Data source name capture

[epatrick]

I find it odd that FileMaker is so intuitive yet hides access to the file name of the data source during importing. It looks like the only way I have found based on posts on the forum is to import the Data Source file as a reference into a container field. That is an extra step that shouldn't have to be done since FileMaker sees the Source file name during multiple points in the import process. Here are three dialogs where it's seen during import. There has to be a way to use the input file name with some kind of Get Function.  Please help!

[comment]

  On 6/22/2020 at 10:09 PM, epatrick said:

There has to be a way to use the input file name with some kind of Get Function. 

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I am afraid I am not familiar with such function. If your script selects the file (IOW, the file's name is known or can be calculated in advance) then of course you can place the file name in a variable and use it to populate a field as part of the import script. If the file is selected by user at runtime, then the only method I know of is to start by having the user insert the file into a container (this can be a variable, you don't need to use a field), then have the script import from the referenced file.

Alternatively you could use a plugin (or even AppleScript) to capture the user's selection - see, for example: 
https://baseelementsplugin.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/207324927-BE-FileSelect
But this would be an OS path, not a Filemaker path.

 

Edited June 23, 2020 by comment