I have a system in Filemaker 5.5 running on Windows 2000. This system has to be updated by importing a text file records that everyday is updated from the company mainframe system and is found always in the same folder. The problem is that there is an .exe application that has to be activated to get the updated text file from the mainframe and make it tab separated otherwise Filemaker won't be able to import the records. Is there a way to make Filemaker activate this exe application everyday at 7:00PM ?

I'm not an PC user but I think that send message script step will do the trick

Dj

you should attach this script on shutdown and on startup.

And than flagg this action for example if the shutdown time is erlier than 7 Pm than set some flag.

On first restart check the the flag and if the update has not been done import data and reset the flag

DJ

While you can get the exe to execute from the send message script step, you will not be able to set its time without using a plugin or WinBatch. Both Troi (www.troi.com) and Waves in Motion (www.wmotion.com) offer plugins. You can see WinBatch at www.wilsonware.com.

Create a new Filemaker database with 1 field. This can be anything. Create the "send message script" and make it the startup script in Preferences.

Schedule this file for 7.00am in Tasks (in the Windows folder). Each day the file will open and the script will perform. Ensure that the file is closed either manually or by a script step.

I think I got this answer from this forum some time ago.