Button->"Send Apple Event" Question

[TFB]

Hi,

I have a question using FMP 6, a database served by a Panther machine to OS 10.3 and 9.22 clients.

I've created a button that I've set to "Send Apple Event" to activate an Applescript applet that I've been using a while. This works wonderfully locally (on a test machine, test version of the database, with no clients), but I'm having a bit of trouble finding the proper place to put it for the server based database. For OS X clients, If I distribute the applet to each client and place it on the root level of the hard drive it links correctly and works. For OS 9 clients, the first time I press the button in the database I'm asked to locate the applet, but thereafter if works.

This seems messy to me (not to mention a hassle to initially set up). So, where should external applescript applets reside for a server based database? It would be much cleaner if I could just have one copy located on the server; is that possible?

Thanks for any advice,

Tom

[bruceR]

Would it be possible to instead write it as a perform applescript statement and just include the whole script inside Filemaker? FWIW I usually prefer perform applescript over send event.

[TFB]

That's a good point. I haven't tried that, but the script itself is rather long. Is there any limitation to size/length of an internal applescript? Are ther any other limitations (properites, handlers, etc...)?

I'm sure this is in the manual, but I don't have access to one at the moment (it at work...).

Thanks for your thoughts.

[bruceR]

Well, it should work just fine, but why wait for somebody to answer? Why not just try it and find out for yourself?

[TFB]

Bruce, Thanks.

I did try it. Fortunately my script is 12K (about 300 lines) and the limit for a script in Filemaker is 32K.

It works well, but the script is flakey in OS 9. I think this is due to AS in OS 9 and not the Filemaker mechanism. Good thing the OS X transition is _almost_ complete.

[bruceR]

Note that in FM7, the whole script can be part of a BUTTON! And you can just paste a button on a layout and you're in business.