Need help Importing..

[nicschwinn]

Hi,

I am looking at creating a database that is based on images but the thing is i need a way of getting multiple images into the one record. I would really appreciate it if anyone can help me find a solution to this. Say i have 100 folders and within the folders are 20 or so images but i am only wanting to create 100 records. Is there a way i could import multiple images say into a container field or something as im not advanced with FMP. I know i could go and click import image with every image within the folders but i would be here forever and i just would assume there is a way around this.

Again any help would be much appreciated, thankyou.

[Wim Decorte]

To have multiple pictures in one record, you need one container field for each picture.

FM can import a folder of pictures (check out File->Import) but it will create a new record for each picture. I would import into a temp table and make a script to transfer the pictures from the temp table to one record in your real table.

[Lee Smith]

This question has come up a couple of times recently. Do a search of the Forum for [color:blue]+container +multiple (Include the pluses) and User of [color:blue]Fenton or myself, and I think you will see a couple of files that could help you.

HTH

Lee

Edited May 29, 2006 by Guest

[Fenton]

It sounds as if nicschwin wants to more or less recreate his image folder structure within FileMaker; that is, he wants a single record for each folder in one table, with the multiple images in another related table (well, that's what we're saying he needs anyway :-).

What I would do would be to just import all the images into the images table, including the Filepath. You import nested folders. Then run a Loop script through them, parsing out the folder name, and creating a new record in the "folders" table for new ones. It would be much like a "duplicates" loop.

This is only going to work for a set number of levels however (2 is good :-). It would be rather difficult if the images are in different levels of the folder hierarchy.

[nicschwinn]

I think i need to mention i am only a new Filemaker user.

Also i'll give an example of what im trying to achieve.

The database i am creating is for an archaeologist that studies rock paintings. Now what he has done is gone to different rock paintings and taken multiple images which then are all numbered like "1234/01, 1234/02, 1234/03 etc.." and the "1234" is a folder by itself with the images inside it. I need to have all those images into the one record so it would be something like this..

Record 1:

Title: 1234

Image thumbnails: 1234/01.jpg, 1234/02.jpg etc..

Record 2:

Title: 1235...

Image thumbnails: 1235/01.jpg, 1235/02.jpg etc..

And you get the picture. I'm still not sure if this is possible but there is going to be up to nearly 3 million pictures within around 5000 individual folders.

[Wim Decorte]

I don't think you really need all the pictures in one record. What you want to have is being able to *see* all the relevant pictures on one record...

Seems to me that the picutres should be in a related table and show them through a portal...

Depending on the size of each picture but this database could grow to a couple of TB... think about referencing the picutres instead of importing them.

[Fenton]

Yes, you need 2 tables, one for the folders, one for the images. The images would each have its folder name also, which would be the link field. And the pictures should probably be shown by reference.

Here's another idea. The pictures can be shown simply by calculating a path to the picture, in the syntax:

image:relative folder path/file name.ext

From what you've said above about the folder and file names, you could practically just use a looping script in each table to create "probable" folder and file names. Then, if a picture exists, it shows, if not, not. If there's few gaps, or if they don't mind seeing gaps, then you've got it. Just run a script to create new records when needed.

Alternatively, you could use a tool to get your file hierarchy of the images as a text list that FileMaker could import. Some text editors, such as BBEdit can do this in one shot. AppleScript or shell scripts could also. I've be willing to write this if you need it.

The trouble with any method that either gets or produces such a massive number of names is synchronization, bringing in new, without duplication. Especially one reading from the file paths themselves. It is not so much that it couldn't be done; it could. But it would need to be done efficiently. FileMaker's ability to "Import Matching" would be painfully slow (putting it mildly) if it had to match against 3 million records. Dedicated tools would be better. And a well-organized system of folders with creation timestamps, etc..

[nicschwinn]

The script for the text list would be greatly appreciated as i said im only new to filemaker and especially the script side of things.

The data base is finished apart from the image section which is where i am stuck at. So any help again is greatly appreciated..

thankyou