FileMaker Databases

On this tab you can find a list of all the FileMaker database files that are on the server. You can upload new database files to the FileMaker Server from here as well.

Uploading Files

Click the Upload button to upload one or more database files to the server.

OttoFMS uses a resumable uploader to allow you to upload very large files. If the upload is interrupted, simply select the same file again and the upload will resume from where it left off.

After the files are uploaded, OttoFMS will automatically open the files for you. If you upload an encrypted file, you must open the file manually and enter the encryption password.

File Actions

Click the three dots on the right to see the options for the database. You can use the menu to open, close, pause, resume, download, encrypt, or delete the database file.

OttoFMS can download a hosted FileMaker file without needing to close it first. When you download a file from this interface, OttoFMS makes an ad-hoc backup of the file and then downloads the backup. When you download a clone, no data is included which can often result in a much smaller file size.

Files can be managed en masse by selecting multiple files and using the buttons at the top of the list.

Renaming Files

In OttoFMS version 4.4.0 and later, you can rename files by clicking the three dots on the right of the file and selecting "Rename". This will open a dialog where you can enter a new name for the file.

Renaming a file will close the file, change the filename, and reopen the file. This allows you to quickly rename files without having to download a copy and rename it locally. This function does not currently handle external file references or other places that reference the file name.

Save As XML

You can use the Save As XML option to generate an XML representation of the database. Full Access credentials are required to generate the XML, then the XML file is downloaded to your computer. You can optionally save the XML file to the server Documents folder as well. The XML contains a timestamp so you can compare two versions of the same database to see what has changed using a tool like FMComparison (opens in a new tab).

File Encryption

Servers running FileMaker Server 20.3 or higher can encrypt and decrypt files right from the OttoFMS console.

To encrypt a file, click the Encrypt option in the file menu. You will be prompted to enter a password for the encryption as well as an account and sharedId for the file.

To decrypt a file, click the Decrypt option in the file menu. You will be prompted to enter the password you used to encrypt the file and an account to use for running the decryption.