Using container field, question

[Don Anderson]

I am using FMP 6 for Windows. I am trying to use container fields to set of an "Important Receipts" data base. It's been a while since I developed a new FMP DB but I was at one time very active in this process.

A few questions:

1.) What is the best process to keep a acanned document to is't smallest size?

2.) I tried scanning to a picture file, then converting it to a PDF. The PDF is quite a bit smller in size but FMP doesn't recognized it as an object or image and won't allow me to put it into the container field. What is my best option here.

3.) Is ther a way to scan a document directly into the FMP container field?

Thanks, Don

[Fitch]

1. A grayscale TIF should compress reasonably well. Don't use more than 300 dpi.

2. You can put any file into a container field, using Insert>File, but you won't see a preview of the image if you do it that way. I would stick with a graphic format such as TIF or JPG rather than PDF.

3. There is/was a plugin for that, InsideScan. I believe they made a version for FM6.

[Don Anderson]

Thanks for the Info. I tried the .tif format and it does seem to be the smallest file size. What is the largest size FMP6 database I can develop without impacting performance?

I played with InsideScan a bit and it looked to involved to be worth the effort.

Edited April 2, 2009 by Guest

[Fitch]

FMP6 files are 2 GB max. You may want to consider storing only a reference to the file.

Performance is not impacted by file size per se; it's influenced by various factors such as: what you put on your layouts (i.e. unstored calculations, summary fields etc.) and indexed fields (more indexed fields means it takes longer to create a new record); etc etc.

[Don Anderson]

When you say, store a reference to the image file, do you mean store it as a LINK. What you said makes a lot of sense in keepiing down the database size. If the image files are stored in this manner, how do I set up an output layout to grab and print the selected, scanned TIF file(s)? Also one of the reasons for putting the image file within FMP is to have an immediate preview of the serched on purchas item / receipt.

Edited April 3, 2009 by Guest

[Fitch]

When you insert the graphic into the container field, select the "Store only a reference to the file" option. (You haven't been copying and pasting the graphics I hope?)

Graphics inserted as references behave just as if they were stored in the database as far as viewing, printing, etc. However, if you move the original files, your links will be broken.