Introduction

Installation Instructions: The Quickstart Guide

The FileCatalyst HotFolder QuickStart Guide is available on the main FileCatalyst website for download (or here if you are viewing this user guide after installing the software). The Quick Start Guide provides overview instructions on how to quickly install the HotFolder application, and runs through the First Run Wizard to set up a first task.

For command-line (headless) installs on Linux, please see the Install on Headless Linux section of this document, and the Install as a Service section.

Backup Procedure

Backup configuration files.

The files to be backed-up will be found in the installation directory of the HotFolder. The default install folders are:

  • Windows: "C:\Program Files\FileCatalyst HotFolder"

  • Linux / AIX / Solaris: "/opt/utechsoft/hotfolder"

  • Mac OSX:

    • Upgrade from v3.2 or older: Backups of the configuration files are kept in your user home. During an upgrade of the server, we recommend a simple rename of the application folder to "FileCatalystHotFolderOld". This will keep all configuration files intact until we know the upgrade has been successfully installed.

    • Upgrade from v3.3 onwards: Configuration files are stored in different places if you are running the HotFolder as a service or if you are running it standalone.

      • Standalone: "/Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/FileCatalyst/HotFolder/"

      • Service: "/Library/Application Support/FileCatalyst/HotFolder/"

Before upgrade, make a copy of the following files into a "backup" folder.

  • fchf.conf

  • bandwidth.xml

  • hotfolders.xml

  • sites.xml

  • schedule.xml

On Linux, you will also need to back up the following file if you are running the HotFolder as a service.

  • service_wrapper/fc_env

Software upgrades

Upgrading FileCatalyst HotFolder requires a sequence of steps be taken based on the installation platform. Some steps are optional (to safeguard configuration data in case of a rollback), but should be followed to ensure the smoothest upgrade experience.

Windows

  1. Stop FileCatalyst HotFolder.

    1. If you are running FileCatalyst HotFolder stand-alone (from "Start" menu), please select the "Exit FileCatalyst HotFolder" option in the file menu.

    2. If you are running the HotFolder as a service, please open up the Windows Services and stop the process from running (default service name is "FileCatalyst HotFolder").

  2. Backup the configuration files, see the Backup Section

  3. Run the installer (install_fc_hotfolder.exe).

  4. Restart the FileCatalyst HotFolder application or service.

Linux/Unix

  1. Stop the FileCatalyst HotFolder.

    1. If you are running the FileCatalyst HotFolder stand-alone (ie: running fc_hotfolder.sh or fc_hotfolder_console.sh script), you need to shut FileCatalyst HotFolder down before executing an upgrade. The following commands can be done to shut the service down and verify that processes are not running.

      1. Execute the command "fc_hotfolder_shutdown.sh"

      2. Verify the service is down by running the command: ps -ef | egrep -i "filecatalyst"

    2. If you are running the FileCatalyst HotFolder as a service, you need to shut it down using one of the following commands:

      1. Linux: service fchotfolder stop

      2. Solaris: svcadm -v disable fchotfolder

  2. If you have installed the service you must run the service_wrapper/uninstall.sh script to ensure that the application is completely uninstalled.

  3. Backup the configuration files, see the Backup Section

  4. Unpack the software.

    1. gunzip ./fc_hotfolder.tar.gz

    2. tar -xvf ./fc_hotfolder.tar

  5. Copy back fchf.conf settings overwritten by tar bundle

    1. cp <BACKUP_FOLDER>/fchf.conf /opt/utechsoft/hotfolder/fchf.conf

    2. Other files ("bandwidth.xml" and "sites.xml etc...") should not be overwritten by tar bundle.

  6. If you are running as a service you must rerun the service_wrapper/install.sh script to reinstall the service.

  7. Restart the FileCatalyst HotFolder application (either as a service or standalone).

MacOSX

  1. Stop the FileCatalyst HotFolder. If you are running FileCatalyst HotFolder stand-alone (on launch panel), please select the "Exit FileCatalyst HotFolder" option in the file menu.

  2. Backup the configuration files, see the Backup Section

  3. Run the installation Run the installer package file. The software should locate old configuration files and place them where needed.

  4. Restart the FileCatalyst HotFolder application either as a service or standalone. For information to how to install as a service, see the Mac service section.

Install FileCatalyst HotFolder on Headless Linux (command line only, no GUI)

  1. You must download FileCatalyst HotFolder v2.8.0 or higher version installed. v2.7.7 and less does not support HotFolder remote administration.

  2. Ungzip/untar the bundle into /opt/utechsoft/hotfolder

  3. Run the following command at the command prompt:

    1. ./jre/bin/java -jar FileCatalystHotFolder.jar -setadmin

  4. That will enable remote administration, set username/password for the remote admin.

  5. Edit fchf.conf file and enter in your HotFolder license key:

    1. FC.hotfolder.config.client.connect.key=clientname12345abcdefg12345

  6. Install the HotFolder as a service onto the system

    1. see SERVICE_WRAPPER_README for details included in the download tar bundle. When performing these steps be sure to read all the way to the bottom of the Wrapper Readme. There are added steps for certain OS's.

  7. Start HotFolder as a service (see the Wrapper Readme for instructions)

  8. Ensure that port 12505 is enabled in the firewall (used to communicate to the HF service)

  9. On a different system, where XWindows or Graphics are available download and install FileCatlayst HotFolder Remote Administration, connect to the IP address of the headless system running the HotFolder service.

Silent Install on Windows

  1. To generate the settings file,run the installer from the command with the SAVEINF flag and the destination file for the settings.

    1. install_fc_hotfolder.exe /SAVEINF="C:\path\to\settings\settings.inf"

  2. Copy the installer and the generated file to the machine where you would like to perform the silent install.

  3. Run the installer from the command line with LOADIINF flag and the full path of the settings file.

    1. install_fc_hotfolder.exe /VERYSILENT /LOADINF="C:\path\to\settings\settings.inf"

This feature is described in more detail here: FileCatalyst HotFolder: Silent Install Quickstart Guide.

Uninstalling FileCatalyst HotFolder

Windows

  • If you are running FileCatalyst HotFolder stand-alone, from 'Start' menu select the 'Exit FileCatalyst HotFolder' option in the file menu

  • If you are running HotFolder as a service, click on 'Start', search for services.msc, and then run that application

  • Find the HotFolder service and stop it

  • Open ‘Control Panel’, navigate to ‘Programs and Features’ and locate FileCatalyst HotFolder.

  • Click ‘uninstall’ and click the 'yes' option when prompted

Silent uninstall on Windows

  • Open a command prompt and navigate to the install directory of the product you wish to uninstall.

  • Run the uninstaller from the command line with the VERYSILENT flag.

    • unins000.exe /VERYSILENT

NOTE: If you have installed multiple versions in this directory, the number at the end of the exe may have been incremented

MacOSX

  • Quit the application and stop the FileCatalyst service by using 'System Preferences' located under the Apple menu. Locate FileCatalyst HotFolder and stop the service.

  • To uninstall the service, open ‘System Preferences’, find the FileCatalyst HotFolder service module, right-click on it and click 'remove from pane'

  • From the ‘Finder’ window, click on ‘Applications’, find FileCatalystHotfolder.app, right-click on it and delete it

  • From the ‘Finder’ window, click on ‘Applications’, find FileCatalystHotfolderAdmin.app, right-click on it and delete it

  • Use ‘Finder’ to access the Library folder, open ‘Application Support’ and delete the FileCatalyst folder (path e.g. '/Library/Application Support/FileCatalyst' or '/Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/FileCatalyst')

Linux

NOTE: You may need admin access to perform some of these commands

  • If you are running the FileCatalyst HotFolder stand-alone, you need to shut FileCatalyst HotFolder down

    • Open a new Terminal window

    • Navigate to the folder where your HotFolder is installed (e.g. /opt/utechsoft/hotfolder/)

    • Execute the command './fc_hotfolder_shutdown.sh'

    • Verify the service is down by running the command ps -ef | egrep -i "filecatalyst"

  • If you are running the FileCatalyst HotFolder as a service stop the service by using the appropriate command for your version of linux in the terminal window (Ubuntu e.g. service fchotfolder stop)

    • Remove the service by navigating to service_wrapper folder located within the server folder (e.g. /opt/utechsoft/hotfolder/service_wrapper)

    • Run ./uninstall.sh

  • You can now remove the folder structure by using rm -rf <path to the server directory> (e.g. rm -rf /opt/utechsoft/hotfolder)

Changing the Configuration Directory

On Windows and Linux, the default directory for storing configuration is the install directory itself. However, the configuration directory can be changed, with all current configurations migrated to this new location.

Changing the Directory

  • Create a file called "configLocation.properties" in the install directory.

  • Define a new configuration root inside the "configLocation.properties" as a key=value pair, where the key is "config.location" and the value should be the new desired config location.

  • Examples:

    • config.location=C:/foo/bar/

    • config.location=${USERHOME}/AppData/Local/FileCatalyst/HotFolder/

    • config.location=${DESKTOP}/HotFolderConfigs/

  • Start or restart the HotFolder

  • Upon start or restart the HotFolder, your configurations will be copied over to the location defined in the configLocation.properties

Considerations

  • User defined locations outside of the install directory take precedence over this feature. For example, if the logs location is defined as "E:/HotFolderLogs/" and "config.location=C:/foo/bar/", the log location will continue to be "E:/HotFolderLogs/"

  • User defined locations inside of the install directory will still be respected relative to the newly defined config location. Ie. if the logs location is defined as "C:\Program Files\FileCatalyst HotFolder\newLogsFolder" and "config.location=C:/foo/bar/", the new logs location will be "C:/foo/bar/newLogsFolder"

  • The shortcuts ${USERHOME} and ${DESKTOP} will be rejected if you are running as administrator or root or if running as a service. This will terminate the application.

  • Defining a config location that is write-protected will be rejected. This will terminate the application

  • Adding the "configLocation.properties" file to the install directory without a valid config location defined within will be rejected. This will terminate the application.

  • If the application is terminated due to this feature, a file called "migrationError.log" will created in the location defined in the "configLocation.properties", or to the install directory should that fail.

  • This feature currently does not support UNC paths.