Importing Excel tables with Header Row/Field names

[ephram]

I have many Excel tables I'd like to import into an existing Filemaker 7 database, but I'd like to be able to bring in the Header row or field names from the first row of the Excel tables. I can't see any obvious way to do this, and it seems like I'll be forced to retype the name of each of 30+ field names for each table to create a blank table into which I can import the Excel file.

Any ideas on this? Seems like it should be a pretty simple/obvious thing to do in FMP!

Thanks in advance.

[Lee Smith]

FileMaker will open an Excel file directly.

Lee

[DykstrL]

Just drop the Excel file onto the FileMaker application or alias and FileMaker should convert it to a FileMaker file. When it dows, it should ask which worksheet to convert and whether the first record will be data or the header information.

[ephram]

Yes, I figured out how to do that- to open an Excel file directly- but then the table is in a FM file by itself, so how can I get that table whole hog (with field names and all) copied over into an existing FM file with many tables?

Thanks

[Lee Smith]

Import? I guess we didn't understand your post...

[color:"blue"] One way to do this is.

Perform a manual import using the Merge format. This means that you have to save a copy of your Excel file as a Merge File, this format will include your field labels ). you will need to line up the fields to match what you want in each. Afterwards, immediately create a Script that includes the Import Script Step in it. If your Excel file remains consistent, you can just run your script the next time.

[color:"blue"] A second way would be to:

Open the file in FileMaker as describe before, and then import that into your existing file. Same process is involved with mapping the fields and Script Step.

HTH

Lee

[ephram]

Thanks Lee.

That sounds like a good way to go, but I'm not sure I understand exactly all the steps necessary to do that. I tried saving the Excel table (called import.xls) I want to import into the other FM file as a Merge file, no problem (import.mer).

But then when I try to import it into the FM file (tables.fp7), it just wants to stick it in an existing table and pick how to map the fields. How exactly do I use the scripts to make it create a new table in tables.fp7, with all the fields of import.xls or import.mer?

Thanks.

[ephram]

Anyone have any good ideas on how to do this moving of a table between two databases in FM 7 easily?

Thanks

[-Queue-]

You do not create a new table via script or Import. You open the Excel file with FMP using File -> Open. It will be converted to an FP7 file and then you can tweak the field defintions, create scripts, etc.