Importing & Exporting

Is there a way to combine two databases to make a new one in FileMaker 8.0?

Hi, I was wondering if there are some good tutorials or any one that can help me with importing data from my MYSQL database into Filemaker 8 Pro? I was thinking of buying http://www.actualtechnologies.com/products.php But I'm wondering, do I have to install this ODBC driver on every clients machine on just on my Filemaker Server machine? Thanks Robin

I am trying to get a list of filemaker filenames into a filemaker control file with each filemaker filename as separate record in this control file. Which I had achieve it. However, I would like to be able to click on a record (FileName) to open the file. Anybody know how to do it? Note that: - the list of filemaker file may change (enhancing) - each filemaker file is password protected, - I am using FMP8.5 on WinXP.

As an example I have a Customes table. The main fields in that table are Name & Address. In a related table are individual contacts. The main fileds there are FirstName,LastName,Email. Each customer has multiple contacts. I want to export the data from the Customers table as a tab delimted file to be opened in Excel. Each line (record) in the .tab file should include all of the fields noted above. So, the .tab file should look like this: Name,Address,FirstName,LastName,Email Name,Address,FirstName,LastName,Email Name,Address,FirstName,LastName,Email Name,Address,FirstName,LastName,Email However, when I do the export, FMP exports a record from the…

Hello you helpful people! Is there an easy-ish way to be able to import data from one Excel file into multiple related tables without performing an import for each table? When you perform an import, it only lets you select one table at a time, but I'd like to be able to do more. A little background, if it helps: I have set up a real estate database that contains some "general" information that applies to all properties (like address or state), plus various related tables linked with a serial number that allow me to add portals. For example, one thing we track is sales of a property. If the property sells 4 or 5 times, this set up allows us to just have …

Hi, I'm building a image database in FM 8.5 and was wondering if there is a way to import the metadata that is already associated with an image. For example, if you download image comps from a Stock Photo house the image has their keywords and photographer information as metadata. I'd like to have FM read this and put it into a field in my own database. The image is stored in a container field. Any suggestions or starting points would be appreciated. Thanks!! -Wing

Anybody has experience in retrieving data from Cerner (a high-end medical system possibly) to FM directly? or experience in extracting data from Cerner.

I have two tables Invoices and Inventory, they are joined via Line Items table. Invoices table has a portal that displays records from line items. I want to import a bunch of invoices from excel to my FM invoice table - how would I import item information into portal as it is not showing in import menu. The relation is set to allow creation of records.

Hello, I need clarification around importing. I was having issues when I was importing records from an AS400 source: the issue was not with the import per se but with the "delete all" before the import. I would get "Communication with the host was interrupted and could not be re-established" (and it was not because of the PC going to sleep). So I changed the import to update matching. Results are much better. However I am wondering how to address the issue of when existing records (in FM) no longer exist in the source, how do I know to get rid of them? Do I need to do a delete all on occasion (and monitor comm issues...) or do I need to have some sort…

I need to import a lot of files which were originally downloaded from WestLaw as .doc documents. I used convertDoc to convert them all into plain txt. In WordPad they look fine. When I import them as a batch in a folder, each record contains gazillions of small squares. These are possibly tabs which filemaker cannot handle. When I try to substitute them out to become a space, I cannot cut from the doc, get into Scriptmaker and paste the small square (the cut item is no longer available). When I import just one file, then the text is split into multiple records at apparently random junctures (wherever the tab was maybe?) can wordWrap affect importing? h…

Ok, I have been trying to do this for about a year, and no success. I have a database I sell online. I need to be able to update the database with new features, scripts and so on without the end user losing their info already entered. I do not understand how to do the "separation" of data from the main database so when I send them a file, it will update without overwritting their info. Any advice?? Thanks

Kind of an odd issue that I'm wondering if anyone has come up against here. The process: Paste some bulleted text from MS Word into FileMaker field. Paste from FileMaker to our Website. Unfortunately our website's (not my domain) admin section only works in IE. When pasting something bulleted it changes the bullets to yen signs. Example: Word Text: • This is a bulleted item. In FileMaker:• This is a bulleted item. Copied from FM to text area in IE: ¥ This is a bulleted item. If I skip the FileMaker step it works just fine: Copied from Word to text area in IE:· This is a bulleted item. So while part of it could be blamed on IE …

Hi, I searched this, but couldn't find exactly what I'm looking for. Basically, i want to set up a button to send an email to someone from a particular field. I have everything set up (it seems) but I can not get filemaker set up with an email client. Any ideas? Thanks

I have a question about importing into FMP 8.5. I have repeatedly imported data from my older DB in FMP 8.5 after some improvement I had made in my new DB. There seems to be one error with the import process involving one Field ?? FMP "Import Record" step gives this message at the end of the lengthy processs. My question is how can I find what field is the problem ? I have more than 5000 fields and there is no way of guessing ? Is there a import log or error log that I am missing ? It is probably related to changes I have made to one of the field defenitions but how can I find which field it is ? Any help appriciated . Xoomaster }:(

I have been confounded by the absence of the 'Import' button in my define table dialogue box. I would like to import the database schema, but not the data itself, from one file to another. According to the help files, and even a video that I found, there should be an 'Import' button under the 'Create,' 'Change' and 'Delete' buttons, but I do not have this 'Import' feature. I am using FileMaker Pro 8.5v1 (not the Advance version). If anyone can help on this, I would very much appreciate it!

Hello All, I have a script that is triggered every night (using oAzium events) that deletes all records from a table and then imports data that exists in a table on our AS400. This script runs smoothly pretty much every night, but one morning last week, after users complained that FileMaker was really slow, I noticed that the script, which usually takes a few minutes to complete, was still running in the morning. I cancelled the script and then saw that there were 7 million records in the file when there should have been 250,000! The first 250,000 rows had data and the next 6.75 million were just blank. Needless to say, FileMaker was slow for everyone that morni…

Hi! I've been trying to send many lines of data in one PDF for each of our shoppers,but I can't group the different records of each shopper to be sent by e-mail to them in one step. I must be doing something wrong, as I can't get the desired result. I would be grateful if someone help me on this. Tks.

Hello, I use filemaker 8.5, I want to import data from excel file.... But it's never the same excel file... My problem, filemaker always import the column title name... when i always import the same file filemaker ask me if i want the first line (title) and I say no, but in this case, I got to import from a different file every times... Help please!!

We have a local server in our office set up on our network where we store our database files. If I open an FMP file and attempt to import records from an .xls file or a .dbf file, I get a message that all the records were skipped. Further, if I then try to create a new record in that file, I get an error that says: "There is not enough room on the disk to complete this operation. Make more room on the disk, then try again." The server is definitely not full. The strange thing is, if I open the FMP file and create a new record *before* I try the import, everything works fine. This is something that's plagued me for over a year, and luckily there's a workaround…

Hi all !! I'm new to filemaker, my quoestion follows, I developed simple database with picture container,is possible to put more images than one in a container? (I mean in one record?

Hello: I created an attractive looking subsummary report, which only has 3 fields in the body, and fits within the page margins. However, when I save it as a PDF, the fields are missing text! Has this happened to anyone else?? Does anyone know how to fix this? Alisun

My db calculates a field which contains data and XPress tags (stored as globals) which when imported to QuarkXPress is fully formatted and saves a great deal of time. However, the 'returns' in Filemaker fields come into Quark as 'enters' (i.e. go to next text box), resulting in a file with thousands of pages. Search and replace with paragraph returns gets rid of them, but I don't want the operator to have to do this step. I wrote a script which exports the data, then calls on Applescript to edit the text file and that works fine... Except it needs to run on a PC! Stripping the returns from the field is not an option, as the XPress tags relate to paragraphs.…

I've been using/programming with Filemaker for a while, but I need help on how to do something. I want to fill a container field in a record with a picture. Normally, I would do this with the "Insert/Picture" menu item and have it stored as a reference. Each container's reference could be from anywhere on my hard drive - not necessarily a single folder. However, the picture will never move once referenced. Once this picture is referenced by my database, I want to have its absolute path as text. I can then use this text to attach an original file to emails, etc. What type of script/function/etc. can do this? I only see Filemaker solutions for this by importi…

I know that in FMP 5/6, if you had scripted an import, then subsequently deleted one or more fields from the table (file) you were importing into, you ran the risk of having your import mappings messed up. (It seemed to be that the script remembered the mappings based on the creation order of the fields, rather than a hard reference to the fields themselves. So if you deleted a field that was created prior to one of the mapped fields, everything would get 'moved up one notch'.) My question is: does this still happen in FM 7/8? Or has this been fixed? I could go test it myself, but can someone save me the trouble? Thanks very much!

Hello, Im having a strange problem here, I would be very grateful if someone could help. Here is a description: - I have a database composed of 2209 records. It is a Chinese characters database, with 11 fields. The first one has the character in its normal form, the second the simplified form, the third one the pinyin transcription, the fourth one a translation in French and so on. It is an old database, which went through different software during the last few years. It has a dozen layouts, different fonts and stuff. So far, it works very fine inside FileMaker, and when printing (PDF or paper) - I need to export the data to a text editor. So I select 'Expo…

I am trying to export a series of fields to Excel in the same order in which they appear on my layout (which is, incidentally, also the order in which they appear in the define database window). However, Filemaker displays all fields alphabetically by name in the export dialog box. I imagine that there has got to be an easier way to export a group of fields than picking through the alphabetized list and then pulling each out one by one, but I can't figure out how. Is there any way to get the export order to automatically match the existing field order? Many thanks in advance.

hello! we put together our contact db existing out of several excel files, then we transferred it one-to-one to fmp8 to clean it up. Now we have to transfer it to a relational multi-table db based on the clienttracker template. we have around 2000 organisations (should enter the client table) and within them some 4000 contacts (should enter the contact table). The contact table is related to the client table by the field zk_F_clientID.t an auto-entered value. the organisation field in the contact table uses a valuelist generated of the organisation names entered in the client table. so: how can i import the contact data into the contact table so the contacts…

I have FMP 8.5 and I need to export records to XML to use in a Flash interface. It exports fine and everything, but the text is all jumbled together and not very readable. Is there a way to get it to indent properly? Right now I'm using some XML s/w called Oxygen and it has a button that does this, but I'm not sure it's worth buying just to format XML that is written by FMP. Is there another way?

Here is a new one: I want to print to my cash register printer (Star 500). It only understands ASCII (at least not without creating a custom program). I normally drive the printer from a program I created but I wish to print out my information (I only need text). I have created the layout, but when I print it to a file it always has non ASCII characters. I tried the line printer mode driver from Star but this does not help. I have been able to export to a text file (tab delimited) then sending it to the COM port but this is not very easy to explain to a normal user. Any suggestions? Thanks, Ed Edited subject (removed paragraph) LaRetta (moderator)

I am trying to import 2 files into the same table. The first file is a list of line items that are distinguished by an order number field then a line item field. Here is what the file looks like. 9000,1,"Belt","Belt",1,$3.95 9000,2,"Tax","Tax",1,$0.00 9000,3,"Shipping","Shipping",1,$7.60 9001,1,"Shoe","Shoe",1,$16.00 9001,2,"Tax","Tax",1,$0.00 9001,3,"Shipping","Shipping",1,$13.75 9002,1,"trgofoalta","DP-TAB-GODDESS",1,$34.95 9002,2,"ls-minispsin","LS-MINISPSIN",1,$0.90 9002,3,"ls-minispsin","LS-MINISPSIN",1,$0.30 9002,4,"hmugc","HMUGC",1,$3.95 9002,5,"ic3310","IC3310",1,$3.95 9002,6,"Tax","Tax",1,$0.00 9002,7,"Shipping","Shipping",1,$13.15 …

Hey all, I tried to search around, but wasn't entirely sure how to phrase it. Basically I'm running a db with close to 2k clients. I need to export their URL's to a simple list (1/line) for use with Xenu link checker. I have it working, only I need to do some sanity checks on the URL field first -- e.g. if there is no leading http://, add it - or split multiple URLs at the ; My main concern is the prefixing 'http://' while using the Export command. thinking its something along these lines, but need it for _all_ records. Best solution would be to not alter the actual record, just prefix before the export. If ( Lower ( Left ( Clients::URL; 3 ) …

Hi to all I am looking for a solution to keeping a database size small by compressing images sizes on import. As most home users that use the new digital cameras with a file size of around 5Mb and the database will hold around 100 images that creates a file size around 500Mb which will be too much to send via email. So I am looking for a solution to this issue if anyone can offer some sound advise or point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated. I hope I have been able to explain this so all can understand as I am still a newbie. Cheers Mac

I have a field which calculates the desired name/path - for instance file:../../Desktop/Page3.txt - but how do I get Filemaker to save with this name from a script? Up till now it's been saving with a standard name and using Applescript to rename, but I need this to be PC friendly. I tried pasting the field name into the 'Specify Output File' panel, but it took it literally and saved it as the field name, not contents! I googled this and learned that it was impossible without Applescript - but that was dated 1998, and I'm hoping things have changed!

I have an active customer db, and an inactive customers db; they are almost identical, and should be, but are not always because I change the layout in the active db, and forget to change it in the inactive db. Can I, and how, export a layout from one db and import it into the other? I am using FM7 on a Mac. Many thanks!

Is there a way to export scripts to a file?

Hi, Is it possible to test if a file exists? I've got a client who wants to have an image library. Some images are JPGs, others TIF, etc. What I would like is a calculation like this: Case( FileExists(itemName & "JPG); $$image_path & itemName & *.JPG); FileExists(itemName & "TIF); $$image_path & itemName & *.TIF) ) Hope that makes sense, Norman

Hello Is it possible to create a ODBC connection from MS Word 2003 on Windows XP 2002 to Filemaker 8.5 Advanced? I have letter temaplates in MS Word with merge fields in them where I want to retrieve the info for the merge fields directly from Filemaker. There is no Filemaker ODBC connection source that comes with Word or Windows software. Paul

Hello, Is there a simple way to export a single record from one FM file to another already existing FM file? Mireille

I am wanting to just export the fields on a certain layout but I have several layouts I want to beable to export from. In the help file it says I can export from the layout but it isn't an option for me. (In Script menu) . In the Specify Field Order for Export dialog box, indicate how you want FileMaker Pro to export the data. When the Specify Field Order for Export dialog box opens, the tables list defaults to Current Layout (LayoutName) and displays only the visible fields on the current layout. To display all field names from the current table, choose Current Table (TableName) from the list. Is there a work around for this other than manual…

I have data in one field in one specific record that i whant to save as a SIE-file. Then I have to save as a textfile with the encoding Western (Mac OS Romaan). I've used the script function "Export filed". The textfile looks fine but can not be used, the textformat is UTF-16. Does someone know a way to "force" the file to Western? // Mattias

Scenario: Invoices and LineItems. I want to collect batches of Invoices into an archive. I created Archive_Invoices and Archive_LineItems by simply duplicating Invoices and LineItems, and then changing all data types to Text in the archived versions. I then scripted the archiving as follows: Go To Layout(archive_invoices) Import(DBFile.fp7, Update Matching) /* import from Invoices */ Go To Layout(archive_lineitems) Import(DBFile.fp7, Update Matching) /* import from LineItems */ Specifying the import order for the first import was easy. Source was Invoices, target was Archive_Invoices. Significantly, "Archive_Invoices" was listed in the Target pu…

none of the modifier keys is recognized with Filemaker (they work fine with other programs). For example, in Layout mode, holding the option key and dragging an object usually duplicates this object, but lately this does not work anymore. Also, in a script that should recognize what modifier keys you press, none of the keys (option, CTRL, SHIFT) are recognized. I did restart Filemaker, I did not yet restart the computer - but before I do that, anybody ahs : any advice / insight?

How would I import an image from an internet location via a URL? I can insert a picture, but it only allows me to specify a local file path. Is there a way to insert an internet picture besides downloading the image to the local hard drive? Thanks

Hi, We created an Accounts Payable System using 8.5, one of the daily tasks is to extract/import data from our MFG Application (developed with 5.0) to a set of tables in AP - when we try to do the import FM 8.5 wants to convert the file - which we can't allow - is there a way to open a FM 5.0 using 8.5 and importing the data or do I need to build script on 5.0 and create another file type with the data I need for the AP system? Thanks

I am exporting data to a csv file. After the export, permissions of the csv file for "Group" and "Others" revert to "Read only". They need to stay "Read and Write" for everything. I'm running FileMaker Pro 8.5 in OS 10.3.9. Hope someone can help me.

I ran into this a few years ago and thought it was just me...but as it turns it is only partially me! Quickbooks in their wisdom that I don't understand has their export feature set up to export a customer infomration where the CITY STATE ans ZIP are all in one field. A few examples are below APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 92307 PHOENIX, AZ 85040 SAN DIEGO, CA. 92101 MESA, AZ. 85201 Is there a way in FileMaker where I can somehow tear this data apart and put it in to 3 seperate fields, City, State, Zip? I have tried exporting from QB into an Excel file as well as a CSV file but I get the same results. I could really use some help on this one! …

The Context I'm looking to export some (about 20) fields from a FileMaker Database. This export consists of sorted/grouped records, 2 of the exported fields are summary fields that summarise across the grouped data. The export contains close to 1,000,000 records, only about 50,000 of these end up being grouped together, so about 950,000 in the final data file. The data is to be exported in XML format so that I can apply an XSL transform and get the final XML file into a format I need for the target system. The Problem When exporting without applying an XSL stylesheet this works fine (although it takes about 15-20 hours!). However when I apply a styles…

I have upgraded from filemaker pro 2 to 8.5, but when i try to open a file from 2 it trys to updtae but cant, tells me to view it in 2.0. Is there any way of getting this file open?

I am creating persoanl records databse. I have used repeating fields to insert sick notes images. When i add the first file it enters it into first box. When i go to next line and put sickness details in all ok. But when i insert another file into fields below first sicknote it replaces first file rather than inserting it into next empty field for sick note certs. Can anyone explain what I need to do to insert more than one file into repating fields.

Hi all, I have a basic question ut Im struggling to find an answer. I want to duplicate a record for data entry speed but I want to make sure certain fields are left blank i.e. I have a ticketing system linked to financial system, I want to duplicate an old ticket for a new similar job but dont want to duplicate its billed status - defined by an invoiced checkbox? in otherwords all the details are identical except this checkbox is defaulted to unticked.

I am importing thousands of records into several different tables. I'm wondering, do I have to be on a layout for a certain table when I import into it? If not, could go to a layout that says "Importing records..." and then skip all the time it takes to redraw the screen while I'm importing? It's just taking to long to do the import and then the calculations that follow it for calc fields.

I have a database that needs to be accessable all the time, but i also need to back it up which i cant do if someone has it open. I had a though that i might write the data to a mysql database running initally on the same box and then migrate it onto a back up box. Is this possible? or indeed advisable?

I am updating a database from filemaker 5 to 8.5. In the prior version I use TCPit to import sales records from our website directly into filemaker. TCPit does not work with the new intel macs (yet). Any other suggestions? Thank you.

Hi all, I have a folder full of comma-delimited .txt files i want in a FMP database. When i import one at a time, they import beautifully. When i try to import the folder, it only imports three file-name/location related fields. Is there any way to import the whole folder so it imports properly? Any help much appreciated!

Hi, I am very new to filemaker and I have no idea of how to do what I am about to describe. Ok, I am working on a project that requires me to convert/export all the data in tables from FileMaker to SQL Server. How can I do this and is it possible to do it. Besides, is there any tutorial or guideline of how to do this. STAN

I am importing data from external DBF databases into FileMaker for reporting purposes. One particular imported field is text in the DBF but needs to be reported as a number from the FileMaker utility. Two questions for those who are wiser than I: - is it better to try validating or converting the field on/during import or - is it better to leave the imported data and find a way to convert it after import. If this helps the data is mostly numeric, but there are exceptions. The data is a student grade level indicator and the usual exeptions to numeric are Kindergarten (usually KA, KP for AM class and PM class) and Graduated (typically G, GR, GD). The kinder…

I am trying to create a database to track samples in our laboratory. Samples arrive and will be given a sample ID and then different assays are performed. I want one db that imports from multiple excel files for each of the assays. As the records all have a unique sample ID, this can be a matched field on all of the spreadsheets. How do I set up multiple import scripts that each have different import orders? Thanks?

Not sure whether this is in the correct forum... See the attached file. Run the report. I would like to capture all the numbers (to use in graphs elsewhere) from the conditional calculation fields in the subsummaries on the right hand side. This needs to be for a three-month period so I have created the global number fields but I can't work out how to fill them with the correct numbers (or even if this is possible). Can anyone help me with this problem, please? -- I am tearing my hair out (what little there is left of it) trying to work out how do this. Subsum.zip

I want to find a certain set of records and place the contents of most (or perhaps) all of the fields of that found set into the body of an Entourage e-mail message. A bonus would be the ability to address the e-mail message and give it a title. Currently, I have a script to export the contents of a found set to a text file, then I manually open the text file, copy the contents and paste them into the body of an e-mail message in Entourage. There has to be a better way! Here's my situation. I dispatch various performers to various places at certain times and dates. So, I keep the schedule in an FM database. I want to be able to send an individual performer their sche…

Hi, here's my dilemma. We have a database that contains approximately 1500 images in high resolution. The images are embedded (not linked). What I would like to do is this: loop through records export the jpgs into one specific folder name the jpgs depending on three fields in the current record (I will then batch process all images and resize them) re-import the images (but link them this time) In theory, that sounds great, but how do I get the raw jpg out of the FM record? and can I assign a filename to it? thanks SM

I export a record with both non repeating and repeating fields using the FMPXMLRESULT XML output format. The repeating and non-repeating fields are both there. I import the same XML data back in. but only the non-repeating fields and the first value of each repeating field gets imported. What is the way to get all repetitions to import? thanks, Terry

I am Importing an Excel Sheet. I have a calculated column in Excel called "Amount Financed". In Excel, a particular cell is 17,720.8800000000000 That imports into FileMaker as 17720.880000000001 Another one is: Excel Source: 20,139.010000000000 Filemaker Import: 20139.009999999998 It seems as if the excel cell has .00 cents, it imports correctly. However, if there are cents, it performs this funky precision function. Any ideas?

Hi all I've been trying to search for the answer, but can´t find it. The problem is this: From a FMP8 system I need to export some data to be imported to an accounting software. After a lot of diskussion with that software vendor I have confirmed that the exported textfile MUST look like this example: 01216 #11305;12 #11311;060926 #11302;060926 #11351;369000 ... The 01 on the first row is the trigger for the importing system that this is a new record. The #11305; is the definition for the field that the following data will be imported into. Every new field definition must be on a new row. Everything fine so far... but heres the tricky bit…

I am trying to import a .txt file that contains fixed width data at the bottom. I also want to import some names and numbers from the beginning of the .txt Do I need a plug-in, or do I need to manipulate the .txt with perl? Anyone have any ideas where to start?

i was hopeful that Post #202054 was going to hold the answer, but my problem seems to be slightly different. i need to import some large files into a FM 8 database, and i've created a sample pair of files to demonstrate my quandary. basically, i have several fields that are populated by value lists (up to 30 possible items per list), and i've been given some excel files that the user wants imported into the FM format...the values that would be in the checkbox fields are separate columns in the excel file, with the value "1" for checkbox=on, and "0" for checkbox=off. so, in my example, i'm showing two lists, with selections for either fruits or veggies, and a s…

I have a doubt..is there any way for me to export to excel with iwp? I know i can't with filemaker because it doesn't have web compatibility, but is there any plugin i can use? Or is it possible to export to another format? I've been looking everywhere, but i can't find a solution. would really appreciate some help, thanks!

Hey! Does anybody know why I can't export to excel when I open my database via browser? Thanks in advance

Hi Guys, I'm working at a fairly easy database that will be delivered as a runtime solution. It's only purpose is to export the users input in an excel sheet - after some checking. I'm working with 3 tables: Globals, Orders and Positions (not exactly but it's the same principle). Now I need to export one Order to one xls. The xls contains certain fields from all 3 tables and each position (of the users order) would be one row in the xls. Using the export to excel script step i'm only able to export all fields of the specified table. So i created an Export table that has all the fields needed in the xls. But every attempt to write a working script that put all the …

Hi all, Is there a straightforward way to export tab-separated values with field names becoming the first row, i.e., column headers? I only see this option available when "Saving As.." an Excel spreadsheet. Thanks in advance!!!

Hello...I've created and populated records for a database on my desktop which has a container field that holds different pdf images in each record. When I inserted the images I checked "Store only a reference to the file". I have the database file and the folders with the referenced pdf's all place in the same main folder. I want to move the files to another machine for hosting. But when I copy the folder with everything to our server and then copy it to the new desktop of the machine to host, some of the referenced pdf fields in the recoreds say that the referenced file can't be found. It is only on some of them. Some of them are OK. I created a field that shows me…

Hello, I tried to search the forum for my answer but I can’t locate what I am after. Im sure the answer is simple but it has eluded me. I have a database here at the office for victims of crimes…before I constructed the db they kept some data on Excel. My question is this: when I import from the old Excel sheets into my DB how do I handle the primary keys? Do I have to create a new field in the Excel sheets and auto generate or is there a way for FM to generate the keys when I do an import? Thanks, James

I found a great tip on Pasting Without Style to paste unstyled text into a field. But that still requires the user do that every time. If the user forgets then you are back to having a problem of styled text in a field. I also see that when defining fields, you can Auto-Enter a Calculated Value then use the Text Formatting Functions to select a style. Is this the "best practice" way to strictly enforce field styles? Or is there a simpler way that I'm overlooking?

I work in a large public school system using FMP6 and FMP server 5.5 as an SIS for individual schools to access student information. Student IDs are printed from FMP containing Student ID #, Picture and bar code. We would like students to scan their ID at the entry door and have FMP display student info for the student. Anybody ever implemented this type of system in their organization? Any suggestions?

How can I set a filemac: export to get the file to the current console user's ~/Desktop/ folder?

I'm new to Filemaker and trying to access a filemaker database via ODBC in order to migrate some of the data into a SQL Server database. Unfortunately, the database has both table and field names that contain spaces. I was able to edit the field names to enable them to be read via ODBC (in Filemaker Pro I used File>Define>Database to rename the fields, replacing spaces with underscores), but I can't seem to do the same for the table names. Can anyone advise me how to change the name of a table (without losing the existing data) in order to make it available via ODBC? As I say I am completely new to Filemaker so I don't know if this an easy thing to do or …

I made a file called offering for my church. It contains 10 text fields, 8 number fields, 40 calculation fields, and so... This file has 540,000 records and its file size is 400mb. I made empty clone of offering and delete 20 calculation field and import record from original file, offering. Then its file size become 950mb. I do not know why this happen? I thought file size become less than 400mb. Is any way I can reduce the size of file after importing record?

Is there a way to set the file name you are exporting, to be based on a field name?

Is it possible to only export user-specific or pre-defined fields? Depending on account access, not all fields are available. Also, depending on the record(s) being exported, not all fields are necessary. Is anyone familiar with this?

I've spent a fair amount of time building a poetry database for tracking use of documents. In the end there are 2 separate files. One holds general information (the poem) and the other holds poem information with a unique identifier. The 2 databases are joined by a relationship that allows a portal display unique usage. Now that I've built this and it's fully functional, I need to put it on another computer. Burning the files to CD and a flash drive does not work. It alters the appearance of the databases. How to I keep my documents true to form when loading them onto other computers with FileMaker?

Is there any way to export content of a text filed in ANSI format on a windows?

Can I import this knd of data directly into FM. I can do it with excel. 0000077132-07-000004.txt

Hello! I'm having a problem, I have a button to export to excel in my layout, and it works perfectly when i open with FM, but when I open it with a browser via web publishing it doesn't work! Does anybody know why this happens? Thanks in advance

I have to import pictures from always the same rootfolder and variable subfolders. Always after I store new pic's from cam, I start a script "Import_new", and the filemaker should import (only references) only the new pic's without a dialog. First I thought on "xopy /m" (archivbit), but this causes another problems. Filenamecompare or filedate is not useful, because its random. Has anyone a good idea for a small solution? Archivbit is the best indicator if a file is archived or not. But how to check & change it from filemaker without special plugins? vbs-scripting is a possibilty... but I am a filemaker- and vbs-greenhorn .....

Hi, I am attempting my first go around with an excel export in Filemaker 8.5 - I have the jist of it down, but 2 things have me stumped. 1) I am exporting a field that "sometimes" has leading zeros, on the screen the field shows the leading zeros just fine, but when I export to Excel and then open the file the leading zeros have been dropped. Any way around this??? 2) My database has two number fields "Intime" and "Outtime" that are formated in military time IE intime might be 5.5 for 5:30am and outtime might be 17.5 for 5:30pm - when I do this export to excel I need the times to be converted to regular times 5:30 nothing else, no am/pm etc. I have …

I have an excel file with 40 some fields. I created an fm table to import the data. I made a mistake and missed creating field #3 (Vendor) when creating the table. So I added the field "Vendor" to the database and then moved it to be the 3rd field "slot" in the database. However, when I go to import the data, "Vendor" is still the last field on the target side of the import window, and thus my target and source fields don't match up correctly... they're all off by one field. And if I just try to drag the last field up to the 3rd slot, it doesn't get "inserted" there, but rather it swaps positions with the field already there, so that what was the 3rd field is now at the b…

hello all ... i'm working with a company and they are using FMP ... i'm relatively experienced with websites and php coding, etc, but not too overly familiar with all the in's and out's of FileMaker - getting more and more familiar, but there are still "holes in my game" ... what we are looking to do is take a database that we are working with for a particular business and duplicate this for another business venture (of course we'll probably change/modify some things after the fact) but this will give us a great head start and for lack of a better term a working template to build the next database ... my question is there has to be a way to essentially grab everythi…

i'm new to filemaker, using version 7. i have created a simple database with a few text fields and one container per file. i want to put a series of quicktime audiofiles in the containers but i might end up with hundres, even thousands of entries. is there a way to "mass" import these audio files into their respective containers without having to do each one individually (something i can't even find a keybpard shortcut for when doing it one at a time!) any help appreciated. thanks.

Is tehre a way to import from MS Access into FileMaker? I have read the documentation and tried but have not been sucesful yet. I have exported my Access Database to a tab deliminated file and then imported to FMP which works. I have also tried exporting to an xml file which does not work. I have not been able to figure out an ODBC import. The file I need to import is several million records and is 2gig (the Access file size limit) hence the need to bring it into FMP. Any help would be appreciated.

I have two FMP tables, Invoices and LineItems. I need to denormalize these (creating one record per LineItem). These flattened records must be exported (.csv or .tab is fine) with their fields in the exact order that is required by the target program. There are some Invoices and LineItems fields that do not need to be exported; conversely, there are some fields that the target program expects that I can't provide but must account for by a null value. What is the best way to go about this? Should I create a "Sales" table in FMP into which to create the flattened records, and export from there? The frustrating thing is that, unless I've overlooked some…

Has anyone found a fix for the crash to export to PDF on Intel Macs...

Hi, I am hoping someone out there knows how to properly do this. What is the best way to automate program updates? I have a "normal" database installed on a clients computer, with two files. One for Layouts, Scripts, etc., and one for data with 25+ Tables. The problem is, what is the best way to update the data side? Thanks in advance for any advice. Bill,

Anyone had any luck doing it? I've set up an ODBC connection and I can import data from MySQL using ODBC... but I can't get it to export data, or even to run SQL queries correctly. I made a script to create a table and it gives me an error that my SQL syntax is wrong. I made an "Execute SQL" script and here's the code: CREATE TABLE "Contact" ("Contact ID" Decimal primary key, "First Name" VarChar(20), "Last Name" VarChar, "Organization" VarChar, "Address" VarChar, "City" VarChar, "State" VarChar(2), "Zip" VarChar) Seems right to me. Anyone have any ideas? Are there any sites that cover how to do this? Any other threads on this forum (I couldn't find any...)? Tha…

We have some data in FMP and some in Oracle tables. I would like to run an SQLplus query in Oracle and access the FMP tables. Both are running on networked servers. Oracle is on a UNIX server, FMP is on Windows 2003. How can I set this up? Any directions, references etc. would be appreciated. Thanks, Leslie

I am trying to help an artist-friend use FM to manage his clients and work. We've successfully imported the textual data on his collection of paintings. This includes date of composition, size, etc. One of the fields is a catalog number by which he keeps track of his paintings. The nomenclature is similar to F10-14. Now I am ready to import the images into the database. I am using the Import Folder function and want to import by "updating matching records in found set." I want to match the records based on file-name. The file-names of the images match with the catalog number in the database. Therefore there is an image titled "F10-14" and a record in the database …

Hi all, I have a huge problem I cant come around: I have to export data from one computer with FM8 to another computer with FM8 by floppy and automatic script. I use Export by TAB separation. Exportet file is 690 kb. By importing in the second computer everything works great except that some data come to wrong fields. How should I do so all data comes to right fields and without clients doing something else than trigger the export/import script. Hope someone could help. Thanks. -Per

Is there a way to specficy the PDF report name as Weekly Report & today's date as the actual name, some MS variable or something you can use? It would be very helpful, otherwise it seems like the user will have to go in and rename the report so they don't keep getting written over. Thanks

I'm new to this forum. I have a question about the export formats. I've been in my position for 7 years now and have always export dbf files to statisticians. I fear this is a huge mistake. Also I can't upgrade at this time. Today a new statistician showed me that one of the export number fields that calculates had a value of 0.0000000 in it even though in the database it was clearly an empty field. Thus began my search for what would be the best export format. I noted that someone said export as a mer file to retain field names, but then change extension to csv. Do I need to change the selection "Don't format output"? Or is the data going to come out …

I know I can import an XML document with an http request. The document I want is not XML it is comma delimited text. The document is not a file, it is an http address. Do I need to save it as a file or can I import with an http request? I can get it as an XML document but I dont know how to write an XSL stylesheet to convert to fmpresult

:P [color:blue]I'm trying to create a stand-alone app that can create a file that contains a report so it can be emailed. I made a button that created a pdf of the report, but stand-alones cant save as pdf. (******* you adobe). Anyways, the only thing I can save the filled out report as after the app is created is an excel file with a long row of columns and values. This is highly unreadable and unprofessional looking and just wont work. Please let me know if you know if a way to save a filled out report in a standalone. Is is possible to have a button in my app that opens the saved excel file and populates the fields in my form with them? I just want something that is …

Ok so I have a contacts file exported from now contact and using that tab delimited file I imported the fields into studiosuite8 which is just a filemaker ready made solution for tracking contacts and workflow in (of all things...) a studio. So next step is to use filebooks to link the quickbooks data to the same database... Here is my problem/concern. How do I make sure the data imported from quickbooks (or exported for that matter) matches the existing contacts within my database? In importing the tab delimited file from now contact I had to make a column of progressive numbers so that in doing multiple imports I would always match records. Can I use that same "ID_c…