Importing Text File into Text Field - Impossible?

[gczychi]

Hi,

all I need is to read the content of a text file into a text field and I can’t figure out how.

Situation: I have ≈150’000 folders, each with one image file and one xml/text file with meta information about the image file. The image file and the meta data need to go into the same record.

I’ve looked for hours now, but couldn’t find a solution:

• I can’t use the import folder command, because it creates new records for each file in a directory.

• I can’t use Do AppleScript > do shell script > cat x.txt, because I can’t get the result into FileMaker.

• I can’t use the new Read File script step of FM18, because the solution is on FM16 and FM17. (I tried it nevertheless, but all I got was the filename!?)

• I’cant use a plugin (MBS would work just fine, I think).

So, what are my options? Any ideas?

I would love to insert the xml file into a container and then read the container raw data — but how? A couple of years ago, I have read about someone actually doing this, but I can’t remember where or how. That would be cool!

Any other suggestions?

Thanks so much!

Gary

 

[comment]

1. Why can't you use AppleScript or a plugin?

2. I haven't tested this, but if you import all the text files into one table and all the image files into another table (using import folder for both) there is a good chance they will be imported in the same order. Even if they are not, you can import the file path into a field in each table and use it to match up the records.

BTW, reading the text from a text file in a container field is possible in version 16 using the TextDecode() function. But I don't think you need to do this.

 

[gczychi]

Comment, you’re a genius. I completely forgot about the TextDecode function. I really like it! So simple to use, works on any platform and even in my favorite FileMaker version (16).

AppleScript wasn’t really an option because I always get confused with the trazillion quote characters, the fact that it is not cross platform and especially the fact that there is no easy way to get the shell result back into FileMaker.

Shell support would be way cool. Maybe someone would write (has written?) a script that intelligently works cross platform (AppleScript/Shell & PowerShell) and that just delivers the shell output in a variable. That would be cool.

As for Plugins, I rather want to solve things without plugins: much less worries and maintenance.

Thanks again!

Gary