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Version: v2026.0.0

M-Files integration

ARender integrates with M-Files through a dedicated connector that enables document viewing, annotation, and metadata retrieval directly from M-Files vaults. The integration is available on the M-Files Application Catalog.

The integration requires three components:

  • The M-Files connector JAR, deployed on both the ARender Web-UI and the Rendition Engine, communicates with the M-Files REST API to fetch documents, annotations, and metadata.
  • The VAF application (Vault Application Framework), installed on the M-Files vault, provides the ARender entry point within the M-Files UI.
  • ARender Rendition, which generates images, extracts text, and performs document conversion. It also embeds the M-Files connector for direct document access.

Prerequisites​

  • ARender Web-UI (Spring Boot) and Rendition Engine deployed and operational
  • M-Files server with REST API enabled
  • The M-Files connector JAR (arondor-arender-mfiles-connector-2026.0.0.jar)
  • The VAF application package (VAF_MFF_ArenderConnector_2026.0.0.mfappx)
  • Windows Server environment (M-Files requires Windows)
  • Network connectivity from the ARender hosts to the M-Files REST API endpoint

Architecture​

  • M-Files UI: lets the user choose which documents to open in ARender.
  • Browser: creates the ARender frame using the URL provided by the M-Files UI.
  • ARender Web-UI: Spring Boot module containing the M-Files connector.
  • M-Files server: REST API that the ARender connector interacts with to fetch documents, annotations, metadata, and to create new documents or document versions.
  • ARender Rendition: generates images, extracts text, and more. Also contains the M-Files connector for direct document access.

Step 1: Configure the Rendition Engine​

Place the M-Files connector JAR in the Rendition Engine client libraries directory:

rendition-engine-package-2026.0.0/modules/RenditionEngine/client_libs/
  └─ arondor-arender-mfiles-connector-2026.0.0.jar

Add the following property to the Rendition Engine application.properties to authorize the M-Files REST API URL:

# rendition-engine-package-2026.0.0/modules/RenditionEngine/application.properties
authorized.urls=http://<m-files-server>/REST/

Start (or restart) the ARender Rendition server.

Step 2: Deploy the Web-UI with the M-Files connector​

Deploy the ARender Web-UI WAR and add the M-Files connector JAR to its classpath:

<webapp-root>/WEB-INF/lib/
  └─ arondor-arender-mfiles-connector-2026.0.0.jar

Place the following configuration files under the Web-UI classes directory:

<webapp-root>/WEB-INF/classes/
  ├─ arender-editor-specific-integration.xml
  └─ vaf/
       └─ arender-server.properties

Edit arender-server.properties to match your M-Files vault configuration. This file contains the M-Files REST API URL, vault credentials, and connector behavior settings.

Docker deployment​

For Docker-based deployments, mount the connector JAR and configuration files as volumes:

docker-compose.yml
# docker-compose.yml excerpt
services:
  ui:
    image: artifactory.arondor.cloud:5001/arender-ui-springboot:2026.0.0
    environment:
      - "ARENDERSRV_ARENDER_SERVER_RENDITION_HOSTS=http://service-broker:8761/"
    volumes:
      - ./arondor-arender-mfiles-connector.jar:/opt/arender/lib/arondor-arender-mfiles-connector.jar
      - ./arender-server.properties:/opt/arender/classes/vaf/arender-server.properties
    ports:
      - 8080:8080
info

This excerpt shows only the ui service configuration. The full rendition stack (service-broker, converter, renderer, text-handler) is also required. See Docker Compose for the complete configuration.

Step 3: Install the VAF application on M-Files​

  1. Open the M-Files Admin console.
  2. Right-click the target vault and select Applications.
  3. Click Install... and select the VAF_MFF_ArenderConnector_2026.0.0.mfappx file.
  4. Confirm installation when prompted.
  5. Click Close after installation completes.

Step 4: Configure the VAF application​

The VAF application uses a JSON configuration file managed through the M-Files Admin client:

  1. In M-Files Admin, expand the vault node.
  2. Click Configurations.
  3. Under Other Applications, select VAF_MFF_ArenderConnector.
  4. Open the Configuration tab.
  5. Fill in all required properties. Click the i icon next to each field for help text.
  6. Click Save.

Key configuration fields include the ARender Web-UI URL, authentication parameters, and vault-specific settings.

Step 5: Verify the integration​

  1. Restart the IIS server on the M-Files host.
  2. Start (or restart) the Tomcat/Spring Boot server hosting the ARender Web-UI.
  3. Access M-Files and open a vault.
  4. Select a document -- it should open in the ARender viewer.

Troubleshooting​

Document does not load in ARender. Verify that the M-Files REST API is reachable from the ARender Web-UI and Rendition Engine hosts. Check authorized.urls in the Rendition Engine application.properties. Inspect the ARender logs for HTTP errors from the M-Files connector.

VAF application does not appear in M-Files. Confirm the .mfappx was installed correctly through the M-Files Admin console. Log out and back in to the vault to ensure the application loads.

Annotations are not saved. Verify that the M-Files user has write permissions on the vault and that the connector configuration in arender-server.properties points to the correct vault and API endpoint.

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