FileMaker FAQs and Best Practice

This article includes the best practices and FAQs for FileMaker's centrally hosted databases.
Dartmouth has 3 FileMaker servers:

• Filemaker1.dartmouth.edu (non disc, web direct enabled,if needed)
• Filemaker2.dartmouth.edu (disc level)
• Filemaker3.dartmouth.edu (disc level)

Best Practices

• Who can use Dartmouth's centrally hosted FileMaker servers?
  • A&S Faculty/Staff and some Geisel Departments
• What are the requirements to host a database on FileMaker's centrally hosted servers?
  • A&S Faculty/Staff Your device must be enrolled in DAP, please see this article: How to determine if a device is enrolled in DAP to verify
  • Geisel Medical school devices are not required to be enrolled
    • Please escalate these requests to the Client Solutions Engineer team. 
• How do I set up my database to be hosted?
  • Please visit the Securing a FileMaker database KBA
  • Follow the steps and your Service Desk team will be able to assist you
• My Department already has FileMaker databases how do I connect?
  • Please have the database owner submit a request for your access including which database and host(if known) and what groups you need to be added to.
  • The Service Desk team will add your account to the OIM role that will license you for the software and the groups specified in your ticket request.
  • Once the access has been granted you should be able to install the licensed version of Filemaker (v19 currently) from the Software Center
  • After installation, please connect to your hosted database by visiting this KBA
    • The database owner for your department should know which host you need to connect to. If not we can help 
    • Your credentials are typically your netID and Dartmouth password.
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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​FileMaker FAQ:

Can I publish my database with Webdirect?

• FileMaker offers the ability to publish a FileMaker database to the web so that people can access the database without having the client installed.
• There are limitations to accessing a FileMaker database via the web. 
  • FileMaker databases that contain sensitive or confidential (disc level) data should NOT be published on the web
  • Filemaker1.dartmouth.edu(non-disc) is the only database that can use Webdirect 
    • filemaker.dartmouth.edu is the link to access web-enabled databases

My database font displays Wingdings, what should I do?
Occasionally Windows OS databases may experience a problem where suddenly every FileMaker layout item turns into a font that looks like Wingdings.

Some of the possible fixes by doing the following:

• Update to the latest version of Adobe Reader.
• Delete the Windows font cache at C:\Windows\System32\FNTCACHE.DAT and restart the machine.
• Delete the Adobe cache inside C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\acrord32_sbx\
• Use a zoom level other than 100%.

In most cases deleting the Font Cache resolves the issue.​​​​​​​

I have to Restart ODBC/JDBC Process, how do I do that?

Cause:
The process fmxdbc_listener.exe fails

Open a command prompt

1. Enter telnet servername 2399
2. If this returns an error then ODBC is down and you can proceed
3. Open a web browser and enter http://servername.dartmouth.edu:16000/ and launch the admin console
4. Under Configuration select ODBC/JBDC
5. Un-check the box Enable ODBC/JDBC
6. Click Save in the lower right corner of the admin console
7. Wait 30-60 seconds
8. Check the box Enable ODBC/JDBC
9. Click Save in the lower right corner of the admin console
10. Open a command prompt
11. Enter telnet servername 2399
12. This should now accept a connection, confirming the issue is resolved

1. Alternatively, you may launch the application fmxdbc_listener.exe from C:\Program Files (x86)\FileMaker\FileMaker Server\Database Server\Extensions\xDBC Support
2. This will open a command window which will need to stay open until the server can be rebooted