Opening PDF's

[izmatic]

Don't know if this is simple or not, but I was wondering if there was a way to open existing PDF documents from inside Filemaker?

Thanks...

[mr_vodka]

Yes you can but you need to give us a little more information on how you are going to open them. Are they going to be put into any container fields? If so are they going to be stored within the database or just a reference?

Or are the PDF files already located somewhere and you want to open them? If so how will it be determined which file to open. Will the path be stored or will a user browse and select it?

[izmatic]

Thanks for the quick reply...

The way I have it set up now is that the PDF files are saved on an external folder, and each PDF file is created with a unique file name (via script).

What I ultimately want to do is have some sort of input, or list showing all the PDF's saved, and have it open when selected from the list, or input.

Maybe it's too much too ask for, but was just wondering if it can be done.

[mr_vodka]

Ok, I am just going to assume taht you are a total noob to FM so dont get offended if I go thru stuff that you arelady know.

You can store files into container field. There are two options with a container field. One is to actually store them in the field and the other is just to store a reference to the file. You can use the OpenURL and / or Send Event Functions to open the files.

However, if you wanted to read in a whole directory of the pdf files you would either have to use a plugin such as Troi File, or you can import a folder of files if you plan on storing them I think you can only reference images when importing an entire folder.

Well here are some past posts that you might want to read up on.

Good luck.

http://fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/171033

http://fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/170355

http://fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/170775

To save your PDFs with dynamic field names

http://www.fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/169990/

[izmatic]

Thanks...

I didn't know about the "Send Event" script. Goes to show you how much of a noob I am.

Thanks again, got everything to work using that script.

[MarcZ]

From one noob to an even more noob--

I have a layout on which there is a field containing the name of a PDF file. I want to open that PDF file is I press a button that runs a script.

The script declares a local var with name of PDF file from table/record on which now "sitting" (Set Variable [$ImgNm; Value:Tbl::ImgFnm])

Then I added (Send Event ["<...) I'd specified app to be used as AdobeReader, specified Send the open document event with:

indicated Document, pressed Specify... button, then Add File button to assure correct syntax for location, then at end of folder string I added & $ImgNm (var containing PDF filename).

Needless to say, this results in error. Feel like I'm 'oh so close' but there's something clearly incorrect about way I'm trying to pass value to be interpreted as finish to filename to be opened.

Any ideas? Thanks tons!!

[mr_vodka]

Why dont you just store the reference to the PDF file into a container field.

[MarcZ]

I think that solution is only avail with Win--I'm using FM w OS X

For other reasons, I plan to convert from embedded to referred in Container field where PDF is. Have tried double clicking on referenced PDF and it merely exercises my index finger!

[Lee Smith]

Hi Marc, and welcome to the Forum.

The File Reference works the same on both platforms. It is a checkbox option that you can select when you Insert a picture, PDF, etc. dialog box.

HTH

Lee

[comment]

There are 3 ways you can insert a PDF into a container field: as a picture, as QuickTime, and as a file. Double-clicking only works with the last option (provided it's reference only, of course).