cross platform images and pathnames

[mallikai]

filemaker 5.5 server on linux

filemaker 5.5 clients on 2 windows nt, 1 windows 98, 1 windows xp, 1 mac os 10.2

Everything works great in windows. I have an image database where I import references to the images that are on the linux server. I do all the importing with the troi file plugin on windows.

I know that the mac is not able to see a reference to the image but now i need a workaround for this.

I can't for the life of me figure out how to get the mac to even do an import or insert from the server. The server share does not show up on the window when I go to insert picture, quicktime, etc. It shows up if I use the troi plug-in, but none of the files can be chosen.

I have thumbnails to all the images as actual imports in the file but when someone clicks enlarge, they can pick up the reference to the files on windows. Is there any way to do it on the mac?

thanks

[cjaeger]

have you ever tried netatalk (appleshare for windows)?

have you worked with aliases to an image folder?

you can also make those images a 2x repeat & use applescript to translate the paths for repetition2 (macdisplay).

or maybe you will have to look for /Volumes/sharename/images to import directly. Have you tried to import in Classic?

[mallikai]

i've kind of got it to work with the troi plug in...For some reason, I have to dynamically import the image via reference each time.

Also, when I quit and log back on, I have to clear all the container fields relating to the mac os reference files or else it won't work...?

[dkemme]

I believe your problem is that the Window machines are able to get to the image files on the server but the Mac is not. The problem with your solution is that the machine serving FM files is also serving images, and can slow your solution and increase the complexity. Why not keep the images in the FM files instead of pasting links to the images?

[cjaeger]

Hello dkemme,

not (so much of ) a prob with linux servers ....

Keeping images stored (not referenced) in databse itself will solw down the solution a lot, unless you use a separate filemaker database with just a few fields, f. ex:

imageID, imageName, thumbnail, imagefullsize

and then reference it by relation.

Storing images in records which searchable text and other fields will considerably slow down any search or relation/portal and reduce the chance of recovery after a crash a lot.

mallikai:

try to solve the prob without the troi plugin first by adjusting your paths. try using aliases/win links to reference your directories and keep your images directory at the top level of your linux share to avoid name conversion problems...

but if you are using troi:

make sure at least the windows links work.

since you do have the thumbnails, and you are accessing the full size images with a button/script anyway, you could easily employ an applescript which puts the image ref into the mac container on access (see applescript forum for the applescript)