Want to use FMP as file launcher in cross-platform environment

[WillM]

I've built a FMP database of patents (in pdf format) I have strored on my hard drive. I'm sharing this database with my co-workers in a dual platform (Macs and Windows) environment. I would like to make the pdf files available to them as well so that they could open (launch) the selected file from FMP, or transfer a copy of the patent to their computer (without my intervention, of course). I've been able to write a script to launch the appropriate file on my computer but can't figure out how to do it even for the other Mac users, let alone Windows users.

Can this be done? And, if so, how? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[email protected]

[LiveOak]

I would think the way to do it is to detect the platform and call one of two subscripts. For Mac, the first subscript uses AppleScript to navigate to an open the .pdf file. for the PC, the second subscript uses DDE to navigate to and open the .pdf file. Each subscript will probably need to be created on its respective platform.

-bd

[Lee J]

How about using a URL.

We have a similiar system inhouse which we use to view PDF files.

We use a webserver, generate an FTP URL which points to the PDF and uses the Browser to open the PDF file.

This way it doesn't need to be platform specific

[WillM]

Gee! Publishing the database using the web plugin was unbelievably simple! Now, can someone tell me how to script a button so that the (remote) user can access the file related to the record? Note that I'm using a Mac. Do I need to turn File Sharing on? Do I use colons or backslashes as delimiters? I'm very new to this, so a step-by-step is needed.

And, BTW, thanks to all who have responded to my plea for help!

Will

[ July 12, 2001: Message edited by: WillM ]

Amazon_lite.fp7.zip

Amazon_lite.fp7.zip