I want to do what airline bookings can do!!!!

[mattlight]

Hi guys,

Help me out please - this might be simple, might not!

Here it is...

1. I don't want to publish my database on the web

2. I do want to add records over the web

so

can I create a page on my website which has 10 basic fields with a SUBMIT button (much like booking an airline ticket) which will be saved in my personal web space. Then, write a script in Filemaker (when opened) to check my webspace for new records and import them?

I don't need it to check availability or anything, it's just blind data entry into a new record! It's for an on-site engineer who will write up a report which then eventually goes into the 'On-site Login' database.

Fields will be

Company Name

Contact

Engineer Name

Appointment Date

Appointment Time

Arrival Time

Finish Time

Fault

Solution

Follow Up

That's it! No lookups or anything!

Ah, but when importing, I can get it to do the lookups and automated stuff can't I (Filemaker 6.0) where, if it creates a new record, gives it a new log number, uses the Company Name to lookup the address from the client database (relationship already established - and working perfectly over the network - Filemaker Server) and calculate the amount of time on site (finish time - arrival time [already setup])

Please could you let me know the easiest solution!

I've heard about writing a CSV file or something which is stored on the web - but can filemaker understand that? (is it Comma Separated file?)

i want to automate the proceedure so that on a localised startup of the database, it imports records that it doesn't already have.

Thanks guys - drinks on me - hopefully there will be cigar at the end!

[Anatoli]

You can do that easily in FM. Your private file will import that from public file working on web.

Easy and job for 1 - 4 days.

[Garry Claridge]

Would you be storing it in a text delimited file on the web-site? If so you can build a Script to run on "Open" to test each row against a "flag" for determining which rows to import.

The "flag" maybe a Global field which stores the date/time of the last row imported.

You could even look at Applescript to manage the transfer.

All the best.

Garry

[Vaughan]

"I want to do what airline bookings can do!!!!"

You want to lose my luggage?

[Anatoli]

And mine as well like last time

[mattlight]

Very funny! I lost mine on my way back from Thailand - I know that ain't right - okay, not like an airline - like ordering flowers on the internet!

Has anyone achieved what I'm trying to do using um HTML, ODBC, LASSO, BASIC, C++, BINARY, FRENCH, SPANISH, GWAOMALEN, SWAHELIE - could someone please point me in the right direction!!

I want it to be a simple set of fields on an HTML page which would be an extention of the website (www.gensystec.comonsite.htm) and for it to store it as a Comma-seperated file or even email it to myself and simply import it!

Any scripts, etc - would be very useful. By the way, I'm running Filemaker Server on a mac hooked up to a network which has an ADSL line and each machine that is running Filemaker Pro 6 is a PC - so no applescripts please unless they are suppose to run as a schedule on the Filemaker server.

Thanks guys

[CobaltSky]

I gather that the files you want to pull in data from will be in a directory on a remote server.

That being the case, the cleanest solution would probably be to use the FTPit plug-in from Comm-unity Networking Systems to retrieve the file(s) first, prior to a scripted 'import' step, and to place the whole sequence in a start-up script in your solution.

If you're interested in this approach, you could trial it with a demo download of the plug-in, which is available online from:

Comm-Unity Networking Systems: http://ftpit.cnsplug-ins.com/

You would need a start-up script which checked for files in the designated server directory online and transferred any files it found there to a predetermined local directory. The script would run along the lines of:

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-Host", "yourremotehost.com")")

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-UserName", "mattlight")")

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-Password", "************")")

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-Connect", "")")

If ["PatternCount(gFTPresult.txt, "ERROR"]

Show Message ["Remote Connection not available at this time."]

Exit Script

EndIf

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-ChangeDir", "/mattlight/transfer_files/")")

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-LocalChangeDir", "C:YourSolutionYourTransferFiles")")

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-ListFirst", "")")

If ["PatternCount(gFTPresult.txt, "ERROR"]

Show Message ["There were no files to import"]

Exit Script

Else

Loop

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-Get", gFTPresult.txt)"]

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-LocalRename", gFTPresult.txt & ":WebTransfer.csv")"]

ImportRecords [Restore, No Dialog, "WebTransfer.csv"]

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-Delete", gFTPresult.txt)"]

Set Field ["gFTPresult.txt", "External ("doFTP-ListNext", "")")

ExitLoopIf ["gFTPresult.txt = "" "]

End Loop

Show Message ["All remote data has been retrieved and added to the file."]

EndIf

For the Import script step, you will need to configure the addition of records, perform auto-entry and lookups, plus set an import order to match the layout of the csv files which will be generated from the form/page on the remote site.

When the above is in place, the whole process will be automated, with any remote files being retrieved, imported into the database and then deleted from the remote directory each time the file is launched.