The release of FileMaker Pro 9 in July 2007 introduced the ability for plug-ins to be stored in an “alternative” location. The traditional locations,
Macintosh HD/Applications/FileMaker Pro x/Extensions
and
C:Program FilesFileMakerFileMaker Pro xExtensions
…(with “x” representing the FileMaker Pro version number) are still valid, but the new locations are guaranteed to be writable, whereas OS-level security settings may prevent users from being able to install plug-ins in the traditional locations.
The alternative locations are:
Mac OS X
Macintosh HD/Users/[user]/Library/Application Support
Windows 7
C:Users[user]Local SettingsApplication DataFileMakerExtensions
Windows Vista
C:Users[user]AppDataLocalFileMakerExtensions
Windows XP
C:Documents and Settings[user]Local SettingsApplication DataFileMakerExtensions
Note: on the Windows platform, the Local Settings folder may be invisible. You can fix this by going to the “Folder Options” control panel and checking the “show hidden files and folders” option. Of course this will make all other hidden files and folders visible as well, so take that into consideration.