Mail to script?

[hawkesi]

Hi guys,

Quite new to filemaker so please be gentle.

I'm wondering if i can insert a script into a date field that will send a notification email if that date has been reached without another field being filled.

Eg: field is for delivery date. next field is received.

So if date = delivery date and received is empty can a script send notification that delivery is late.

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks

hawkesi

[Vaughan]

Scripts cannot be inserted into date fields; scripts need to be "run" by some action. This action can be the user clicking a button, calling the script from the Scripts menu, or when the file opens or closes -- these are the easiest and most common ways. Scripts can also be triggered by events, such as entering or exiting fields, through the use of third party plug-ins (some of which are free) however some assembly is required.

However, I'd suggest that for what you need it could probably be sufficient to run the script initially at startup. The user can check any time by clicking on a button or running the script form the menu.

[normanicus]

There are number of potential ways to do this:

1. I think you could do this with something like zippScript:

http://www.zipptools.com/

which is a free plug-in that can trigger scripts on various events including repeating events.

2. If you have an old computer doing nothing and a spare FM licence then you can set up a Filemaker database that runs a script that regularly checks that date field and runs the necessary script when conditions are met.

3. You are on OS X. You can set up a cron job for which there is a graphical front end (was Cronnix last time I did it) to run an Applescript or shell script that does the same job as in 2. i.e reads the content of the field, checks the condition, and runs the script.

4. You are on FM7 so this one won't work for you. That is to use this plug-in:

http://www.fusionplugins.com/reactor/

which reacts to live data through the web viewer.

There are probably other ways too.