how do I imp./exp. EASILY with buttons?

[Wildy71]

Hello,

I need help again, and again it's probably very newbie, so I apologize. i am making a database for recording results of quarterly assessments for my students. I have a number of layouts, (one for each assesment and one for an acheivement summary) for each student. i would like a teacher to be able to use the template to record the assessment data for his/her class and then use a button to create an export file that they can give to a department head, who will then collect the same type of data from other teachers and import it to her identical template to use as a masterlist for the school. My problem is that I'm trying to get it so that all of the actions required of the user are performed through buttons, to keep it simple and error free. I created a button to perform the action 'export file', but I get a very complicated looking dialogue box that asks me to choose the order of fields to be exported etc. Is there a way that I can have the export file created without that intermediate dialogue box appearing, so that it is totally automatic.

Also, I have some fields that calculate the percentage improvement for each student, and net change. Should I export the info from these fields, or will that create a problem once it gets stuck back into the same calculation field at the other user's end?

I don't have a manual for FMP5 because I am using a computer at school, so if you could let me know the solution, if there is one, I would appreciate it greatly.

Thanks again,

Paul.

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[BobWeaver]

To avoid the dialog during the export, first manually do an export setting the export order etc. Then, go into the script and put in the export step selecting "restore export order" and "perform without dialog." It will then use the order that you just did manually. If you don't want the user to select the file name, you can specify it yourself with the "specify file" check box.

If , when you finish editing your script, you get a dialog asking if you want to keep or replace the various setups, click "replace" for the export order.

When exporting calculated fields, only the value will be exported. If the data is subsequently imported back into filemaker, you can import the calculated data into a normal field but not a calculated field (otherwise it wouldn't be calculated would it). When doing an import into filemaker, you will see that calculated fields on the destination side are dimmed indicating that you can't import into them.

[ November 18, 2001: Message edited by: BobWeaver ]

[Wildy71]

Hi Bob, and thanks for the info.

It's working great, with one exception. When I clicked the 'no dialogue' option in the import, the user seems to have lost the ability to decide a file name for the data file. It defaults to Data file, until the person makes a second file, which would otherwise have the same name. I probably could have the scipt perform two back to back exports, and upon the execution of the second one, prompt the user to choose a new filename. Thats clumsy, and it leaves a waste file in the person's folder(macmanager) . Is there a more refined solution?

[Wildy71]

Forget it! It works perfectly! I must be losing my marble, I swear I was just trying this and it didn't ask for a file name! Anyhow, thanks Bob, it works like a dream.

Paul