AppleScript on Windows

[corcule]

Hello everybody

hope i'm in the right place to post this. I'm a new member, and these forums are quite big...

Well, i'have made a FM DB with a large AppleScript program incorporated to add some editing image and FTP transfert funcionnalities. It works fine. But because AppleScript, it would not on windows OS.

Then, is there someone who can indicate which ways should i take to "translate" my Applescripts in ... ? What is the equivalent on Windows ?

I'm not familiar with windows but i'm using a lots of programming language, so, one two more seems not a problem !

Thanks

A+R.

[Ted S]

I *think* you will find VBScript to be somewhat equivelant to Apple scripting. I'm not a Mac guy at all and my knowledge of VBScripting is limited too but from reading magazine articles and many posts here and on other boards I have come to this conclusion.

The down side to VBScripting is that there is no direct way to get any feedback from the VBS back into FM. I believe that this is easily done with Apple scripting. The good thing about VBScripting is that it is built-in on all modern Windows operation systems.

You could also consider the SmartPill PHP Edition plug-in from Scodigo. It basically brings the power of PHP into Filemaker via that plug-in. The downside is that you would have to purchase and install that plug-in on each client workstation where you need that functionality.

[corcule]

Thanks for your answer Ted,

Actually, i've come to the same conclusion, VBScript. After a quick look on this language, it seems to be quite easy to use. but that brings me another question. In my FM DB, the Applescript is stocked inside the FM document, and executed from it with some parameters coming from Filemaker, as path string or cell name. So, is anyone knows if a VBScript can be integrated inside a FM doc, calculated (to incorporated some FM parameters) and executed from/within a FM doc ?

Obviously, it's quite difficult to find information about FileMaker/VBScript on the web ... ?! I know that FileMaker is coming from the mac world, but it's used a lot on windows too.

to be continued...

A+R.

[SteveB]

I don't know anything about VB script, but I'll give you another alternative: WinBatch from www.Wilsonware.com.

Its considerably more powerful than VB Script, easy to learn, and can automate almost any function or application in the Windows world. I use it constantly and have linked it to FM.

Wim Decorte, a frequent poster and VB expert pooh-poohs it, but line for line it's very powerful and efficient. If you buy the Compiler, you can distribute runtime .exe for free.

Steve

[aholtzapfel]

Example

Check out this file. Look at the script that gets exported and run.

There are drawbacks to using vbs scripts(security is one), but the method of creating the script from within filemaker is sound. (even if you create a .bat, .wsh, .js, ...) Formating the calulation can be tedious but well worth the effort.

Edited July 21, 2007 by Guest
(additional comments)

[Reed]

I'll chime with a plug for AutoIt, since this product is quite similar in functionality to WinBatch, and is free. It can also create .exe files.

http://www.autoitscript.com/

[corcule]

thank you aholtzapfel

This example is a very god start for me. I think i'm going to this direction. I trying to do a script stocked in the FM DB, started from it and running in background, without GUI, just like a build-in Filemaker Functionnality.

@Reed

autoitscript seems to be very interesting, even if i think that there is more simple ways to do what i want. If i can, i prefer to not use an external .exe file, first because easthetic... But it's always good to knows more great alternativ.

Thnaks to everyone. You gave mis great help.

A+R.