Hi,

I have a web developer designing a program for our firm. I need to extract data from filemaker and upload it to the web program via ftp. I am exporting the data as a "mer" file.

The process of uploading the database from filemaker into this new program will be automated and be done periodically.

The problem is the developer now wants a "flag" at the end of my mer file to identify that the upload has been completed. e.g %%END OF FILE%% at the end of the merge records

Obviously I want to automate this export into a script, Is there anyway of exporting to a file with the text %% END OF FILE%% appended to the end of the data?

I honestly don't think there is, but thought i'd just ask (at the risk of being dillusional). The alternative is to create a dodgy record with the %%END OF FILE%% in a field and sort and export ensuring that the dodgy record was the last one.

The idea of having a line at the end of the file saying %%END OF FILE%% sounds utterly ridiculous to me. It's no longer a mer file when you go about arbitrarily changing the format. If your web designer can't figure out where the file ends, then there is something wrong with your web designer.

Now that I've got that off my chest, the only method I can think of is the dodgy record idea that you suggested. I've had to do similar things in the past to create special headers in export files.

It could be done with an XML export. Anything can be done with an XML export. I have yet to learn how though.

I agree with Bob: get a better developer.