Can import script set default filetype?

[gatman]

I'm using an import script to import an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet will have different names so I can't set-up a filepath to it by clicking on the Specify data source checkbox. What I would like to do is to have Excel Files (*.xls) show up as the default in the Files of Type: drop down on the Open File dialogue. The default is FileMaker Files which is confusing for users when the don't see any Excel files until they select Excel Files in the drop down.

Just upgraded to FMP Advanced 9.3 from 8 and this is still a problem.

Thanks in advance for any insight into getting this working. I've searched the forums and can't find any reference to this.

jerry

[mr_vodka]

Well that seems like s training issue rather than a system one. I dont of many applications where you can set your default file type when you go to select a file.

I know that the Troi File plugin has an option to allow the default file type when selecting a file. Perhaps if you are willing to purchase a plugin you could use it.

[gatman]

John,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, a training issue and also just a time issue. Agreed that most other apps don't support this, but I've been able to partially trick FM into this with a blank spreadsheet load using a defined filename from one of my table views but not another. I do the load just prior to the other import. Works like a charm with one import routine to one table but not the other. It's weird and I didn't know if anyone else has been successful or even tried this.

Thanks for passing along link to David Kachel's white paper. A very interesting read. I first started with FM when it first came out on the Mac. I was working as a Systems Engineer for Apple at the time. Many years later I'm a sales VP for a company and use FileMaker extensively to run my business. As much as I've done with FM through the years, I still consider myself intermediate to barely advanced. It's amazing what it can do these days and sometimes frustrating for what it can't do.

Thanks again...

jerry

Edited February 29, 2008 by Guest

[gatman]

OK... it's funny how something you've been working on forever and finally give up and post, sometimes gives you a new idea that actually works. In my earlier post I said that I had it working with one table import and not the other. The trick was that I needed to have the dummy import work specifically on the table I was getting ready to do my real import to.

The basic concept is to create a dummy spreadsheet (I did this with a header row that mapped to some of the fields in my table) but with no records. Do an import of this spreadsheet right before the "real" import (The one you want the open dialogue to appear with the .xls filetype selected). I do this in a separate script that sets error capture on and does an import of this file. I set it to not import header rows. The critical thing that was missing was that even though I had gone to a layout that referenced the table I was wanting to import, I had inadvertantly left the import routine set for the other table.

At any rate, after you get this set up, you can delete the blank file. With error capture on it won't complain that no file is actually found and imported, but it WILL use this as the default filetype for your next import!

Hope this can help some other folks that might want to do this.

jerry