FAQ / Support

In a system with fewer than 40 users, the M-Files server can be run on a server meeting the Windows operating system requirements. The higher the number of concurrent users, the more is required of the hardware. Free space requirements depend on the number of documents and other objects. The version history, however, does not expand the disk space requirement in linear fashion, because M-Files Server saves the data in the form of changes between different versions.

The M-Files server and its document vault can be easily transferred to another server machine as system requirements increase.

The M-Files server is used to save important data, so it is very important to take care of backup procedures. A regular backup should be made of each document vault and master database on the server. Backups are easy to set up via the scheduled jobs in the M-Files Server Administrator application. We recommend setting M-Files to run backups every night.

Each backup produces files that should be transferred to a safe place.

Example: Your organisation has a separate disk server. The master database and document vault backups are run on the M-Files server every night using the scheduled jobs. The jobs are set up so that each produces a single file that replaces the older one. Backup files are set to be transferred to the disk server and from there to a tape drive. In the event of problems, like hardware failure, the backups allow quickly returning M-Files to working order.

For more information about new, version-specific M-Files features, refer to the M-Files Web site http://www.m-files.com/

M-Files includes a function allowing it to check for updates. When a new M-Files version is released, the M-Files installation notices it automatically via the automatic updates. In this case, the upgrade is downloaded to the user’s computer, and the user can install it when doing so is convenient.

Automatic updates are a useful way to keep your software up to date. However, many system administrators opt to disable such functionality, because in larger organisations it is easier to handle updates in a centralized manner. Therefore, automatic updates can be disabled. The feature obtains the latest update information from the update server using HTTP on TCP port 80. This means that normally you do not need to change any firewall settings.

The cause of the problem can be either authentication or the network connection. If there are problems with the network connection, an error message usually reveals the cause of the problem.

As regards authentication, there can be a few problems that should be solved by making the following checks. First check that you have an active login account in M-Files Server Administrator and that a user has been created for the login account in the document vault. Then ensure that your password is correct. After this, check that you are using the authentication method (Windows/M-Files) specified for your login account. You can see your authentication method in the Authentication column in the login accounts.

If the problem cannot be solved, contact your M-Files system administrator.

You cannot edit the document because it has been checked out by another user who has not yet checked the document back in. This is to prevent the creation of several different copies in M-Files.

With system administrator permissions, the document can be forced to be checked in, but the changes made to the document during the checkout will then be lost.

On the Properties tab in the detailed search, specify document as the object type, your own login account as the user, select = as the operator, and perform the search. You can also create a view that shows only the documents you have created.

When filling in the metadata card, select Only for me in the Permissions field.

If you are a regular M-Files user, you can add properties while filling in the metadata card. You can use the More Properties button in the document card to add a new property for the document.

Please note that this property is only added to this particular proposal document, not all documents in the Proposal class. If you want to add a property to all documents in the Proposal document class, go to the Classes level in M-Files Server Administrator, highlight the Proposal class, and select Properties from the shortcut menu. The Class Properties window should now be displayed.

You can add properties for the class by clicking the Add button. If the desired property cannot be found in the list, you can create it on the Property Definitions level.

The file became a temporary local file in the document vault. You can convert the temporary local file to a document.

You can add values to a value list while filling in the document card. The Add New Value function can be found in the metadata card by clicking the arrow button to the right of the property. This function is available only if it has been defined in the value list properties that regular users can add new values to this list. If you are an M-Files system administrator, go to the Value Lists level in M-Files Server Administrator, highlight the Customers value list, and select Properties from the shortcut menu. The Value List Properties window should now be displayed. Click the View/Edit Contents button and add a new customer to the list. If you are a regular M-Files user, check with the system administrator that the Allow users to add new values to this list box is checked in the Value List Properties window. If the value list is object-type-based, the value list is edited through the object type. In this case, the new object type Customer object (e.g., a new customer for the customer database) is created using the Explore M-Files interface.

Move to the view level in the document vault. Select New View from the shortcut menu. The Define View window should now be displayed. Click the Add button, select Item from list ‘Customer’ from the property pull-down menu, and click OK.

Go to the Users level in M-Files Server Administrator. Select the New User function from the shortcut menu. The User Properties window should now be displayed. The Login account name pull-down menu shows all login accounts that have not been added to the document vault. If you want to create an entirely new login account, click to create one, then click OK.

Specify the permissions for the new user, click Apply and then OK.

Each user has the Checked Out to Me view, and it cannot be destroyed. However, the view may have been hidden. To display hidden views: In the view window, select the Unhide Views function from the shortcut menu. Then select the hidden view from the list and click Unhide. You can hide views by highlighting the view and selecting Hide View from the View menu.

You can use M-Files programmatically with M-Files Application Programming Interface (M-Files API). You can, e.g., generate reports or integrate M-Files into your applications by using it. For further documentation, see the Documentation folder in the M-Files installation folder (Start -> Programs -> M-Files -> Documentation). The M-Files API is a COM/ActiveX component providing the M-Files server with an application programming interface.

If documents are checked out to the client in question when its name changes, edited information can easily be lost. This is because checkouts are user- and computer-specific. The computer is identified by its name. After the name is changed, M-Files considers the checkouts to belong to another computer and does not allow the user to access the edited information.

Check in all documents and items from the computer before changing the computer’s name.

In addition to this FAQ, you can look for help in the M-Files Getting Started guide or consult your organisation’s M-Files system administrator. Also remember that the M-Files upgrade agreement covers technical support. Technical support does not provide instructions on the use of the software.

More information can be found at http://www.m-files.com