Live File Copy
Duplicates a currently hosted .fmp12 file on the same server under a new name. It is the Live File Transfer flow without the second server: the live file is paused, a local copy is taken with the new name, and the file is resumed — typically a few seconds.
Primary use: Create an ad-hoc scratch or reference copy of a hosted file without touching another server.
All pages in this flow show an Experimental warning banner.
Copies never overwrite. There is no overwrite option in this flow. The new name must not match any file already hosted on the server (checked live as you type, again at launch, and once more against the filesystem immediately before the copy runs), and it must differ from the source file’s name.
The wizard has three steps:
1. Select a client
Choose the client group. Any group with a server you can access is shown (no deploy chain is required, since the copy never leaves the server).
2. Select the server and file
Select the server, then click Load databases to list its hosted .fmp12 files. Select the file to copy. Production servers are labelled with a red production badge.
3. Review and confirm
A summary card shows the client, server, and the hosted file to be copied, followed by:
- Disk space card — the copy’s projected impact on the server’s databases volume, governed by the disk-capacity policy: above 90% projected usage the Run button stays disabled until you tick the acknowledgement, and above 95% the copy is refused.
- Name of the copy — pre-filled with a non-colliding default (
Name_copy.fmp12,Name_copy2.fmp12, …). As you type, a live check against the server’s file list blocks the Run button on any collision or a name equal to the source. - Open database after copying — optionally have FileMaker Server open the copy immediately. For encrypted files, supply the EAR key or leave it blank to fetch the per-host key from 1Password automatically. The key is never stored.
Production confirmation
If the server is a production server, a red warning banner explains that the live file will be paused while the copy is taken (users cannot write to it during that time), the Run button is red, and a click-through confirmation modal appears before anything runs.
During the copy
The progress page streams live status: pausing the source, copying, resuming, and (optionally) opening the copy. Cancelling removes any partial copy and resumes the source file. The source file is never left paused — even when the copy fails, the flow always resumes it.
History
Completed copies appear under the Copies tab of the History page, showing the server, source file, new copy name, the user, and the result (OK / Failed / Cancelled).