytes of RAM for database cache
setting. FileMaker Pro Server comes configured to run on a computer with
20 MB of memory (RAM). The default configuration is set for a
maximum of 25 guests and 50 files. Increasing the RAM reserved for the
database cache can speed up overall performance, especially if you are
working with large files or a large number of guests or files.
To change the amount of memory FileMaker Pro Server uses:
1. In the FileMaker Pro Server control panel, enter the amount of RAM
you can allocate in the Reserve MBytes of RAM for database cache box.
2. Set any other options, and then click OK.
Important Do not specify more RAM than is physically available on the
computer. Be sure to leave at least 12 MB of physical RAM available
for Windows NT.
See “Performance and usage tips” on page A-2 for more information about
memory requirements for different scenarios using FileMaker Pro Server.
2-4 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Specifying a password for remote administration
Use FileMaker Pro 3.0 for Windows or FileMaker Pro 3.0 for Mac OS
to control, or administer, FileMaker Pro Server. Use the Administer
dialog box to view performance statistics, send messages to guests,
disconnect guests, and open or close files. (See chapter 3 for more
information.)
Remote administration can be enabled with or without a password, or
completely disabled.
To control access to remote administration of FileMaker Pro Server:
1. In the FileMaker Pro Server control panel, choose one of the
following options for Remote administration:
Choose
To
Disabled
Completely disable remote administration
Requires password
Let FileMaker Pro guests remotely control FileMaker Pro
Server only after entering the password you specify
Requires no password
Let any FileMaker Pro guest remotely control
FileMaker Pro Server
If you select Disabled, the FileMaker Pro Server name is dimmed (not
selectable) when FileMaker Pro guests open the Hosts dialog box.
2. Set any other options, and then click OK.
Important If you choose to require a password for security reasons, also
remember to restrict access to the FileMaker Pro Server service. Anyone
who can access the FileMaker Pro Server control panel can change this
password. To restrict access to the host machine, use the Windows NT
administrative tools to set passwords. Do not leave a user logged in on the
Windows NT computer or locate the computer in an insecure room.
To prevent guests from viewing or modifying the data, scripts, and
layouts in FileMaker Pro, you must create a password in each of the
hosted files in FileMaker Pro. See “Protecting files with a password” on
page 2-5 for more information.
Specifying the host name
You can change the host name—the name guests see when they open the
Hosts dialog box and when they administer FileMaker Pro Server—by
specifying a custom host name.
Configuring FileMaker Pro Server 2-5
To specify what name FileMaker Pro Server uses:
1. In the FileMaker Pro Server control panel, choose one of the
following options for Host name:
Choose
To
System name
Have FileMaker Pro Server use the name for the computer in the
Network control panel
Custom name
Have FileMaker Pro Server use the custom name you specify
2. Set any other options, and then click OK.
Note Users connecting to the server may see a host name in different
ways. IPX/SPX displays names using only numerals, uppercase
characters, underscores (_), and periods (.), and replaces any other
characters with underscores. For example, TCP/IP guests would see a
server named Sally’s FileMaker Pro Server exactly as named, but
IPX/SPX guests would see the name SALLY_S_FILEMAKER_PRO_
SERVER. Choose custom and system names carefully to reduce
confusion between different protocols.
Choosing network protocols
With FileMaker Pro Server, you can concurrently host FileMaker
databases using both IPX/SPX and TCP/IP networks.
To choose the network protocols FileMaker Pro Server uses:
1. In the FileMaker Pro Server control panel, click the Network Protocols
button to select the network protocol(s) you want FileMaker Pro
Server to use when communicating with FileMaker Pro guests.
2. Set any other options, and then click OK.
Important It is possible to use FileMaker Pro 3.0 on the same machine as
FileMaker Pro Server using the IPX/SPX protocol. However, for optimal
performance, it is best to run FileMaker Pro Server on a dedicated machine.
Protecting files with a password
It is especially important to use the access privileges in FileMaker Pro
when files are shared on a network. With FileMaker Pro, you can restrict
what users see and do in a database file by defining passwords and
groups. Passwords limit what users can do and groups limit the layouts
and fields they can see.
2-6 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Important The only way to protect shared FileMaker Pro files is by using
access privileges in FileMaker Pro 3.0. Although the shared FileMaker
Pro files reside on a file server, which may have its own security scheme,
any files available to FileMaker Pro guests bypass network and file
server protection. For more information on protecting files with a
password, see the FileMaker Pro User’s Guide.
Before starting the FileMaker Pro Server service
FileMaker Pro Server automatically opens FileMaker Pro files for
access by FileMaker Pro guests on the network.
Keep the following points in mind before starting the FileMaker Pro
Server service:
1 Hosted files are available to all guests using FileMaker Pro 3.0. To
prevent guests from viewing or modifying data, you must set a
password in each file using access privileges in FileMaker Pro 3.0.
(See the FileMaker Pro User’s Guide for more information.)
1 FileMaker Pro Server can host FileMaker Pro files created on either the
Windows or Mac OS platform, but the files should reside in the
FileMaker Pro Server folder (and subfolders one level down). With
Windows NT 4.0, you can have the files in other folders if you place
shortcuts to the FileMaker Pro files (or to folders containing FileMaker Pro
files) in the FMServer folder. Using Windows NT 4.0, you can also drag
the files on top of the FMServer application icon to open them.
1 FileMaker Pro Server can open and host only FileMaker Pro 3.0 files
or later. For information on converting files, see the FileMaker Pro
User’s Guide.
1 If you modify the .fp3 extension of a FileMaker Pro file, FileMaker Pro
Server can’t automatically open the file when started, or open it from
the Administer window. To open files with modified extensions, either
drop the file on top of the FMServer application icon, or use the
command line to open the file. For more information, see “Using the
command line with FileMaker Pro Server” on page 3-11.
1 If you have duplicate file names, FileMaker Pro Server opens the first
copy it finds.
1 FileMaker Pro Server can’t open a FileMaker Pro database set to be
a single-user file. To change this option, open the file in
FileMaker Pro 3.0 and deselect Single-User from the File menu. The
menu item changes to Multi-User.
Configuring FileMaker Pro Server 2-7
1 FileMaker Pro Server administration allows several operations to be
performed simultaneously on all of the files in a single subfolder. To
take advantage of this feature, place related databases into the same
subfolder. When FileMaker Pro Server is started, these files will be
hosted as a group.
1 Up to a maximum of 100 files can be made accessible to
FileMaker Pro 3.0 guests on the network. Each FileMaker Pro guest
can open a maximum of 50 files. Since FileMaker Pro Server can host
up to 100 files, it is possible to have multiple files available for access
by multiple workgroups.
1 Remember that double-clicking a FileMaker Pro file opens that file in
FileMaker Pro, not FileMaker Pro Server. See “Opening a
FileMaker Pro file” on page 3-5 to open files with FileMaker Pro Server.
1 If the hard disk runs out of space while a file is being modified or if
a database file reaches the 2 GB size limit, FileMaker Pro Server will
automatically begin compressing the hosted file to reduce the amount
of disk space it uses. During the compression, all guest activity to that
file is paused. To avoid automatic compression, leave plenty of free
hard disk space on the computer running FileMaker Pro Server and
monitor database file sizes.
Important If the database file you’re hosting uses the Today function to
calculate dates, you must close and reopen it using the FileMaker Pro Server
service each day to update the dates correctly. See “Using the Today
function with FileMaker Pro Server” on page 3-14 for more information.
FileMaker Pro Server displays a message if it can’t open the selected
database file and writes a description of the problem to the FileMaker
Pro Server log file. See “Examining the FileMaker Pro Server log file”
on page 3-14 for more information.
Starting the FileMaker Pro Server service
To start the FileMaker Pro Server service using Windows NT 4.0:
1. Place the FileMaker Pro files that you want FileMaker Pro Server to
open—or shortcuts to those files—in the same folder as FileMaker Pro
Server (and subfolders one level down).
Up to 100 FileMaker Pro 3.0 database files are automatically opened
when FileMaker Pro Server starts up.
2-8 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
2. Click the Start button in the Windows NT Taskbar and then point
to Settings.
3. Click Control Panel.
4. Double-click the Services icon.
5. Select FileMaker Pro Server from the list and click the Start button.
FileMaker Pro Server opens the FileMaker Pro files for access by
FileMaker Pro 3.0 guests on the network.
Starts the FileMaker Pro
Server service
Stops the FileMaker Pro
Server service
Sets FileMaker Pro Server
to start up automatically
or manually
Services control panel
To start the FileMaker Pro Server service on Windows NT 3.51:
1. Place the FileMaker Pro files that you want FileMaker Pro Server to
open in the same folder as FileMaker Pro Server (and subfolders one
level down).
2. Double-click the Control Panel icon in the Main program group.
3. Double-click the Services icon.
4. Select FileMaker Pro Server from the list and click the Start button.
FileMaker Pro Server opens the FileMaker Pro files for access by
FileMaker Pro 3.0 guests on the network.
Note To start FileMaker Pro Server manually, click the Startup button
and choose the Manual option. To have FileMaker Pro Server start
automatically when you restart Windows NT, click the Startup button
and choose the Automatic option.
For information on starting the FileMaker Pro Server service from the
command prompt, see “Using the command line with FileMaker Pro
Server” on page 3-11.
Chapter 3: Administering FileMaker Pro Server
Use FileMaker Pro 3.0 for Windows or FileMaker Pro 3.0 for Mac OS
to control, or administer, FileMaker Pro Server while FileMaker Pro
Server is running. Using the Administer dialog box in FileMaker Pro,
you can:
1 view statistical information to monitor FileMaker Pro Server activity
1 view a list of database files hosted by FileMaker Pro Server and the
number of guests connected to each
1 view a list of guests or one guest and the database files that guest is
connected to
1 open FileMaker Pro files for access by FileMaker Pro guests through
FileMaker Pro Server
1 close files hosted by FileMaker Pro Server
1 disconnect a selected FileMaker Pro guest from one or all hosted files
1 send messages to guests of hosted files
Important It is possible to administer FileMaker Pro Server on the same
machine as FileMaker Pro 3.0 using the IPX/SPX protocol. However,
for optimal performance, it is best to administer FileMaker Pro Server
from a separate machine.
Accessing the Administer dialog box
To administer FileMaker Pro Server remotely with FileMaker Pro 3.0:
1. Start the FileMaker Pro Server service by following the steps in
“Starting the FileMaker Pro Server service” on page 2-7.
2. Start FileMaker Pro 3.0.
If possible, run FileMaker Pro 3.0 on a computer that is not running
FileMaker Pro Server.
3. Choose Open from the File menu.
4. Click Hosts in the Open dialog box.
3-2 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
You see the Hosts dialog box.
Server computer with
administration disabled
FileMaker Pro 3.0 files hosted
by FileMaker Pro Server
Hosts dialog box in FileMaker Pro 3.0
Tip You can go directly to the Hosts dialog box by pressing
Shift+Ctrl+O (in Windows) or Command-Option-O (in Mac OS).
The computer running FileMaker Pro Server appears in the Hosts list
as a bold italic item, next to a FileMaker Pro Server icon.
1 If the FileMaker Pro Server name is dimmed, remote administration
is disabled. See “Specifying a password for remote administration”
on page 2-4 for instructions on how to enable remote administration.
1 If a server you know is available doesn’t appear in the list, see
appendix A, “Troubleshooting” for information.
5. Select the FileMaker Pro Server name in the list and click Open, or
double-click the server name.
Databases hosted by FileMaker Pro 3.0 have dimmed host names
because you can’t control them the way you administer
FileMaker Pro Server. (See the FileMaker Pro User’s Guide for
more information.)
6. If FileMaker Pro Server administration has been set up to require a
password, you’re prompted for it. Type the password in the dialog
box and click OK.
Administering FileMaker Pro Server 3-3
You see the remote administer dialog box.
FileMaker Pro Server host name
Number of open
databases and
connected guests
List of hosted database files
Administer dialog box
Viewing usage statistics of hosted files
Use the Administer dialog box to view usage statistics, such as how
FileMaker Pro Server is performing and how many guests are logged
into FileMaker Pro Server.
Choose Usage statistics
Viewing usage statistics: Select options from the Usage list to set the
category of information FileMaker Pro Server displays for Current,
Average, and Peak in the usage area of the dialog box.
Choose
To see statistics on
Transactions
Transactions per second
Network
Network KB per second (or MB if network activity is greater than 10 MB
per second)
Disk
Disk KB per second (or MB if disk activity is greater than 10 MB
per second)
Cache hits
Cache hit % (should be a high number, like 90 or 95; if it isn’t, you might
need to allocate more memory to FileMaker Pro Server)
Cache swaps
Cache swap % (should be a low number, like zero; if it isn’t, you might
need to allocate more memory to FileMaker Pro Server)
Databases
Open databases (use this information to configure the Allow a maximum
number of files option)
Guests
Connected guests (use this information to configure the Allow a maximum
number of guests option)
3-4 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
FileMaker Pro Server updates the statistics in the usage area every 15
seconds or less but no more than once a second. Although this reduces
the overhead required to calculate the statistics, it means the statistics are
approximations of how FileMaker Pro Server is using resources.
Using the View by options: Use the View by options to choose what
information you see in the list.
Click
And choose this
from the list
Guest
All Guests
A list of FileMaker Pro guests accessing the
database files hosted by FileMaker Pro Server, with
time values in the Connected for and Idle for columns
Guest
<guest name>
Detailed information on a single guest, including
the database files that guest has open and time
values in the Connected for and Idle for columns
Database/Folder
All Databases
A list of the database files hosted by FileMaker Pro
Server, with the number of guests connected to each
database and the folders containing the files
Database/Folder
<folder name>
A list of the database files in the selected folder,
including the number and names of the guests
connected to each database
View by Guest or Database/Folder
To see
Tip You can switch between the All Guests or All Databases view and the
individual views by double-clicking an item in the list.
Double-click a name to
view the files they’re using
Choose View by Guest and
All Guests to see a list of
guests and their activity
Choose View by Guest
and a guest name to
see the databases in
use by a single guest
Administering FileMaker Pro Server 3-5
Double-click a database
to view the guests
Choose View by Database/Folder
and All Databases to see all open
databases and their activity
Choose View by
Database/Folder and a
database name to see
guests in the database
Opening a FileMaker Pro file
When the FileMaker Pro Server service starts up, it automatically opens
all multiuser files in the FMServer folder (and subfolders one level
down). To open files after the service is running, you can open files
remotely in FileMaker Pro 3.0 in the Administer dialog box.
To host files using the Administer dialog box:
1. In FileMaker Pro 3.0, click Open Database in the Administer dialog box.
You see a dialog box with a list of FileMaker Pro files available
for hosting.
2. Choose a filename from the Select File list and click OK.
FileMaker Pro Server opens the file, and the filename appears in the
list in the Administer dialog box.
3. Click Done if you’re finished administering FileMaker Pro Server.
3-6 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
FileMaker Pro Server opens the file and makes it available to
FileMaker Pro guests on the network. In a moment the database name
appears in the list in the Administer dialog box (if View by Database/Folder
is selected). You can’t see or modify information in these files using
FileMaker Pro Server.
Tip You can also open a file by dragging a FileMaker Pro 3.0 file icon
and dropping it on the FMServer application icon (Windows NT 4.0
only) or by using the command prompt. See “Using the command line
with FileMaker Pro Server” on page 3-11 for more information.
If you modify the extension of a FileMaker Pro file, FileMaker Pro
Server can’t automatically open the file when started, or open it from the
Administer dialog box. To open files with modified extensions, either
drop the file on top of the FMServer application icon, or use the
command line to open the file. FileMaker Pro Server displays a message
if it can’t open the selected database file and writes a description of the
problem to the FileMaker Pro Server log file. See “Examining the
FileMaker Pro Server log file” on page 3-14 for more information.
Closing a FileMaker Pro file
To close a database and disconnect any guests accessing it:
1. In the Administer dialog box, choose View by Database/Folder (if not
already selected).
You must be viewing by database to use the Close Database button (see
“Viewing usage statistics” on page 3-3.)
2. Select a file or folder in the list.
3. Click Close Database.
You see the Close File dialog box with the name of the file or folder
to be closed in the title bar.
4. Type text for the options in the dialog box, or accept the default
settings.
For this option
Do this
Message to send to connected guests
Type text you want the guests to see in addition to
the standard FileMaker Pro message (asking guests
to close the database file).
Minutes until guests forced to
disconnect
Type a value (the default is 5 minutes or the
last-entered value).
Administering FileMaker Pro Server 3-7
5. Click OK.
The file or folder name in the list changes to italics to show that
FileMaker Pro Server is closing it.
FileMaker Pro guests see a notification dialog box with your message
requesting they close the file. If guests don’t close the file, the message
repeats approximately one minute before the file is set to close.
When the set time elapses, FileMaker Pro Server disconnects any
remaining guests and closes the file or files in the folder. The file or
folder name no longer appears in the Administer dialog box.
Completing the process of closing a folder, a large database file, or a file
with many connected guests may take several minutes. FileMaker Pro
Server needs time to notify and disconnect guests and perform
housekeeping tasks on the files before closing them.
You can also close files from the command prompt. See “Using the
command line with FileMaker Pro Server” on page 3-11 for more
information.
3-8 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Disconnecting guests
To disconnect a FileMaker Pro guest:
1. In the Administer dialog box, select the guest to disconnect.
Click
And select
To
Guest
The guest’s name
Disconnect the selected guest from
all databases
Guest <guestname>
The database file under the
guest’s name in the list
Disconnect the guest from the
selected database
Database <filename> The guest’s name under the
database in the list
Disconnect the selected guest from
a particular database
2. Click Disconnect Guest.
You see the Disconnect Guest dialog box with the name of the guest
to be disconnected in the title bar.
3. Type text for the options in the dialog box, or accept the default settings.
For this option
Do this
Message to send to guest
Type text you want the guest to see in addition to the
standard FileMaker Pro message (the default).
Minutes until guests forced
to disconnect
Type a value (the default is 5 minutes or the last-entered
value, if any).
4. Click OK.
Administering FileMaker Pro Server 3-9
The guest name in the list changes to italics to show that FileMaker Pro
Server is attempting to disconnect the guest.
The selected guest sees a notification dialog box with your message
requesting he or she disconnect from the server. If the guest doesn’t
disconnect, the message is repeated approximately one minute before
FileMaker Pro Server is set to disconnect the guest.
When the set time elapses, FileMaker Pro Server disconnects the guest
and the name disappears from the Administer dialog box.
Sending messages to guests
To send a message at any time to one or more guests:
1. In the Administer dialog box, make a selection.
Select
To send a message to
A database file
All guests of the database
A folder
Guests of the databases in the folder
A guest
One guest
Nothing
All guests
2. Click Send Message.
You see the Send Message dialog box with the name of the selected
recipient(s) in the title bar.
3. For Message to send, type text, and then click OK.
FileMaker Pro Server sends the message to the selected recipient(s).
3-10 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Stopping FileMaker Pro Server
Stopping the FileMaker Pro Server service disconnects all
FileMaker Pro guests (after notification messages appear on all guest
computers) and closes all database files hosted by FileMaker Pro Server.
To stop FileMaker Pro Server:
1. In the Windows Control Panel, open the Services control panel.
2. Select the FileMaker Pro Server service in the list.
3. Click the Stop button, and click Yes in the confirmation dialog if
you’re sure you want to stop the service.
FileMaker Pro Server will give users 5 minutes to close files before
disconnecting them. The FileMaker Pro guests will see a notification
dialog box requesting that they close the files hosted by FileMaker Pro
Server. If guests don't close the files, the dialog box reappears one
minute before the files will be closed.
When the 5 minutes elapses, FileMaker Pro Server disconnects any
remaining guests and begins closing all of the open files. Completing the
process of stopping the service and closing the files may take several
minutes. FileMaker Pro Server needs time to disconnect all guests and
perform housekeeping tasks on large files before closing them.
Message when stopping
FileMaker Pro Server
To send a custom message to guests before stopping the service, or to specify
a different amount of time before disconnecting guests, use the fmserver
stop command at the command prompt. See the next section, “Using the
command line with FileMaker Pro Server” for more information.
Important You should stop the FileMaker Pro Server service before
shutting down Windows NT. This gives FileMaker Pro Server adequate
time to alert guests before disconnecting them, and perform
housecleaning tasks before closing the hosted files.
Administering FileMaker Pro Server 3-11
Using the command line with FileMaker Pro Server
Use the command line interface to automate tasks with FileMaker Pro
Server, such as backing up files using the Windows NT Backup and
Schedule services, or to administer from the FileMaker Pro Server
machine without using the FileMaker Pro application.
You can use the command line to:
1
1
1
1
1
1
start FileMaker Pro Server
stop FileMaker Pro Server
host multiuser FileMaker Pro files
close files hosted by FileMaker Pro Server
pause a file or files
resume a file or files
Below is a list of commands available with FileMaker Pro Server.
Note that text enclosed in the [] characters indicates that the item is
optional. [<path>] indicates one or more filenames (possibly
including wildcards) or folder names may optionally be given as
parameters to the command. <#minutes> indicates a numeric value
which specifies the number of minutes before the guests will be
disconnected after a stop or close command.
Use this syntax
To
fmserver start [-s]
Start the FileMaker Pro Server service. Use the -s option to skip automatically
opening files in the FileMaker Pro Server folder (and one level down)
fmserver stop [-m “message text”]
[-t <#minutes>]
Stop the FileMaker Pro Server service, send a custom message to guests, and set the
number of minutes before the files close
fmserver open [<path>]
Host specific FileMaker Pro files
fmserver close [<path>] [-m “message text”]
[-t <#minutes>]
Close specific FileMaker Pro files, send a custom message to guests, and set the
number of minutes before the files close
fmserver pause [<path>]
Pause activity on specific or all FileMaker Pro files. Pause files before copying them
to another directory, for example, when backing them up. Useful with the NT Backup
and Schedule services. If no path is specified, all hosted files are paused.
fmserver resume [<path>]
Resume activity on specific or all paused FileMaker Pro files after they have been
copied or backed up. Useful with the NT Backup and Schedule services. If no path is
specified, all paused files are resumed.
To access the command-line interface, open an MS-DOS window using
the Command Prompt icon in Windows NT. At the command prompt,
switch to the FMServer directory, then type fmserver followed by the
command, optional parameters, and switches.
3-12 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
See the table below for command line examples:
For example, use this command
To
fmserver start
Start the FileMaker Pro Server service and open all multiuser FileMaker Pro
files in the FileMaker Pro Server directory (and one level down)
fmserver start -s
Start the FileMaker Pro Server service without opening any
FileMaker Pro files
fmserver stop -m “All servers will be shut down in 10
minutes” -t 10
Send a custom message to guests and stop the FileMaker Pro Server
service in 10 minutes, which closes all hosted database files
fmserver open
Open all multiuser FileMaker Pro 3.0 files in the FMServer directory
(and one level down)
fmserver open c:\fmserver\expenses.fp3 messages.fp3
Open the Expenses and Messages files
fmserver open c:\fmserver\!namesa1.fp3
Open the Names and Addresses files (note that the filename was
truncated, so the DOS filename is used)
fmserver close
Close all hosted FileMaker Pro files in 5 minutes
fmserver close c:\fmserver\expenses.fp3 -m “I’ll be
updating the Expenses file in 10 minutes” -t 10
Send a message to guests of the Expenses file and close it in 10 minutes
fmserver pause
Pause all currently hosted FileMaker Pro files, which restricts guest
activity to all hosted files
fmserver pause c:\fmserver\expenses.fp3
Pause the Expenses file, which restricts guest activity to that file
fmserver resume
Resume all paused files
fmserver resume c:\fmserver\expenses.fp3
Resume the paused Expenses file
For more examples, see the FileMaker Pro Server Command Line
sample files (installed in the Examples folder in the FMServer folder) or
use the fmserver /? command at the command prompt to view a list
of available commands. For general information on using the command
prompt, see the Windows NT documentation.
Command line troubleshooting
If the command line is not working, consider the following:
1 When typing DOS commands at the command prompt, specify the
filename extension (.FP3) after the filename.
1 Verify that you are using the correct DOS filenames (spaces and long
filenames might not be supported). To see how DOS is interpreting
your filenames, type dir /x at the command prompt.
1 Type fmserver /? at the command prompt to view a list of
available commands.
View the FileMaker Pro Server log file for tips. See “Examining the
FileMaker Pro Server log file” on page 3-14 for information on the log file.
Administering FileMaker Pro Server 3-13
Backing up FileMaker Pro Server databases
When many users share files and make changes to them on a network,
it’s important to back up the databases regularly. In the MS-DOS
window, you can use the fmserver pause and fmserver resume
commands, along with DOS commands, to copy the FileMaker Pro
database files to another directory.
Below are sample steps used in a backup scheme:
1. First, use the mkdir command to create a new directory, for
example, Backups.
2. Next, use the fmserver pause command, which pauses a specified
file or files hosted by FileMaker Pro Server.
Guest activity with paused database files is restricted. Use the
fmserver resume command to resume guest activity on paused
databases as soon as possible.
3. You can use the xcopy command to copy all files (including files in
subdirectories) from the FMServer directory to the Backups directory.
4. Use the fmserver resume command to resume guest activity to
paused database files.
5. After copying the files from the Backups directory to your backup
destination, use the deltree command to delete the backups directory.
Tip In order to execute this set of commands on an automatic schedule,
you will need to use the at command and Schedule service provided
by Windows NT. For information on the at command and Schedule
service, see the Windows NT documentation. In addition, if you have a
tape drive, you can use the backup command provided by Windows NT
to copy files to tape.
It is important that the destination drive have plenty of free space. If the
hard disk runs out of space while a file is being modified or if a database
file reaches the 2GB size limit, FileMaker Pro Server will automatically
begin compressing the hosted file to reduce the amount of disk space it
uses. During the compression, all guest activity to that file is paused and
guests see the coffee cup icon. Compression may take several minutes
to complete. To avoid automatic compression, leave plenty of free hard
disk space on the computer running FileMaker Pro Server and back up
files to tape or to another hard disk.
See the sample batch file, Backup.cmd, in the Examples folder in the
FMServer folder, for more information.
3-14 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Examining the FileMaker Pro Server log file
FileMaker Pro Server creates a log file to help you keep track of its
activities. The log file is automatically created in the folder where the
FileMaker Pro Server service is located, and contains time-stamped
information on:
1 FileMaker Pro Server starting up and closing, as well as the size of
the database cache
1 database files opened and closed by FileMaker Pro Server
1 guests that connect to and disconnect from FileMaker Pro Server, as
well as the files they access
1 any unusual condition that occurs when FileMaker Pro Server
is running
The file, called fmsrvlog.txt, is created each time you start FileMaker Pro
Server. The previous version of the log file is renamed fmsrvlas.txt. When
a log file reaches 1 MB, it is automatically closed and renamed
fmsrvexs.txt and a new fmsrvlog.txt log file is created. Use any application
capable of opening .TXT files, such as Notepad, to view or print a log file.
Note When FileMaker Pro Server renames the log file to fmsrvlas.txt or
fmsrvexs.txt, it overwrites any file located in the FMServer folder with
the same name. To save these files, either rename them or move them
out of the FMServer folder.
You can open the log file when FileMaker Pro Server is running, but you
won’t see updates to the log file; you must close it and then reopen it to
see changes. For more information about the log file and error
conditions it reports, see “FileMaker Pro Server log file” on page A-3.
Using the Today function with FileMaker Pro Server
If a database file you’re hosting with FileMaker Pro Server contains
fields that use the Today function, you must close that file and reopen it
each day for the Today function to recalculate correctly. (See the
FileMaker Pro User’s Guide for information about the Today function.)
Reset the Today function using the following steps:
1. In the Administer dialog box, click Close Database to close the file that
contains the Today function calculation.
Administering FileMaker Pro Server 3-15
2. Open the file in FileMaker Pro 3.0.
You see a message stating that the Today function is being calculated.
This may take some time, depending on the number of records and
other database calculations.
3. Close the file.
4. In FileMaker Pro 3.0, open the Administer dialog box.
See “Accessing the Administer dialog box” on page 3-1 for more
information.
5. Click Open Database to reopen the database file.
You can use the Schedule service provided with Windows NT to
perform these steps. See the sample files “Recalculate Today
Function” in the Examples folder, installed in the FMServer folder,
and see the Windows NT documentation for more information.
Tip Avoid using the Today function by creating a calculation field using
the Status (Current Date) function.
Appendix A: Technical specifications and optimization
This appendix lists technical issues to consider when you use
FileMaker Pro Server. It also discusses:
1
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1
hardware and network optimization
using FileMaker Pro Server with other software
performance tips
the FileMaker Pro Server log file
troubleshooting
Limits for files and usage
Item
Limitation
Number of files hosted by
FileMaker Pro Server
Maximum of 100 files depending on Allow a
maximum of files setting in the FileMaker Pro Server
control panel (other network applications may limit
this number). See “Performance and usage tips” on
page A-2 for more information.
Number of files open at the
same time
Maximum of 50 per FileMaker Pro guest
Number of network users per file
Maximum of 100 guests depending on Allow a
maximum of guests setting in the FileMaker Pro
Server control panel (other network applications may
limit this number). See “Performance and usage tips”
on page A-2 for more information.
File size
Maximum of 2 GB (gigabytes) per file. The combined
size of all open files is limited only by disk space.
Length of host name (in
Maximum of 31 characters
FileMaker Pro Server control panel)
Length of FileMaker Pro Server
password (in FileMaker Pro Server
control panel)
Maximum of 31 characters
Length of file name
Maximum of 255 characters on Windows NT.
Maximum of 31 characters on Mac OS.
A-2 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Performance and usage tips
If you find that FileMaker Pro Server is sluggish when performing
certain operations, try the following:
1 Run FileMaker Pro Server on a dedicated computer.
1 Use as fast a computer as possible. The faster the computer, the better
FileMaker Pro Server performs.
1 Avoid using FileMaker Pro Server on the same computer that is
operating as a Windows NT file server. Performance will be
significantly decreased for both services.
1 Use FileMaker Pro remotely to work with database files hosted by
FileMaker Pro Server.
1 Increase the cache size in the FileMaker Pro Server control panel (see
“Changing the amount of memory used” on page 2-3 for details).
1 Reduce the number of guests able to access FileMaker Pro Server.
(See “Setting the maximum number of guests” on page 2-2.)
1 Reduce the maximum number of files that can be hosted by
FileMaker Pro Server. (See “Setting the maximum number of files”
on page 2-3.)
1 Verify that no other processor-intensive programs or applications that
create a high level of network traffic (for example, screen savers,
Internet Information Server, or SQL Server) are being used on the
host computer. Consider using either the Logon screen saver or the
Blank Screen screen saver that is available with Windows NT.
1 Sorting, replacing data, viewing and printing summary report
layouts, and other calculation-intensive operations performed on
many database records affect the performance of FileMaker Pro
Server and connected guests. Try to perform these types of operations
on a smaller found set of only the records you’re interested in. (See
the FileMaker Pro User’s Guide for more information about using
found sets.) It is best to schedule these operations to be performed
during low usage periods.
1 Put database files you want FileMaker Pro Server to host in the same
folder as FileMaker Pro Server (and subfolders one level down), to
take advantage of the application’s ability to open these files
automatically on start-up and remote administration.
1 Do not share FileMaker Pro files using Windows NT file sharing.
Guests should access hosted FileMaker Pro files using the Hosts
button from FileMaker Pro.
Technical specifications and optimization A-3
FileMaker Pro Server log file
The following is a list of some of the log file messages you might see
and an expanded explanation. Variables, like the name of the user or file,
are in italics.
Message
Explanation
Closing file filename due to a serious error
(error number)
The specified file is closed by FileMaker Pro Server due to an error condition. The file
may need to be recovered in the FileMaker Pro application. See the FileMaker Pro
User’s Guide for information about recovering damaged files.
Could not pause file filename because of
outstanding database locks from guests
FileMaker Pro Server is trying to get exclusive use of the file to pause it for a backup
but can’t because a user is changing the file. You can try the backup later, or close the
file to force the guest(s) to disconnect.
File filename full, compression started
When a FileMaker Pro file approaches the 2 GB file size limit or there is no longer
enough free space on the hard disk, FileMaker Pro Server attempts to compress it by
reclaiming unused space in the file. This process is automatic, and this message is
written to the log file when the process begins.
File filename compressed, freeing x blocks
The specified file has been successfully compressed, leaving FileMaker Pro Server
enough room to continue safely working with the file. (One block equals 1,024 bytes.)
File filename compressed, but still nearly
full. Only x block(s) free
The specified file was compressed, but there isn’t enough room for FileMaker Pro
Server to continue safely working with the file. The administrator should close the file,
back it up, and take steps to reduce the size of the file and create more room on the hard
disk.
FileMaker Pro Server quitting!
(error number)
FileMaker Pro Server detects a severe error during network use, due to a network
failure or other causes.
FileMaker Pro Server quitting!
Network initialization failed; an
unexpected error occurred
FileMaker Pro Server can’t use any network protocol because of an unexpected error.
FileMaker Pro Server quitting! Network
initialization failed; not enough memory
FileMaker Pro Server can’t use any network protocol due to insufficient memory. See
“What you need” on page 1-4 for RAM requirements.
FileMaker Pro Server quitting! This disk
is full
FileMaker Pro Server detects that the disk volume is full.
FileMaker Pro Server quitting! Network
initialization failed
(error number)
FileMaker Pro Server is unable to start because of missing required software or
hardware. Check the requirements listed in “What you need” on page 1-4 for more
information.
Quit forced; User username forced to close These messages indicate that, during a shutdown or disconnect operation, the user didn’t
connection (error number)
close the file within the specified time. The user’s connection was then forcibly closed.
TCP/IP network initialization failed; an
unexpected error occurred (error number)
FileMaker Pro Server can’t initialize TCP/IP.
TCP/IP network initialization failed; the
TCP/IP address is already in use or an
address could not be obtained
(error number)
FileMaker Pro Server can’t initialize TCP/IP, because the address specified isn’t
correctly configured or the address isn’t available. Verify the TCP/IP configuration in
the Windows NT Networks control panel. If FileMaker Pro is already running on the
same computer and is set to use TCP/IP, FileMaker Pro Server is prevented from using
the same TCP/IP address. Set FileMaker Pro to use IPX/SPX networking and relaunch
it, quit FileMaker Pro, or run FileMaker Pro Server on a dedicated machine.
A-4 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Message
Explanation
TCP/IP network initialization failed; not
enough memory
There is insufficient memory to use TCP/IP. See “What you need” on page 1-4 for
RAM requirements.
TCP/IP network initialization failed;
protocol is not installed (error number)
FileMaker Pro Server can’t initialize TCP/IP, because the TCP/IP protocol is not
installed or not configured correctly in the Networks control panel. Check the network
installation and setup procedures in the Windows NT documentation and reinstall, if
necessary.
IPX/SPX network initialization failed; an
unexpected error occurred (error number)
FileMaker Pro Server can’t initialize IPX/SPX.
IPX/SPX network initialization failed; not
enough memory
There is insufficient memory to use IPX/SPX. See “What you need” on page 1-4 for
RAM requirements.
IPX/SPX network initialization failed;
protocol is not installed (error number)
FileMaker Pro Server can’t initialize IPX/SPX, because the IPX/SPX protocol is not
installed or not configured correctly in the Networks control panel. Check the network
installation and setup procedures in the Windows NT documentation and reinstall, if
necessary.
User username no longer responding,
connection closed
Written when a connected guest’s computer stops communicating with FileMaker Pro
Server due to a network disruption or a software error.
Using a database cache size of xK
Written at start-up to show how much of the application’s memory is usable for the
database cache (x is replaced by a number). If the Reserve MB of RAM for database cache
is changed in the FileMaker Pro Server control panel, the cache size should change
when FileMaker Pro Server is next started.
Troubleshooting
If a server you know is available doesn’t appear in the FileMaker Pro
Hosts dialog box, try one of the following techniques:
1 Hold down the Ctrl key (on the Windows computer) or Option key
(on Mac OS-based computers) as you click Hosts in the Open dialog
box. Sometimes with high network traffic, FileMaker Pro might not
see the server on the first attempt. Holding down the Ctrl or Option
key forces FileMaker Pro to check the network for a longer period
of time.
1 Verify that the FileMaker Pro Server service is started in the
Windows Services control panel.
1 On a TCP/IP network, you may need to specify the host IP address or
name. Choose Specify Hosts in the TCP/IP Hosts dialog box, then type
in the IP address or the name of the computer running FileMaker Pro
Server.
1 Review the section “Before starting the FileMaker Pro Server
service” on page 2-6.
Technical specifications and optimization A-5
Tip When FileMaker Pro Server behaves unexpectedly, check the log
file to diagnose the problem. See “Examining the FileMaker Pro Server
log file” on page 3-14 and “FileMaker Pro Server log file” on page A-3
for more information.
The following table lists some problems you may encounter when using
FileMaker Pro Server.
Symptom
Suggested solution or explanation
A FileMaker Pro guest using IPX can’t find Verify that IPX networking software is properly installed. Verify that the host and
FileMaker Pro Server databases on
guest are using the same frame type. Verify that FileMaker Pro Server control panel is
the network.
set to use the IPX/SPX network protocol (or both IPX/SPX and TCP/IP).
A FileMaker Pro guest using TCP/IP can’t
find FileMaker Pro Server databases on
the network.
Verify that TCP/IP networking software is properly installed on the host and guest
computers. In the Hosts dialog box, use the Specify Hosts button to enter the host IP
address. Ping the host address to verify the network is working properly. Verify that
FileMaker Pro Server control panel is set to use the TCP/IP network protocol (or both
IPX/SPX and TCP/IP).
A FileMaker Pro guest using AppleTalk
can’t find FileMaker Pro Server databases
on the network.
AppleTalk is not supported by FileMaker Pro Server for Windows NT.
Dates or calculations involving dates aren’t If the database file with the incorrect dates uses the Today function to calculate the
updating correctly in database files opened dates, use the Status (Current Date) function (instead of the Today function) to update
by FileMaker Pro Server.
the dates correctly. See “Using the Today function with FileMaker Pro Server” on page
3-14 for more information.
Guests using the IPX/SPX protocol can’t
see FileMaker Pro Server databases.
This is generally caused by using an incorrect frame type on the server or guest
machine. To change the frame type on Windows NT or Windows 95, you must change
the configuration of the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol in the Network control panel.
See your Windows documentation for more details. To change the frame type used by
a FileMaker Pro for Windows 3.x guest, refer to the Novell NetWare documentation.
To change the frame type on a Mac OS computer, open the MacIPX control panel,
double-click the Ethernet icon and deselect the “Auto-Configure Frame Type” option.
Select the appropriate frame type. For Mac OS users without an Ethernet or an Token
Ring card, who are using the built-in LocalTalk port, load and bind the MacIPX
Gateway software on the NetWare server.
Receive “Communication with the host was The guest has been disconnected from a database by FileMaker Pro Server because the
interrupted and could not be re-established” guest didn’t comply with a request from FileMaker Pro Server to close a database. (See
message on guest computer.
“Closing a FileMaker Pro file” on page 3-6). Another reason communication between
the host and guest may have been disrupted is due to a hardware failure (lost network
connection) or a software connection time-out (no response from guest for a given
period of time). The latter could be caused by a screen saver, debugger, or
processor-intensive operation.
Receive “File could not be opened: database
may be damaged; try opening in non-Server
version of FileMaker Pro” message when
trying to open a file in FileMaker Pro Server
(or in log file).
The file may be damaged and needs to be opened in FileMaker Pro 3.0. Start the
FileMaker Pro application, open the file, and follow any instructions on your screen.
(See appendix A of the FileMaker Pro User’s Guide for more information on
recovering files.) Then try opening the file with FileMaker Pro Server again.
A-6 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
Symptom
Suggested solution or explanation
Receive “File could not be opened: must be
set to Multi-User in FileMaker Pro”
message when trying to open a file in
FileMaker Pro Server (or in log file).
FileMaker Pro Server can’t open files set to Single-User. Open the file in the
FileMaker Pro application and choose Single-User from the File menu to switch the file
to multiuser status. Note that you must use IPX with FileMaker Pro on the same
computer as FileMaker Pro Server, since the two applications cannot use the same IP
address with the TCP/IP protocol simultaneously.
Receive “<Server Name> is no longer
available or the host capacity has been
exceeded” message on guest computer.
The FileMaker Pro Server service has shut down or you reached the maximum
allowable connections or guests on FileMaker Pro Server. Verify that the service is
running or increase the number of guests allowed in the FileMaker Pro Server control
panel (see “Setting the maximum number of guests” on page 2-2).
Receive “Host capacity exceeded” message You reached the maximum allowable connections or guests on FileMaker Pro Server.
on guest computer.
Increase the number of guests allowed in the FileMaker Pro Server control panel (see
“Configuring the FileMaker Pro Server control panel” on page 2-1).
Unable to administer FileMaker Pro Server Check that Remote administration is enabled in the FileMaker Pro Server control panel.
See “Specifying a password for remote administration” on page 2-4 for more
remotely using FileMaker Pro.
information.
Unable to install FileMaker Pro Server.
Check hardware and software requirements listed in “What you need” on page 1-4 to
ensure your equipment and software are compatible. Be sure to log in with
administrative privileges.
Unable to start FileMaker Pro Server.
Check hardware and software requirements listed in “What you need” on page 1-4 to
ensure your equipment and software are compatible. Also check the FileMaker Pro
Server log file for a description of why FileMaker Pro Server couldn’t start. (See
“Examining the FileMaker Pro Server log file” on page 3-14 and “FileMaker Pro
Server log file” on page A-3 for more information.)
I-1
Index
A
Access privileges 1-5, 2-5
Administer dialog box
accessing 3-1
described 3-1 to 3-3
italic text in 3-7, 3-9
viewing guests or files 3-4
Administering
closing files 3-6
disconnecting guests 3-8
from different platforms 1-5
from server 3-11
hosting files 3-5
opening files 3-5
sending messages 3-9
setting passwords for 2-4
using command line 3-11 to 3-12
viewing usage statistics 3-3
AppleTalk, not supported A-5
described 2-1
maximum number of files 2-3
maximum number of guests 2-2
memory considerations 2-1
remote administration
password 2-4
specifying host name 2-4
Control panel
FileMaker Pro Server 2-2
Services 2-8, 3-10
Windows 1-7
Controlling FileMaker Pro Server. See
Administering
Cross-platform issues 1-5
Custom name. See Host name
Customizing FileMaker Pro Server.
See Configuring FileMaker Pro
Server
D
B
Backing up database files 3-13
C
Cache. See Database cache
Close command 3-11
Closing files
See also Administering;
Disconnecting guests; FileMaker
Pro Server; Files; Stopping
FileMaker Pro Server
described 3-6
from command line 3-11
Coffee cup icon 3-13
Command line 3-11 to 3-12
examples 3-12
sample files 3-12
troubleshooting 3-12
using 3-11
Compression, database files 2-7,
3-13, A-3
Configuring FileMaker Pro Server
amount of RAM 2-3
choosing network protocols 2-5
Database cache
See also FileMaker Pro Server log
file; Memory
cache hits and swaps 3-3
log file message A-3, A-4
size of, in log file 3-14
Database files. See Files
Dates, incorrect calculation 3-14, A-5
Dedicated host 1-1, 1-6
Deleting. See Uninstalling software
Dimmed icon, in Hosts dialog
box 2-4, 3-2
Disconnecting guests
See also Administering; Guests
described 3-8
troubleshooting A-5
DOS command line 3-11 to 3-12
E
Errors. See FileMaker Pro Server log
file; Troubleshooting
Exiting FileMaker Pro Server 3-10
Extensions, filename 3-6, 3-12
F
File sharing 1-5, A-2
FileMaker Pro
See also Files; Administration
administering FileMaker Pro
Server from 1-5, 3-1
and FileMaker Pro Server
passwords in 2-5
Today function A-5
using with 1-2, 3-1, A-2
closing files 3-6, 3-11
Hosts dialog box 3-2
opening files from server 3-11
opening files in 3-5
FileMaker Pro Server
See also Administering;
Configuring
activities
pausing 3-11
resuming 3-11
tracking 3-3, 3-14
automatic file hosting A-2
closing files 3-6, 3-11
control panel 2-2
customizing 2-1
described 1-1
FileMaker Pro
compared with 1-3
using with 1-2, 3-1
files, best location 2-6
guests per file A-1
icon, in Hosts dialog box 3-2
installing 1-6
maximums A-1
memory, changing 2-3
network requirements 1-5
optimization A-2
performance tips A-2
remote administration 3-1
security 2-4
starting 2-7, 3-11
stopping 3-10, 3-11
system requirements 1-4
technical specifications A-1
tracking activities 3-3
troubleshooting A-4
uninstalling 1-8
I-2 FileMaker Pro Server Administrator’s Guide
FileMaker Pro Server log file
See also Database cache; Files;
Optimization; Performance;
Troubleshooting
described 3-14
fmsrvexs.txt file 3-14
fmsrvlas.txt file 3-14
fmsrvlog.txt file 3-14
messages A-3
saving 3-14
Files
automatic start-up 1-2
backing up 3-13
can’t open A-6
closing
from Administer dialog
box 3-6
from command line 3-11
compression 2-7, 3-13, A-3
described 1-6
DOS filenames 3-12
double-clicking 2-7
filename extensions 3-6, 3-12
filename length A-1
limits A-1
location 2-6
maximum number 2-3, A-1
maximum size A-1
multiuser files 2-6, A-6
opening FileMaker Pro 3-5, 3-11
resetting data 3-14
restricting access to 2-4, 2-5
single-user files 2-6, A-6
size A-1
viewing open 3-3 to 3-5
FMServer
folder 1-6
icon 1-7
Fmsrvexs.txt file 3-14
Fmsrvlas.txt file 3-14
Fmsrvlog.txt file 3-14
Folders, described 1-6
Found sets, optimizing performance
with A-2
Frame types A-5
G
Groups, FileMaker Pro 2-5
Guests
disconnecting 3-8
maximum number 2-2, A-1
sending messages 3-9
troubleshooting A-6
viewing current 3-3 to 3-4
H
Hardware requirements
networking 1-5
performance A-2
system 1-4
Host name
dimmed 3-2
maximum length A-1
setting 2-4
unavailable A-4
Hosting files
See also Administering; FileMaker
Pro Server; Files; Guests; Remote
administration
closing files 3-6
described 3-5
errors A-6
from command line 3-11
maximum number 2-3
sending messages to guests 3-9
troubleshooting A-6
Hosts dialog box
dimmed icon 2-4, 3-2
host name 2-4, 3-2, A-4
italic text 3-2
I, J, K
Icon, FileMaker Pro Server 1-7
Installing FileMaker Pro Server 1-6 to
1-8
file descriptions 1-6
troubleshooting A-6
Intel-compatible systems 1-4
IP address A-4
IPX/SPX
hosting with 1-5, 2-5
incorrect frame types A-5
troubleshooting A-5
Italic text. See Administer dialog box;
Hosts dialog box
L
Limits for files and usage A-1
Log file. See FileMaker Pro Server log
file
M
Mac OS, administering from 1-5
Maximum number of files
described A-1
setting 2-3
Maximum number of guests
See also Database cache; Guests
described A-1
setting 2-2
troubleshooting A-6
Maximums, for files and usage A-1
Memory
See also Database cache; Hardware
requirements; Optimization;
Performance
adjusting 2-3
Messages
See also Sending messages
FileMaker Pro Server log file A-3
sending to guests 3-9
Multiuser files. See Files
N
Network traffic and performance A-2
Networks
See also Troubleshooting
choosing protocols 2-5
initialization failure A-3
mixed networks 1-5, 2-5
requirements 1-5
searching with speed keys A-4
troubleshooting A-5
NOS (network operating system) 1-5
O
Open command 3-11
Opening FileMaker Pro Server. See
Starting FileMaker Pro Server
Opening files 3-5, 3-11
Optimization A-2
See also Memory; Troubleshooting
Index I-3
P
S
Password, for remote administration
entering 3-2
maximum length A-1
specifying 2-4
Passwords, for FileMaker Pro
files 2-5
Path, for installed files 1-6
Pause command 3-11
Pausing activities 3-11
Performance A-2
See also Memory;
Troubleshooting
Preferences. See Configuring
Protocols, network
setting 2-5
supported 1-5
Sample files 1-6, 3-12
Schedules. See Backing up
Screen saver software A-2
Security 2-4, 2-5
Sending messages
See also Administering; Messages
closing files 3-6
disconnecting guests 3-8
to guests 3-9
Server name. See Host name
Services control panel 1-7, 2-8, 3-10
Setting up FileMaker Pro Server 2-1
Single-user files. See Files
Sorting and performance A-2
Specify Hosts button A-4
Start command 3-11
Starting FileMaker Pro Server 3-11
considerations 2-6
described 2-7
troubleshooting A-6
Statistics
in log file 3-14
usage 3-3
Status (Current Date) function 3-15
Stop command 3-11
Stopping FileMaker Pro Server 3-10
See also Closing files;
Disconnecting guests
Summary reports A-2
Swaps, cache 3-3
System requirements. See Hardware
requirements; Memory;
Troubleshooting
Q
Quitting FileMaker Pro Server 3-10
R
RAM. See Memory
Remote administration
described 3-1
enabling/disabling 2-4
hosting files 3-5
opening FileMaker Pro Server 3-2
opening files 3-5
password
entering 3-2
setting 2-4
troubleshooting A-6
Removing software 1-8
Replacing data, and performance A-2
Requirements
network 1-5
system requirements 1-4
Resume command 3-11
Resuming activity 3-11
RISC systems 1-4
T
TCP/IP
host address A-4
hosting with 1-5, 2-5
troubleshooting A-5
Technical specifications A-1
See also FileMaker Pro Server;
Optimization; Performance
Tips. See Optimization; Performance;
Troubleshooting
Today function 3-14, A-5
Transactions, log file 3-14
Troubleshooting A-4 to A-6
See also FileMaker Pro Server log
file; Hardware requirements;
Networks; Optimization;
Performance
U
Uninstalling FileMaker Pro
Server 1-8
Unselectable icon, in Hosts dialog
box 2-4
Usage statistics
log file 3-14
viewing 3-3
Users. See Guests
V
Viewing
current guests 3-4
log file 3-14
open files 3-4
usage statistics 3-3
W, X, Y, Z
Windows NT
filesharing A-2
scheduling backups 3-13
shutting down 3-10
Windows, administering from 1-5