Inserting Pictures from outside FM

[nightdesigns]

Each of our records has 1 to 4 pictures stored centrally on a server. Each of the 4 fields has a corresponding number to the image. Is there a way in FM to have it show those images w/out having to import and store them (mainly to concerve space).

So for example. Click button that points # 1234 that will open file pictureserver1234.jpg and it either displays in FM or opens an in exporer, popup window etc. My main thing is that i don't want the pictures in FM, otherwise my Db will be like 2 gb's.

Thanks.

[danjacoby]

When you import the pic, there's a little checkbox that says something like "Store only a link..." (I'm too lazy to look it up right now).

Check that box. What happens is that FMP stores a link to the picture, but doesn't actually import the picture itself. You can still see, resize, crop and print the pic in FMP, but it's not taking up all that space.

One caveat, however -- don't change the location of the pic or of the FMP file; you'll have to re-link all the pics.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Just a remeinder that pictures inserted by reference only are not directly available over the network.

You could use OLE to accomplish something like you asked about though.

HTH

Old Advance Man

[nightdesigns]

Is there a way i can do it so i don't have to import each one, I.E. via script, etc. All the pictures are in the same directory, same extension, etc.

[larrydb3]

Looking for a similar solution, has anyone got any ideas?

I'm building a db that needs to reference 3 images per record. All the images would be located in directories accessible to all the users over the network. The perfect scenario would be a calculation field, that defines the path to the image. ie: "Hard_Drive/" & record number & "/" & record number & ".jpg"(producing a result of... Hard_Drive/1234/1234.jpg) If the image was located in that directory, it would appear in the container. Now thats in a perfect world, but I would like suggestions on how to achieve as close to this as possible. Oh yea, FM 4 and all Macs.

Thanks,

Larry

[LiveOak]

There is a solution. We use it on a client site with 240 GB of spinning storage for pictures and 5 FM servers. It's Troi File. It can be used to manage paths to files and create thumbnails of these pictures in global container fields on an "as needed" basis. We use all three approaches: 1) containers with references, 2) small thumbnails stored and 3) large thumbnails generated on the fly.

-bd