Drag And Drop Idea

[Stuart Taylor]

I have a little idea that i need some solid advice in order to achieve.

I think this is possible but am a bit confused as to the best way to do it.

1. I would like to have a global field that contains the image of a file icon

2. When I create a new record I would like to export the "Icon image" to a location (like the FileMaker Pro path) and name the file with the record ID "REC00001.jpg"

3. I would like to then import the File and have it contain the ID so that I can get it out of the container with a calculation.

4. The objective is to be able to drag and drop the image to a container field and be able to get the file name out with a calculation in order to set the ID

Just can't remember how to get a file in that contains the filename in the file itself (or at least get it out of the container)

Any help would be great.

best

Stuart

[IdealData]

The GetAsText() function may give you some help. It's a bit obscure with containers, however here's the help from the online help system

For a container field, GetAsText returns external path information, text (when the container contains text that does not resolve into a valid path), or a question mark (?) if the container data is embedded in the database.

HTH

[Stuart Taylor]

Many thanks i think that is exactly what i needed.

Do you know if same result returned xplatform ?

[Fenton]

I'm a little confused here, what exactly you have, and what you want to do.

You do not get a question mark if you embed a file or picture using Insert Picture or Insert File. You get the file name. You do get one if you Copy/Paste the image itself however (from an open image file). I don't think you can "drag and drop an image file to a container field."

If you really want to drag and drop it's possible using a smallish AppleScript application (droplet). But that's going to be a file outside of FileMaker. I don't really see what drag and drop has to do with what you were saying in 1-3.

It is difficult to talk about images, file paths and container fields. Please try again, in more detail.

[Fenton]

GetAsText ( container field ) works the same cross-platform, though of course the path returned is slightly different on each platform.

[Stuart Taylor]

Attached is an example of what i was trying to do...

It works Hurray!!!

Quite cool i think and has a number of possibilities.

It is a first try and could be much slicker and a better interface but you can get what i was talking about now.

Tested on Mac, does it work on PC?

best Stuart

DragAndDrop.fp7.zip

[Stuart Taylor]

Ideally i would like to be able to drag and drop or click for navigation/opening record ... if anyone has any user friendly methods or techniques to add to this it would be great. I'm a bit stuck or dont really like the ideas i have come up with.

Users expect to be able to Single click to Select and Double Click to navigate in the OS or click and hold to drag and drop

Single clicking if filemaker is far better in terms of performance.

The contents of a field can of course not be a button so... im a bit stumped

Anything is useful.

PS forgot to say thank you for your comments Fenton