Image and information

[annieme]

Hi, I have a question that might seem trivial, but I hope you can help me...

I have an excel list containing more than 4000 records, each corresponding to one image (.jpg). The records contain information in several columns about the picture (sitation, date, site, photographer etc), and also one column with the filename of the corresponding image (f ex "2005.50.03.jpg").

How can I make a database that shows the information from the excel list and the corresponding image? The database should be exportable (to be burned on a cd) - i.e. the images should be built into the database.

Thank you,

Anja

[dkemme]

Have you tried opening the excel file from FMP to see what you get? It might be just what you need.

[annieme]

What do you mean? Opening the excel-file in FMP only shows the table, and getting the data into FMP is not the problem.

I have already imported the data from the excel-file into relevant fields in a layout in FMP. I want to make one container field take the path to the image from a field, i.e. look up the reference, and import the image from file.

Surely there is an easy way to do this in FM?

[Fenton]

What you say above, importing the image from a file path cannot be done in plain FileMaker. You could do it using a plug-in, such as Troi File.

Or you could use the Import Folder command, with nested folders, with Update Matching Records, with the File Name as the key - IF it is unique to each image. The trouble is, in 6 the key limit is 20 continuous characters, with 60 total. So using the File Path (which is guaranteed to be unique) is out of the question.

Or you could just import all the images into their own file, then match 'em up to the other file with the File Name. It would allow you to Find and fix ones that did not match (were not unique names, etc.). If you want only 1 file, then, after fixing the matching, import the text fields into the image file (easier).

Another possibility would be to leave the images where they are, and reference them from FileMaker, using a calculation, with Container result. This is new to 7.

"image:" & relative file path

You may need "image:" & file path on Windows. Someone said that here, but I don't remember (on a Mac right now).

It's a relative file path, just like you'd see in an html path. So, if your images are in a folder "images" in the same folder as the FileMaker database, the result should be:

"images:images/file path"

Because it is not an absolute path it will work no matter where you move it, as long as you move it all together.

It has a disadvantage/advantage that the files remain files. Hence not network ready. Also, the files are not protected, if that matters.