Define a field to tell me a file exists?

[kmoreau893]

Hello. I've been scouring these forums and everywhere trying to do something that I believe is very simple, and yet I can't seem to do it.

I have calculated some file names of image files. I have several fields that use those calculated file names and then put them into container fields. Basically this a database to show a main view of an item, plus alternate views, so the image file names are calculated as follows "<productname>.jpg", "<productname>_reverseangle.jpg", "<productname>_top.jpg" and so on. In some cases I don't have pictures for some of the variations, and so filemaker will put a message into the image container field: "The File Cannot Be Found" <imagefile name>.

I know how to get the path to the file, I know how to calculate the absolute path to the file, if I need it. All I need is a function in a calculation field that goes something like this: if (filevalidate (imagefile name) = TRUE; "THE FILE EXISTS";"THE FILE DOESN'T EXIST"))

Then based on whether I know if the file exists or not, I can include it (if it exists) or not (if it doesn't exist) in other calculated fields.

By the way, "filevalidate" is my fictional function, it doesn't exist in Filemaker.

I appreciate any advice. Thank you very much.

-Keith

[Wim Decorte]

No such think native to FileMaker. You would need to use a File plugin to do this in a calc. If you don't want to use plugins, use Applescript in a FM script to check if the file exists. The user will have to click a button to make the check happen though.

[kmoreau893]

Isn't there just some way, maybe using applescript within a calculation field (I don't even know if this is possible, been trying to find out) to just use some applescript code like

"tell application "Finder"

if the file "myfile.jpg" exists then

set this field to TRUE

else set this field to FALSE

end if

end tell

Problem is I just can't figure out how to put Applescript within a field and then have it's output be the value of the field, that is really all I want to do...

[Fenton]

[Attachment requires Troi File plug-in. I didn't attach a file for the AppleScript, as it's simpler to explain, just the code below.]

You cannot get a "live" calculation with AppleScript. It must run a script. Below is the Perform AppleScript code for the step, which can be in a FileMaker Loop, for all records. It is similar to your code above, with the added conversion of the container field to a string value, which produces the path to the file.

You should be on a layout with the container and the fields (read on). You will need a field named "theImage" (or change to your container field), and a text field named "ExistsAS", to put the test result in. In the below, an empty result is good.

set theFile to ""

tell current record of current layout of window 1

try

set theFile to (get data cell "theImage") as string

end try

tell application "Finder"

exists file theFile

copy result to existTest

end tell

if existTest is false then

set cell "ExistsAS" to "missing"

else

set cell "ExistsAS" to ""

end if

end tell

As Wim suggested, there is an alternative method using the Troi File plug-in, which is cross-platform, and can actually calculate whether the file is there "live." It is an Unstored calculation.

Troi_ImagePath.zip

[kmoreau893]

Thanks very much for the help. I did download the Troi plugin and it worked well. I have 30 days to decide to buy it it may be worth it for some of the 'live' versatility.

Again, thanks to all who answered, you are great asset to these forums.

-Keith