Using the AutoUpdate feature of FileMaker Server

Page last updated August 5th, 2008: updated for new URL Plug-in version.

The AutoUpdate feature of FileMaker Server 9 (and FileMaker Server 7 and 8) can help you automate installing and updating plug-ins automatically. We created an example file to get you started and give preformatted TAR versions of our plug-ins.

New location for auto-updated plug-ins in FileMaker 9

Please note that auto-updated plug-ins from FileMaker Server 9 are downloaded to new locations under the current user's application data folder:

• Windows XP:
  C:\Document Settings\User Name\Local Settings\Application Data\FileMaker\Extensions
• Windows Vista:
  C:\Users\User Name\AppData\Local\FileMaker\Extensions
• Mac OS X:
  Macintosh HD:Users:User Name:Library:Application Support:FileMaker:Extensions

This avoids problems of users not having write access to the application folder.
Both FileMaker Pro and Pro Advanced will load plug-ins from the Extensions folder in the application folder before loading from the current user's FileMaker Extensions folder.

TIP If you use auto-update and install plug-ins manually: it can be a good idea to install all the (3rd party) plug-ins in the same FileMaker\Extensions folder inside the user's application data folder.

Use the latest versions of our tarred plug-ins

Previous versions (released in 2006) of our Universal plug-ins (only on Mac OS X) did not work with AutoUpdate on FileMaker Server 8.0v4. The versions listed below all should work with FileMaker Server 8.0v4 (or later).

What you need

Instructions can be found in the download. You need the example and (on Mac OS only) a tar formatted plug-in.

NOTE AutoUpdate does not work with classic plug-ins on Mac OS X. These plug-ins have a resource fork, which will be lost in the AutoUpdate process. This seems to be a bug in the AutoUpdate plug-in itself. We don't have a solution for this.

Download Troi AutoUpdate Example 7.0.5

This 7.0.5 example version includes Auto Update records for all our native plug-ins. This download has not been changed to reflect the release of FileMaker 9, but should work fine. Please choose one of the following links to start download:

	Size 108 Kb, Sitted Click here to download troi_auto_update7.0.5.dmg
	Size 108 Kb, Zipped Click here to download troi_auto_update705.zip

Download tar formatted plug-ins for FileMaker Server 9 to 7

Please choose the plug-ins in tar format, that you need.
NB: No examples and other documentation are in these downloads. See the respective plug-in pages for this.

	Troi Activator Plug-in 2.6, size 285 Kb, Zipped Click here to download activator-plugin-26-tar.zip
	Troi Dialog Plug-in 5.0, size 424 Kb, Zipped Click here to download dialog-plugin50-tar.zip
	Troi Encryptor Plug-in 2.5.2, size 300 Kb, Zipped Click here to download encryptor-plugin252-tar.zip
	Troi File Plug-in 4.5.1, size 384 Kb, Zipped Click here to download troi-file-plugin451-tar.zip
	Troi Serial Plug-in 3.0.2, size 240 Kb, Zipped Click here to download troi-serial-plug-in3.0.2-tar.zip
	Troi Text Plug-in 3.0.1, size 272 Kb, Zipped Click here to download troi-text-plugin3.0.1-tar.zip
	Troi URL Plug-in 2.0.3, size 260 Kb, Zipped Click here to download troi-url-plugin203-tar.zip

Classic Auto Update feature of FileMaker Server 5.5

We still have available an example file for older version of FileMaker. The original Auto update feature introduced with FileMaker Server 5.5 can help you automate installing and updating plug-ins automatically. Sanne (Utrecht, The Netherlands) developed an example file, which she graciously let us use. Thanks!

What you need

• The plug-in you want to use: Windows-version as well as the Macintosh-version
• The file: 'AutoPluginInstall.fp5' from the Download.
• A computer as network-user, FileMaker Pro 5.5 installed
• A computer as server, FileMaker Server 5.5 installed

More instructions can be found in the example file.

Download Sanne's Auto Update Install Example file

Please choose one of the following links to start download:

	Size 192 Kb, Bin Hexed Click here to download Sanne's auto-update-install-1.0.hqx
	Size 168 Kb, Zipped Click here to download Sanne's autoupdateinstall10.zip

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