InstallOnTimerScript for background automation

Expert

Run scripts on a repeating timer without user interaction using InstallOnTimerScript, and manage timer lifecycle correctly.

What you'll learn

How to register and unregister a timer script
How to prevent timer scripts from stacking when the previous run takes longer than the interval
Where timer scripts are appropriate and where server schedules are better

InstallOnTimerScript registers a script to run automatically at a fixed interval while a layout is displayed. This enables polling patterns — refreshing data from an external source, updating a live dashboard, or checking a queue — without requiring the user to click anything.

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Register a timer script

Call InstallOnTimerScript with the script name and interval in seconds. The timer fires every N seconds while the current layout is active. Typically installed in an OnLayoutLoad trigger.

FileMaker Script

# In OnLayoutLoad trigger script:
InstallOnTimerScript [ "Refresh Dashboard" ; Interval: 30 ]

Multi-window management from scripts Commit and revert patterns in multi-step workflows