Opening a path not a file

[elanahy]

Hi,

I'm in Filemaker 8. I'm trying to set the script to just open a static directory on a server. I do not want to open a file. I want to open the directory so the user can choose the file every time.

Thank you.

[aldipalo]

There's a free plug in at http://wwww.mooplug.com that will do this for you.

hth

[elanahy]

Thanks. Do you know if it lets you select from the file list or just displays the list? I need to be able to select a file and open it. I would rather not do it with a plugin if there is a work around. can't get this plugin to intall but will look again at it.

Thanks again,

[aldipalo]

I use it in several applications. You can open a dialog box showing the folder and then choose your file or you can choose a specific file and open it.

You can check to see if the file exists or the folder exists. You can create a folder as well.

There are many other features as well.

Primarily I use it to find attachments for my mass emails. I have had no problems with it.

Btw, you can also use SMTPit for this, but, it costs.

[elanahy]

Thank you again. I never used plugins which may expain why I'm not able to get this to work. I was able to open a directory in a script but I could only get it to open in my documents and no other directory. So that is why I was hoping I could do this without a plugin.

Anyway here is what is happenening. I run the plugin but then it is not showing it installed. It is not showing it under preferences.So I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. I'm just not sure what. I have followed the recomondation to install the C++ but something still is not right.

My other question is once I do get this to run if I'm running it on a server does this needs to me installed on each PC running FileMaker or just the server?

Thanks again for your help.

[aldipalo]

Anyway here is what is happenening. I run the plugin but then it is not showing it installed. It is not showing it under preferences.So I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. I'm just not sure what. I have followed the recomondation to install the C++ but something still is not right.

You need to drop the program file into you extensions folder, have you done that? Then you need to go into 'Edit ->Preferences->PlugIns' and check the box next to the PlugIn name, then close and reopen FM for the plugIn to be available. Once it is loaded you get the function while in a calculation box by clicking on External Functions.

My other question is once I do get this to run if I'm running it on a server does this needs to me installed on each PC running FileMaker or just the server?

I not 100% sure, but, I believe you need to install the PlugIn on each individual computer unless it is specifically made for FMServer. Perhaps, someone who has more FM Server experience can answer that question. Btw, I'm sure if you send an email to the PlugIn developer they'll try to answer that question for you.

hth

[elanahy]

I just wanted to say thank you. I did get it to work. I still would prefer not needing a plugin. But I was able to get the plugin to work, I did have it in the wrong directory...

The plugin does need to run on each PC which is why I would be happier without plugins...

Also I found out it actually returns the path to the file and not open the file itself, but it works fine with the send event.

Thank you again for your help.

Elana

[Ted S]

Elana,

Lets go back to the beginning because this may be more complicated and leading you to use a plug-in where it could be much more simple than that.

You said that you wanted to open a folder but for what purpose? Do you want the user to choose a file and then have that choice (the filename) automatically written to a field in Filemaker Pro or would it be sufficient to just open the regular Windows Explorer which shows all of the files but does nothing else?

If the latter is all you need then give this a whirl:

In your script add the command "SEND EVENT".

Then specify the calculation:

"c:folderfolderfolder"

Obviously yiou should replace the word "folder" in my example with your actual folder names.

Perhaps this will be all you need.

[elanahy]

Ted,

I want to open a directory and have the user select the file from the directory I open. The file is a word file. Once the file is selected it is opened in word. I could get it to open my documents but I could not get it to open a set path other than that and let the user then choose the file in the path.