I've got the Adobe PDF writer/distiller installed just fine. Due to the 111" layout restriction Filemaker has, I can only 'print' 10 pages (in FM) to one PDF file. Many of my files are over 10 pages, and I'm finding it inconvient to have 2 or more PDF files for one FM project. Is there a way I can merge these files together using a plugin, fancy scripting, or otherwise so that this can be done automatically inside of FM without having to merge them outside of FM?

with applescript & a folder action.

it's a good idea to specify your platform when you ask for fancy scripting ....

Oops. Should have known that one. I'm using FM Pro version 6 on a PC platform.

... but coming to think of it ...

this can be done with filemaker scripting only ...

start loop

enter preview mode

go to request/record 1

copy

go to pages.fp5

there is a single container field just the size of your page

new record

paste

back to first db

go to go to next request/record

go to pages.fp5 ...

then switch to another layout, do the same with the rest of the pages.

finally print all pages from pages.fp5

don't worry, they are all vector based graphics, so they will come out perfectly on PDF. (unless you choose paste without style, that is)

Hey - that worked really good. I didn't think about using records, since you can put (theroretically) as many records in one file as you need. Thanks!

No Brent, files are limited to just 2 giga records.

Check another thread (regarding scrolling through portals) for an interesting discussion on how long it'll take to create and scroll through 2,000,000,000 records.

Oh man - are you telling me someone took the time to find that out, Vaughan?? Sounds pretty dull to me. Of course, I'd like to see an actual real-world file that would have that many records!

Vaughan said:

No Brent, files are limited to just 2 giga records.

My experience is that the total file size is limited to 2 GB. I've had them freeze solid when they hit that point, and I have never been able to recover any using FileMaker Recover once that happens. In fact, I find I have to force-quit Filemaker in order to get working again. It doesn't fail gracefully (at least for me).

Hello Guys,

I am a Univ Lecturere in Uk and have responsibility for helping a great number of studnets to find a job for the 3rd Year of their course.

I have used FM3 and 4 for storing all the data I need of the firms we use (1800) and each year create a new studnets file. I now have fm5 on a PC for my assistant and 6 on my hgome and Uni Macs (both on OS 9.2)

I would like to be able to store each students Cv/Resumee on his/her record.

I have Word .doc Cvs which I convert to pdf using drag and drop on my iMac and G3 Powerbooks.

I already have the students photo on their record.

Ultimately I would like to be able to select and ouput a set of selected students CVs direct to Outlook/Entourage.

Can any of you knowledgeble guys tell me how I can:

store the docs or pdfs

email direct out of fm

Any help would be appreciated.

Coliin

Colin -

In over a year of searching, I have not been able to find a utility to change a PDF to FileMaker layout format. I'm beginning to think that it's just too hard to do, so noone has attempted to do so. Anyway - You can convert the PDF to individual picture files (.JPG .GIF .BMP). There are several utilities available to do such. Then, in FileMaker, use a container to hold the "picture", and print the container when needed. This makes the file larger, but it is doable.

As far as converting a .doc to FM, I can't help you there. I've never had a need to do so.

Concerning Emailing from FM, it's a fairly simple process. You have to set up a script. There is a script step called "Send Mail". You have to set up the different options associated with that to tell it what to send, who to send to to, etc..... This is presuming that you have an Email program already set up on your computer, like Eudora or MS Outlook. When the script is called, it will tell your Email program to create a new message, and fill in what areas you predefined.

Hope this helps

-Brent

Brent is right about PDFs in FM. If I need a pdf as a FM layout, I open it in Photoshop and save it as a jpeg. Then I put it directly on the layout (I don't put it in a container, but if you want to you can). Then I use CutePDF to print the layout as a pdf.

Then from there you would have to specify a file name and then I guess you can e-mail it. If you want to e-mail DIRECTLY from FM, you can use a plug-in called SMTPit. But it would seem kinda clumsy to me with the attachment because you would have to specify it each e-mail (if you were just doing 1 at a time it would be ok).

If you wanted to put word docs into an FM container, you can use the Insert Object command. Sorry, it won't work on Macs because they don't support OLE

If I was you, I would design an html page of the "resumes" or whatever and put the source code in a FM field. Then use SMTPit to send the html field.

Let us know how it goes!

Ken

Brent,

Thanks for the response.

I think I should have been more accurate in titling my enquiry.

I want to store 1 pdf file in each students record. Obviously its a different one for each. I would then like to mail the unopened file to the recipient. I have Entourage and Outlook.

I took your message as a right move and tried to open the pdf file with Graphic Converter to turn it into a jpeg. No Go!

Can you tell me the name of a Utility to do that conversion with, please?

I dont mind whether its a pdf or doc file. I have one and create the second using print to pdf which is a great little drag and drop desktop facility on the Mac.

Not wanting to drag this out but again thanks.

Colin

Hi,

1 - "I have not been able to find a utility to change a PDF to FileMaker layout format."

Photoshop will do this and it's also FileMaker scriptable on the Mac platform using AppleScript as the interface or, if you want to fully automate the process - like drop a pdf into a hot folder and have the record created, do the work and do the email: - FileMaker/FlightCheck workflow/shell script/Photoshop,

a solution which is also cross-platform

2 - store the docs or pdfs

email direct out of fm

This should be easy and a much nicer solution than enclosures.

Just upload your pdf's to web directories and embed the url into your emails with a calculation field:

"http:www.myserver.com/" & directorypath & "/" & pdfname

regards, jeff

Brent,

Just FYI, we

Colin:

You can put a PDF in a container field, no problem.