Default export file type

[nylon]

With good ol' FMP4 when exporting, the default filetype was FP3. Having converted my database to FMP8 it defaults to exporting to tab delimited format, which is really going to mess up my easily-confusable users.

How can I specify a default export file format so my users only have to simply specify a filename when saving?

Hope someone can assist. Mark

Edited April 26, 2006 by Guest

[comment]

I believe it defaults to the last format used for exporting from the selected table.

[nylon]

Thanks for the assist.

It seems to remember export format when manually importing/exporting but not when the EXPORT script step is used.

I tried manually exporting to FP7, then running the script that does the automated export but it always reverted to tab delimited format.

[comment]

Ah. You didn't mention a script before. In version 8, you can let users enter the desired filename into a global field. Use this to define a variable, which you can then specify as the output path in the Export script step dialog.

[nylon]

Ah, So! Many thanks for the lead. It sounds quite a roundabout way to achieve something so basic, but at least there is a way.

I am finding that several things that were easy to do in FMP4 are made oddly difficult in v8 (One example is in Scriptmaker: to add/remove ticks from the "Include in Menu" boxes, one could drag in FMP4, but now it seems one has to click each script's tickbox individually. It's not a biggy but I wonder why we have to *lose* functionality over time. Sigh.

Anyway, thanks again for the valuable tip.

Mark

[nylon]

Hi again

OK. The filename variable tip works! The only problem is that the user (dumb ones, in my case) would have to enter a fully qualified path to save the file anywhere but in the current directory: they can't navigate via a normal "Save As" dialog box.

I can't imagine my users entering "../test.fp7" or "u:/files/test.fp7" into a messagebox!

The really frustrating bit is that in the Export script's "Specify Output File" you can specify a file extension but it has no effect if you don't specify the name too! Grrr!

Maybe I'll save in Excel format instead!

Regards

Mark

[comment]

The idea is that the user supplies the filename, and you supply the path (which would have to be a constant - or the user could select from a value list of several). It is far from perfect, but AFAIK the only way around this is by calling an OS-level script.

[nylon]

D'Oh! That's just what I was fearing. Why does Filemaker Inc do these things to me? With each upgrade they seem to break things that used to work just fine! Thanks for the hand.

Hmmm... if I asked whether it was possible to use a script to go to a particular tab on a layout, would I regret the answer? I have a feeling I will -(

Regards, Mark

[Lee Smith]

Have you really just made the jump from v4 to v8?

Please update your Profile to reflect your current version.

TIA

Lee

[comment]

I suppose it's built on the assumption that either:

- the user cannot be trusted with a save dialog, so YOU can script everything AND still leave the user the choice of a filename (you couldn't this before v.8, so it IS a rather major improvement); or

- the user is smart enough to specify filename AND path AND filetype (and he/she still gets the last filetype as default).

But I guess there's no pleasing everybody.

if I asked whether it was possible to use a script to go to a particular tab on a layout, would I regret the answer?

With this attitude? Probably. Look in the tab control section, it's been done to death, almost.

[nylon]

Yes, sorry for the negative vibes, but I occasionally get disappointed by Filemaker Inc. They tend to leave niggling loose ends when upgrading.

I've resisted moving from V4 (even though I have bought and used V5,6 and 7) because there was never a big enough advance in those versions to make me jump; also, converting my main database to those versions broke it very badly and would have required a total rewrite. At least v8 converted it to a workable version that required minor tinkering.

I do appreciate features such as addressable repetitions, variables, tabs and custom dialogs... they are handy but not killer features.

I apologise for not finding the previous discussion of tabs. I did a quick search but it showed no hits. I'll look harder in future.

Thanks for the assist, everyone.

BTW, I got around the inability to specify a default file type. I got FMP to create a full filename based on user ID, a key field, the date and time (to provide version information). Because I couldn't get the user to supply a full path, the user will have to copy the saved data from the default directory if they want to save it elsewhere.

Regards, Mark

[Lee Smith]

Version 4 was released in 1997. With each release (except 5.5) came additional Functions and Features. If you can afford it, buy the Advance edition.

Converting to 5, and then 6 was pretty easy. Converting to v8 will be more challenging. With the release of v7, FileMaker added a lot of the Wish List Items I had been nagging them about for a long time.

You will find that the learning curve is steeper than in earlier versions, but well worth the trouble. Before converting your files, be sure to read the information at FMI's site about Migrating.

There has also been some good information shared in the General Topic Area for v8, and the Migration Topic Area.

Lee

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