Install Plug-In File

Installs or updates a plug-in file from a container field onto your computer.

Options 

Specify target field specifies the container field with the plug-in that you want to install or update. If no field is specified, FileMaker Pro installs the plug-in in the current container field in the active table.

Originated in version 

12.0

Description 

You must insert the plug-in in a container field before you can install or update the plug-in. See Insert File or Installing plug-ins.

Only FileMaker plug-in files can be installed. If a non-plug-in file is located in the target or active container field, no action takes place when the script runs. The plug-in extension must be .fmx64 (Windows), .fmplugin (macOS), or .fmx (Linux).

Compressed plug-in files in ZIP format or plug-in files in TAR format can’t be installed.

You can use the Get(InstalledFMPlugins) function to identify the name, version, and enabled state of an installed plug-in. This function can help you determine whether the installed plug-in is newer or older than the plug-in required by the solution file. See Get(InstalledFMPlugins) or Get(InstalledFMPluginsAsJSON).

Plug-ins must be enabled in the plug-in preferences for FileMaker Pro to recognize them. If the Install Plug-In File script step installs a plug-in update but the plug-in is disabled in the plug-in preferences, FileMaker Pro installs the update but does not enable the plug-in. See Setting plug-in preferences.

For files hosted by FileMaker Server, the server administrator must enable the Install Plug-In File script step in Admin Console. See Claris Server and FileMaker Server Help.

Notes 

• The system administrator can use the personalization file during an installation on multiple computers to disable plug-ins and prevent plug-in updates from installing in FileMaker Pro. See FileMaker Pro Network Install Setup Guide.

• This script step is not supported in server-side scripts performed by a FileMaker Cloud host.

Example 1 

Installs the Video plug-in.

Show Custom Dialog ["Do you want to install the latest version of the Video Plug-In?"]
If [Get ( LastMessageChoice ) = 1]
    Install Plug-In File[Plugins::Video]
End If

Example 2

Installs a plug-in from the appropriate container field based on the operating system and hardware architecture of the system where this script is run.

Set Variable [ $plugin_json ; Value: Get ( InstalledFMPluginsAsJSON ) ]
Set Variable [ $arch ; Value: JSONGetElement ( $plugin_json ; "environment.architecture" ) ]
Set Variable [ $platform ; Value: GetAsNumber ( JSONGetElement ( $plugin_json ; "environment.platform" ) ) ]

# macOS
If [ $platform = 1 ]
    If [ $arch = "arm64" ]
        # Apple silicon
        Install Plug-In File [ Plugins::macOS_Universal ] 
    Else If [ $arch = "x86_64" and IsEmpty ( Plugins::macOS_Universal ) ]
        # Intel and no Universal plug-in available
        Install Plug-In File [ Plugins::macOS_Intel ] 
    Else
        # Intel and Universal plug-in available
        Install Plug-In File [ Plugins::macOS_Universal ] 
    End If
    Exit Script [ Text Result: "Plug-in for macOS installed" ] 
End If

# Windows
If [ $platform = -2 ]
    Install Plug-In File [ Plugins::Windows_64bit ] 
    Exit Script [ Text Result: "Plug-in for Windows installed" ] 
End If

# Linux
If [ $platform = 5 ]
    If [ PatternCount ( Get ( HostApplicationVersion ) ; "Cloud Server 2" ) > 0 ]
    Else
        Install Plug-In File [ Plugins::Linux ] 
        Exit Script [ Text Result: "Plug-in for Linux installed" ] 
    End If
End If

Show Custom Dialog [ "Plug-ins are not supported on this platform." ]

Example 3 

See Plug-in update example.

Related topics 

• Script steps reference