Network File Paths from OS X to Windows using FMP 16

[harvey1]

Hi, I am trying to set a path name for the Save Records as PDF script step.  I am trying to define a path to a Windows server share from a Macintosh.  The documentation is less than clear on how one would do this.  I've tried variations on this:

"filemac://serverName/shareName/fileName.pdf"

This format returns an 800 error (unable to create file on disk).  My question is how to format this path name running Filemaker 16 on OS X and targeting a volume on a Windows server.  When trying this, I have the Windows share mounted on the OS X machine.

 

[OlgerDiekstra]

Create a folder in the documents folder of the Mac ( Get( DocumentsPath ) ), and mount the Windows share on that folder. Then you should be able to export records to that mounted share.

Test first that the user that you are running as on the Mac can create a file from Mac on the Windows share. If that doesn't work you probably have permissions issues on the Windows side.

[harvey1]

Creative idea, and maybe my implementation was bad, but this didn't seem to work.  First, I checked my ability to create files from the Mac to the mounted Windows share and was able to do so.  I then created a new folder in my Mac Documents directory and placed an alias to the mounted Windows share in this directory.  When I try to create a file in this folder via either of the following it fails with the same 800 error.

get(documents path) & "/macFolder/aliasWindowsShare/" & filename.pdf    or

"filemaker:" & get(documents path) & "/macFolder/aliasWindowsShare/" & filename.pdf

 

When you say "mount the share on that folder" are you referring to adding an alias to the share or some other method?  Also, I see a note in the create path FMP help documentation that mentions using "file:" instead of filewin: or filemac: for cross platform situations.  Anyone know if this works for addressing cross platform file path issues?  I tried this with a direct path to the Windows server and this didn't work, but maybe there is another way to use this?

 

[harvey1]

I meant:

"filemac:" & get(documents path) & "/macFolder/aliasWindowsShare/" & filename.pdf

Force of habit I guess!

[OlgerDiekstra]

On Nix systems you mount other filesystems/disks on folders. Unlike Windwos where a drive has its own driveletter (both have benefits, but Nix's way is more flexable).

So when you want to mount something on a Nix system you first have to create a folder which is used as a mounting point. That folder becomes inaccessable after mounting. That in itself can be used to check whether something is mounted or not, create another folder or file in your mount folder (before mounting) called 'notmounted' and you can simply check whether that folder is visible or not (as long as your mounted folder doesn't also have a folder 'notmounted' of course....)

So in your documents folder you create a folder 'windowsshare' and then use that folder as a mounting point. (mount <source> <directory> if you do it from a shell, where <source> is the filesystem/share and <directory> is your mount point, which is the folder in the documents path you created: 'windowsshare').

One thing you will have to be aware of is how you mount it. You can mount it read only.

In theory FM shouldn't care whether it is a mounted share, and from memory I have done something similar a long time ago on a Windows machine. However, Windows is not Mac.

One thing you could try is Get(DocumentsPathList). That will parse the entire DocumentsPath tree. In theory the share would be part of it and FM should the also parse the share and show you the folder structure.

If it doesn't, you're probably out of luck mounting a share in the documentspath.

An alternative is to export your pdf to the documents folder and then use a plugin such as BaseElements to move it to the share.

[harvey1]

Hi Olger,

 

Thanks for taking the time to help with this.  Your ideas helped me get to the solution.  Turns out this isn't documented properly in the Set File Path info with Filemaker.  The final path that worked was of the format:

filemac://shareName/fileName

Turns out you don't identify the Windows server Volume!