For populating container fields with files where the file path can be calculated as the contents of a text field, I would like to set the "Specify source file" and "Specify output file" options for the associate script steps listed below. The dialog box seems to only want file paths manually entered. Is there a way to use the contents of a field to do this?

Insert File[], Specify source file

Save Records as PDF [], Specify output file

Thanks,

Paul

... You have to click "don't show dialog"

No, that is not an option at that point for either of those script steps. When clicking on the "Specify source file" and "Specify output file" options the dialog window pops up and it is looking for a typed in path or the user to drill down to the file and select it..there are no other choices in the dialog.....I want to have this field populated with the text portion of a field.

Insert File[], Specify source file

Save Records as PDF [], Specify output file

You have to use the Set Variable script step to set the file path into a named variable. You can include the FileMaker prefix; filemac:, filewin:, at that time. You can also use one of the functions, Get (DesktopPath), Get (DocumentsPath) to build a path.

You can then type the variable name directly into any import/export path dialog, as is, no quotes, no calculations.

Search here and you'll find examples. It's also explained in the FileMaker Help. It's best to create an unstored calculation field also with the full path, so you can see exactly what you're going to get (or use the Data Viewer). It's often the little things that cause errors; ie., missing the slash, filemac:Macintosh HD/, or 2 slashes, filemac:// (the functions mentioned above include a beginning and ending slash already; but not the prefix).

THANKS AND FOLLOW UP QUESTION

"Set variable" did the trick....it is quirky though....for viewing the same documents in the webviewer in the same spot the path was different than the path needed to get the document into the container field.

to view the pdf in the web viewer:

file:/Volumes/AAC/ Scanned DOCS/ into filemaker/xxx.pdf

to insert the pdf file into the container:

filemac:/AAC/ Scanned DOCS/ into filemaker/xxx.pdf

So, the question is...if the pdf document is actually saved IN FM in a container field and not just its relative path, then...why isn't there a way to view the file in the web viewer, or open it up with a double click?

Am I missing something?

Thanks,

Paul