[FME Form 2024.2.] Losing Database- and webconnection on new machines
Hello everyone,
We just upgraded to FME Form 2024.2.1 and we currently encounter one problem. For the users, the personal database- and web connections were inititally not migrated. Thus we sent first a mail to the users that they coud export the database- and webconnections in FME Form 2023 and then import the exported file in FME Form 2024. It looked like it solved the problem, however when the users logged in the next day on an new machine, they lost all their personal database- and webconnections.
We read the following link: Changes to Connection Storage in FME Form 2024 – FME Support Center and it became clear to us that's due to the new way that personal database- and webconnections are stored. They are stored in fme_userconnection.data and the machineID is hardcoded in this file.
In our organization we work on a virtual machine and thus also everytime we log into a new machine. It's now clear why the database- and webconnections are not visible in FME Form 2024.
I was wondering if others encounters/encountered this problem and if they found a workaround. I also don't quite understand why SAFE would choose to include the machineID to access database connections, since I would assume a lot of fme users would work on a virtual machine.
@j.botterill Thanks for the reply, however the links you provided are mainly about the formats (readers/writers), and not about the Database- and webconnections that are written to the fme_userconnection.data file. Adding/removing database can be done via Tools → FME Options → see image below
Sorry the personal database made me think of the Personal Geodatabase from Esri.
Do you still have the previous FME version installed? Personal Database (default): The connections data file is stored and encrypted on the user's local system.
I suspect the installing of the new version has overwritten where these default paths to user connections reside. The below article describes how you can ‘Share’ the default path to a network drive and avoid this
A “Shared Database” can be set via Tools > FME Options > Default Paths > Connection Storage.
As the Database Folder and Key Folder paths for a “Shared Database” cannot be set to %appdata%\Safe Software\FME, the paths should be set to another location where files are copied as part of the virtual desktop profile. Each user would have their own personal “Shared Database”.
You need to ensure the master key (.fmekey) is copied to the location set in the Key Folder parameter as part of the virtual desktop profile, as the key allows for decryption of data stored within the connection storage database.
For an added layer of security, it is also recommended to adjust the operating system file permissions to the master key file appropriately. For example, permissions on the key file can be adjusted so it is accessible to the user that owns the key file.
In addition, any connections added or imported must be marked as “Shared” in the web or database connections manager, otherwise these connections will not persist the next time a user logs in to their virtual desktop. If a connection is not marked as 'Shared', it is saved as a personal connection, which are encrypted per-user and per-machine even in a “Shared Database”.
Manage connection visibility in web or database connection managerSet connection visibility to ‘Shared’ when adding a new web or database connection
@debbiatsafe Thank for the suggestion and elaborative answer, however within our organization we have a slight different solution that we are trying to implement at the moment.
@joy It’s common for the virtual desktop profile to be preserved between user sessions in environments like Citrix. In the past, I have seen the structure/contents of the profile where FME stores files to change and these changes do not migrate/stick with the profile until the Citrix Admin does some magic.
I am curious (if you allow me) if you are doing similar solutions or if it is an entirely different creature than Citrix. Cheers,
@steveatsafe I am not sure about citrix. I might need to ask the desktop support For sure, we are using ivanti and powershell.
Edit: we are using Azure Virtual desktop in combination with Ivanti and powershell
