how to, FileMaker Pro as a Windows 2000 service and default TCP Port

[ioki]

howdy all,

before everyone point me to the web companion link in FileMaker pro, please take a moment to read why i am asking this question.

1) i have FileMaker pro embedded in the windows 2000 services listing, so that filemaker pro will start automatically and run as a pretend service and this works just fine.
2) i now have a requirement to run FileMaker Pro on a port other then port 80 or HTTP
3) i shutdown the FileMaker pro service and start FileMaker Pro as an application from the start button and choose the database that is being published and choose the correct database that is referenced in the service listing
4) change the port number from 80 to 8080
5) keeping the application running, i verify that i can connect to the FileMaker pro published DB on

http://<hostname>:8080

and nothing on port 80 which is exactly what i want
6) stop the application and verify once more that neither port 80 or 8080 is responding to requests
7) start the FileMaker Pro service from Services.mmc in windows 2000
8) NOW i find, port 8080 is still not responding to my requet BUT port 80 IS!!!! which is not what i was looking for
9) shutdown the service and restart the application and now i find the answer is now reversed, ie port 8080 is now the connection port and port 80 is not responding
10) stop application and start service once more and once again, port 80 is serving requests and port 8080 is NOT.

so how can i change to port 8080 for the file make pro service startup? is there some magic configuration file or a startup switch i've missed?

the following is from the registry showing the command line used to start FileMaker pro as a service:

&quot;C:\Progra~1\FileMa~1\FileMa~1\FileMa~1.exe&quot; &quot;C:\Progra~1\FileMa~1\Database\Contact.fp5&quot;

and also, i've started up FileMake Pro as an application using the exact same script as above and when its an application, it happily does what its suppose to do, listen on port 8080!!

help!!

thanx in advance

 

[lebisol]

http-alt 8080 HTTP Alternate
8081-8059 Unassigned

being that port 8080 is alternative....u might have another (like IIS) service running or....I would try using port 8081 to test......u can also run regedit and assing the port through it (in case FM is failing to do it through its GUI)
regedit:
HKEY_USERS/xxxx-xxxx-xxxxx-x/Software/FileMaker/FileMaker Pro/Web and edit &quot;Port&quot; entry in Decimal of easier perspective.
I hope this helps....

> need more info?
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[lebisol]

also try running it all from &quot;Startup&quot; vs. service
just make a shortcut:

"C:\Program Files\FileMaker\FileMaker Pro 6\FileMaker Pro.exe" C:\DB\_start.fp5

and drop it in startup folder...see how that goes...
all the best!


> need more info?
:: don't click HERE ::

 

[ioki]

dear lebisol,

thanx for the registry tip...i didn't know about that little gotcha.

i did figure out a solution for my issue tho.

i've overlooked the fact that all services in windows NT/2000/2003 are executed under a specific user profile/environment and the &quot;System&quot; user was being used to start up FileMaker pro application as a service, at the same time, i was running the stand alone FileMaker Pro as myself, thus what ever configuration change i was making to FileMaker Pro, it was not applicable to the system user profile or environment.

therefore:

1) created a user in Windows AD specifically for the purpose of starting FileMaker Pro
2) logged onto the server as the FileMaker Pro user
3) configured stand alone version of FileMaker Pro with say port 9999
4) logged FileMaker Pro the user out of the server to apply the configurations to the user's environment
5) started the FileMaker Pro service and VOILA... it all works now as i now can see my contact database from a browser on port 9999

for anyone interested on how to add FileMaker Pro application or any other applications as a Windows Service, please see the following link:

http://www.digitalanswers.org/fmpnt.html

and thank you lebisol for the registry suggestion, i shall be testing that one out!!!

ioki

 

[lebisol]

sure thing...and good luck with it!
note:
In the left-hand pane of Regedit, click on the key you wish to backup.
Click Registry| Export Registry File
Save the selected branch to a safe location as type *.reg. That *.reg file is now a backup of the key.
To restore a key after you have changed it, simply double-click the saved *.reg file.
;-)

> need more info?
:: don't click HERE ::