Creating and modifying FileMaker Pro 5.5 Scripts..

[jovin]

Hi new to FileMaker Pro...

I'm trying to create a script for FileMaker Pro that will export certain file to a specified directory. Is this possible and how would I begin the scripts. is there a template that I can look at and make my own? I'm not new to writing scripts just new to FileMaker

Many thanks for being patient with me.

Jovin..

[QuinTech]

Hi, Jovin, and welcome to FM Forums! You will probably find that Filemaker scripts are much different than the scripts you're used to writing, mostly because you can't actually edit them in the usual way, you must select from a list of available steps. Once you get past that issue, you should find that FM's help menu can direct you where you want to go.

The Export script step may be what you're looking for. It exports data from the FM database into one of several file formats, and allows you to specify the directory. Also, if this is all you're doing, you may not need to script it, as Export is an option under the File menu.

Jerry

[Lee Smith]

Hi Jovin,

To expand on Jerry's response a little bit. FileMaker remembers the last "Find", "Sort", "Import", "Export", or "Page Setup" performed. What does this mean? It means that if you perform one of these tasks manually, in your case the export, and then immediately create a script using the script step involved (Export Script Step), it will perform your export in the future without intervention by you. You can either attach it to a button on your layout, or allow for it to be displayed in your ScriptMaker Menu, and then have access to it when ever you need it. It can also be included in another script as a subscript, or with other script steps such as Find, Sort, etc.

HTH

Lee

[QuinTech]

Lee, you're getting to be too nice... you used to be the king of RTFM!

[Lee Smith]

I guess it's because I just got back from vacation, and I'm in a good mood.

Funny though, that was going to be my response, along with pointing to the Online Help.

Lee

[jovin]

Thanks to both of you, Lee Smith and Quintech. What I'm trying to do is to verify a script that my predessor made. He made a script that exports a report to the network and I can't find that file in the network. I'd like to be able to run the export script and verify the output directory. How would I do this?

Again.. Thanks//

jovin

[Lee Smith]

Hi Jovin,

You can print scripts out in FileMaker and they will show you things like this.

What I usually do is to look at the Script involved first to determine if there are any subscripts involve too. Once you know which ones to print, you go to the Print option, and select the 4th radio button. There is a drop down Menu there and you can either select them one by one to print, or print them all out at once.

HTH

Lee

[jovin]

opps, I made a mistake about the file being exported to the network, its actually being exported to the local drive. I've asked one of my co-workers to try and export the a file from the same database and the file is in her local root drive of C:. I've asked another co-worker and her's also gets exported on her C: drive. Why would mine not show up in my local drive. I'm assuming that we all use the same export script....?

Lee, how do I go to the print option and select the 4th option? Is that on the file menu?

Thnx

[Lee Smith]

Cmd P on a Mac (Menu - File - Print) will give you the Print Dialog box. If the Print driver is like mine, I have to use the drop down menu and select FileMaker before the options show up.

HTH

Lee

[QuinTech]

If you have a different directory structure than she does, the script may export to different places. For example, the script may be trying to export to C:someFolder, which exists on your computer but not hers. In that case, FM may export to C:someFolder for you, but C: for her. In any case, Lee is right, printing the script with the export step will show the specified location.

I suppose it is also possible that you do not have permissions to write to your C: root but your co-worker does. Can you, say, type in Notepad and then save that to the C: root?

J

[Lee Smith]

Hi Jerry,

Mac's don't have C: drives, they use a name such as Macintosh HD. Would that be having an effect on this?

Lee

[QuinTech]

Oh... to be honest, i have no idea how this would behave cross-platform. If it were the Filemaker folder we were trying to export to, i would have an idea, but this, i just don't know.

It seems logical to me that if the script were exporting to, say, Macintosh HD|Some Folder|Some Other Folder, then a Windows machine would get confused and just put it into the C: root, regardless of whether Some Folder exists anywhere on the PC. But i don't really know if that's how it works, just guessing.

J

[Lee Smith]

Hi Jerry,

I have the same problem when trying to figure out the Windows way of doing things.

Lee

[jovin]

Well I tried to print the script and the option to select and print the script seems to be grayed out.. does this mean I don't have access to the script? Is there a way to print the script besides going throught the FileMaker Pro's file menu?

jovin

[Lee Smith]

Jovin, Update your profile (the link is in blue just below your name) as to your version of FileMaker and Operating System.

Lee

And yes, the grayed out indicates that your password is not authorized to to this. You will need to get the Master password in order to do this most likely.