Problem with OSX image path

[fful]

Hi all, need some help with image path syntax for the Mac. I am running FMSA9, want to create a simple image database, with linked images, that will work from both Macs and Windows using Filemaker.

Image files are on a file server, in a shared folder called “images”, with both SMB and AFP enabled.

On Win, I can mount “images”, insert image into container field, unmount folder, and I can still see the image.

Using Fenton’s “GetAsText (container field)” I can see the path is:

imagewin://IPAddress/images/D008/MOMAP0024.JPG

On a Mac, I mount the “images” folder using AFP, using Connect to Server>IPAddress/images/, insert image into container field, unmount folder, but then I can no longer see the image!

The “GetAsText” path is

imagemac:/images/D008/MOMAP0024.JPG

Now, I created a calculated field with the container result, and I am trying different syntaxes to display the image, such as

imagemac:/IPAddress/images/D008/MOMAP0024.JPG, but nothing will display the image.

Can anyone help me figure out the right syntax to use, or is there another problem?

Appreciate any assistance. (not sure why "images" breaks up in this post, but it's one word)

[IdealData]

This is a potentially dangerous strategy.

Your syntax references are correct, however when you close the window (on Windoze) that displays the images I don't think you are unmounting the folder as the operating system is still keeping track of the connection - just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. (trees in the woods falling...)

This is very similar on Macs - when you close the viewing window you are not unmounting the volume. That is a separate function.

With Windoze you could have a mapped drive that you can actually disconnect from - then you would see that the images would be lost in the database.

[fful]

Thanks for the answer IdealData. I was not aware of that windows "feature".

Are you saying that if you are hosting an image database on FMPSA9, and you are linking to images, the only way for them to display on a client is if the share volume (the images are on) is mounted?

Is there any way around that, with linked images?

I would rather not have clients have to mount a shared volume to view the images. The other option is using a Web Viewer, but I was also exploring container fields.

Thanking anyone for advice.

Edited October 12, 2007 by Guest

[Vaughan]

"Are you saying that if you are hosting an image database on FMPSA9, and you are linking to images, the only way for them to display on a client is if the share volume (the images are on) is mounted?"

It's the same with both MacOS X and WindOS. Unless the volumne is mounted, FileMaker cannot access the images.

[IdealData]

Web viewer sounds okay, but you can't insert or export from there.

The only other option is to store the files IN the database.

[fful]

"Are you saying that if you are hosting an image database on FMPSA9, and you are linking to images, the only way for them to display on a client is if the share volume (the images are on) is mounted?"

It's the same with both MacOS X and WindOS. Unless the volumne is mounted, FileMaker cannot access the images.

Thanks for the feedback, and clarificatin, Vaughan....I was not aware of that. It seems a big limitation of linking images to container fields. Too bad there isn't some sort of internal mechanism to avoid mounting the remote volume, especially if the images are in the same server as the database. With 6,000+ images, it's not practical to import them.

[fful]

Web viewer sounds okay, but you can't insert or export from there.

The only other option is to store the files IN the database.

Thanks again IdealData. We would not need to insert or export from Web Viewer, that would only be used by the public. I should have stated that the scenario is running the DB on FMSA9, having a few admins using FM Desktop create records, upload images and link to them, and then having the public view the records and images with a web browser.

So, as long as Web Viewer works with whatever web delivery system we come up with (Instant Web Publishing, XML, XSLT, PHP) the public will be fine.

I am also looking at SuperContainer, but would like to keep external "helpers" to a minimum. And with 6,000+ images I can't embed them in the db.

I just thought of something I did not consider and have to test. You have confirmed that linked images do not display unless the volume they are on is mounted, when using FM Pro clients. However, would they display in web publishing, if the client using a browser does not have the image volume mounted? That is the final client....not a big problem if admins have to mount the volume, just an inconvenience.

[fful]

You have confirmed that linked images do not display unless the volume they are on is mounted, when using FM Pro clients. However, would they display in web publishing, if the client using a browser does not have the image volume mounted? That is the final client....

I just tested that, and on Win XP with both Firefox and IE7 using IWP, no images show up if they are linked to in a container field, even if the volume they are on is mounted on the same computer. Looks like the approach will be Web Viewer or SuperContainer.