Running FileMaker scripts

FileMaker Server can run FileMaker scripts that are created in hosted databases. You create a schedule to run a FileMaker script schedule, specify the database and the FileMaker account to use to run the script, choose a script created in the database, and specify when to run the script. FileMaker scripts that run on FileMaker Server can do simple or complex tasks such as:

  • perform a field recalculation across all records

  • process and archive new transactions nightly

  • remove duplicate records before a scheduled backup

You use the Script Workspace in FileMaker Pro to build scripts by selecting from a list of FileMaker Pro commands, called script steps, and specifying options. To run a FileMaker script on FileMaker Server:

  • The script should include only script steps that are supported in a FileMaker Server script schedule.

  • The script must be defined in a database file that is hosted on FileMaker Server. The script schedule you create to run the script must be on the same FileMaker Server deployment as the hosted database file. See Hosting databases.

For information about creating FileMaker scripts with script steps that are supported in a FileMaker Server script schedule, and how server-side scripts run, see Claris Pro and FileMaker Pro Help.

Notes 

  • You can select End the schedule if the timeout is reached to stop the FileMaker script schedule if the script takes longer to run than the specified time limit, or if the Database Server stops. If you do not select this option and a FileMaker script stops responding, you can stop the script on the Databases page by stopping the script shown in the clients list. See Disconnecting clients from FileMaker Server.

  • Some script steps have options that are skipped, such as an option to show a dialog box. The Event.log file contains detailed information about errors or script steps that are skipped when FileMaker Server runs FileMaker scripts. See Viewing and downloading log files.

  • For server-side FileMaker scripts, the Get(AccountName) function initially returns the account name that the script was run under (specified when the schedule is created).

  • FileMaker Server only: If you run a FileMaker script that uses the import ODBC script with a third-party ODBC driver, you need to use the 64-bit version of the ODBC driver. For a script that runs on the server, only 64-bit ODBC drivers are supported.

  • To change the limit for the number of simultaneous Perform Script on Server script step sessions, use the following CLI command:

    fmsadmin set serverconfig scriptsessions=number

    where number is between 0 and 500. See Using the command line interface.

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