Using hashes for validation

Earlier in the year I released a video about using Google Forms in order to capture and then import data into FileMaker Pro. The code I was personally using was a bit more advanced than what I wanted to show at that time, so I simplified the process.

Having implemented, and used, many more Google Forms since that time, and knowing that I was exercising a great degree of control over the import process, I decided to reveal it all.

So, in this video I showcase the method I use to verify that an import is exactly what you expect it to be. I use an MD5 hash, which FileMaker implemented in version 13 under the somewhat hidden feature of GetContainerAttribute(). Using an MD5 hash it’s possible to uniquely identify anything you could ever want to identify. It’s a fast hashing algorithm and it can be used for all kinds of features within your FileMaker database. You can determine if a collection of fields has been changed. Whether an image has been modified or, in this case, whether an import file meets your exact criteria.

If you deal with imports and you like knowing that a file will match the expectations of your scripts then this video will provide a wealth of information regarding that process!

Click the title or link to this article to view the video.

View the full article