Simple File download to iPad method?

[Wickerman]

I have created a number of free-standing backgammon quizzing files in Filemaker for use on an iPad.  What I want is to allow people to go to my website on their ipads, click on a download button, and have the file imported to their device and open in Filemaker Go. Then they can use it on their own -- no connection to a hosted file is necessary, no further data updates to the file are needed.

I am hosting the filemaker quiz files on Google Drive.  When I initially set this up, it was working fine - - and it still works fine if I try it on my desktop machine -- the file appears in my downloads file.  But one day I tried it, and the download no longer triggers -- I get stuck in a loop where I click 'download' on the google drive screen and nothing much happens.

I have no idea what could have changed since August when I first set this up - - but it's just not working any longer.

Can anyone suggest what's gone wrong, or how I might better navigate this simple need? Here's the web-page in question.  The Quiz files are at the bottom of the page.

https://nebackgammon.org/index.php/bg-taskmaster/

Just tap on one of the 'Taskmaster' images from your iPad to attempt a download.

Albert 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2019 by Wickerman

[OlgerDiekstra]

Worked fine on my iPad (FMGo v18, iOS 12.3.1), you have to tap on "More..." under "Open in FM Go 18" on the google drive webpage, and then select "Copy to FM", but it opened fine.

I don't think you'll be able to make it any easier, iOS won't let you download directly to FM and open the file without user interaction.

[OlgerDiekstra]

Also, the images on your layouts appear fairly small, yet some images are much larger than they need to be (I found one that is 1644x1380). By resizing your images to the max size your DB uses, you reduce the filesize significantly. Also make sure you use something like 80%-85% compression as the quality of the images doesn't justify any higher.

Your max image size doesn't need to be higher than 650x455 pixels at 85% compression. The mentioned image original size was 287kB and went to 98kB at 640x540 with 85% compr. Considering that 50% of your images can loose around 200kB each, you'd be looking at a reduction of around 15MB.

If there are duplicate images, you can loose more fat by using a separate image table and using a relationship.

[Wickerman]

Thanks for that suggestion -- I view the images at a larger size on my desktop, where file size isn't such an issue, but you're right it would be good to shrink the mobile files substantially. 

Is it possible for me to export the image files "in bulk", adjust them with my graphics editor and then re-import them as a batch, without having to drag & drop them into each container field separately? The images are stored in a simple container field....

[OlgerDiekstra]

Yes, you could, as long as the file names are all different, then you could export the images, resize them with your favorit editor and reimport them with a script that searches for the imagename and imports the image back into the container.

If you were on Windows I'd suggest Irfanview, free app that can do batch actions. On Mac you'll have to ask someone else for a suggestion. Unless you want to tinker with the command line and use ImageMagick. Very powerful.

Writing the import script might not save you much time, but its an interesting exercise.

Edited November 16, 2019 by OlgerDiekstra