ActiveX script calling bug in FMP9

[Charles Delfs]

I bumped into an odd problem while upgrading. I have an app that talks to FM via activeX. in version 8.5 all was good, but not working in version 9. On investigation I noticed that I had grouped the script it calls using the new script group feature ( folder) . When grouped, the script is not called and filemaker does not return an error via the activeX. I moved the script up before the groups I had created and it works!

This seems like a bug to me. I also noticed the WRONG script gets called depending where I place the script on the sript editor window ( near top of list or down past the groups. The script that gets called is usually the tenth one down from the one I am actually calling!!!

Can anyone add any comments to this?

Charles

[aholtzapfel]

Have you reported this bug to filemaker yet? (you should, they can't fix it if they don't know it's broke)

I have yet to check any of my automation for compatiblity with nine, but this would cause me problems. Can you get your active X call to work consistantly by removing the script from a group? or does the script that gets called vary?

[Charles Delfs]

I have not reported it yet as I was not sure if there is something that I was doing wrong. (Just in case I actually made a mistake lol)

I find if the script is near the top of the list it runs fine, but when moved down the list, it does not. I have not done a lot of experimentation yet to fully understand it. It seams to be some type of internal counter error in FM with it being off by ten, I have not tried to see if it is in the 11th script position what will happen. I do know this will cause a lot of people greif.

CD

[Lee Smith]

I am not so positive as to what is happening here. Your description hasn't pointed at anything except that you made a change in the file, and something broke. IMO, this could be ActiveX, FileMaker v9, or Server 9. I just picked up on this Article from another list, maybe it might be of interest to you. Link

HTH

Lee

[aholtzapfel]

I think the "active X" script call he is referring to is the call from some os level script, on the client machine to the filemaker client, this should not have anything to do with the server app at all. This feature is not well documented, but can be very usefull. I use this method to retrieve data from a text file after running a vbs script to do some action outside filemaker. The result is to intergrate filemaker with any other scriptable app, without the use of plugins.

[Charles Delfs]

Actually Lee

I did not change anything in the file, I changed the FM Version. I looked at your link, I did not see anything on activeX there, that is what the problem is. This has nothing to do with FM server IMO

C Delfs

Perhaps you could try a simple calling of a script and then we would know if it was just my install. That leads me to think that the VBS workaround for running a script that I have seen kicking around would also break.

[aholtzapfel]

I can now confirm this problem (Attached is my sample file designed to see exactly what it is doing.)

So far, the script call works fine unless, it is in a script folder or a script folder is higher in the script list. I have not yet tested seperators in the script list. If it is the first script it seems to work.

(I did this test on the Vista OS. not that it should matter.)

Allen

ActiveXtest.zip

[Charles Delfs]

Phew

Glad I'm not the only one. Thanks Allen, I shall try and report this problem . Too bad we don't get free copies or something for the effort LOL

Charles

[aholtzapfel]

I found one more problem calling a scipt using ActiveX, If you open a file, open a new window named somthing other than the filename, and close the org. window, the activeX call to open the file will fail. Renaming the new window to the filename makes it work again. Kind of odd behavior. You seem to be able to rename the org. window without any ill affects, and other windows named differantly will work as long as the org. window is still open.

Allen

[Charles Delfs]

Ahh that explains why it suddenly breaks on me, I was just noticing this today. I think internally it hooks to the database via the window name not the actual file name, mind you that would not explain why the orig. window name can be renamed.

I can see this causing a lot of problems in the future as peoiple upgrade

Charles

[aholtzapfel]

This bug has not been fixed as of ver 9.0v3