Get (Last Script) Step

[Jarvis]

Is there a way to call a script from a field called "LAST SCRIPT"?

I have a database that describes different products my cabinet shop makes. A lot of the initial design parameters are called via different scripts. I run a script then typically perform some other maintenance on the file, etc.

When I am done with this maintenance I would like to be able to run the script again without having to select it from a drop down list. i.e. I would l like the computer to remember which script was last in play and run it again.

I don't want to do this with the "pause" feature within a particular script.

Is there a way to script a button to perform [color:red]GET(last script)?

Thanks for any clues here.

Jarvis

[Fenton]

FileMaker itself does not have Perform Script [ script name as text ]. You must specify the script. Which would mean a series of IF tests. That would not be too terrible, if there were not that many scripts you wanted to call with this. It does have a Get (ScriptName) function. So you could have each script set its name into a global field. Then test for it to see which to run.

Another method, on a Mac is to use AppleScript, in a Perform AppleScript FileMaker script step. AppleScript calls FileMaker scripts by name; in fact it can ONLY call them by name (so would break if you changed a script's name).

do script FileMaker script "Some script name"

You could set the script name into an AppleScript variable, then call it:

set LastScript to field "_gScriptName" of table "Globals"

do script FileMaker script LastScript

The attached file does that. I included 2 scripts (doing the same thing) using AppleScript, to show the different methods of error capture. Either FileMaker or AppleScript can capture the error and show a dialog. In this case the AppleScript dialog is better, for a few reasons:

1. It can tell you the text of the error, not just the number.

2. It can go away after a set number of seconds.

3. It can have an icon :-]

You would want a Startup script to clear the global script name, at least before you put it up on the network.

[The Globals table is a 1-record table. We are referring to it by name, so its name must also not change. We are using "field" not "cell" because it is a global in a 1-record table. Other situations, using a regular data field, would require a different syntax.]

ScriptLastRun.fp7.zip

Edited March 21, 2009 by Guest

[Jarvis]

Thanks Fenton,

I think for now I will try the Get(Scriptname) function.

My application has a fair number of scripts but calling them from a global field seems simple enough.

I've always been curious about Applescript.

Maybe in my next lifetime I will take that project on.

Thanks for your help,

Jarvis