Importing specific fields from Excel

[kirvis]

Hi all,

I would like to know if it is possible to create a script where an excel file can be selected, and where values from a series of defined fields are imported into different tables in the database.

For example:

• select excel file
  
• create new record in table "products"
  
• extract field "A1" from excel file and enter value into table "products" in column "product name"
  
• etcetera..
  

In short, I would like to be able to select only specific fields in a standardized excel file and insert them into FM via a script.

Is that possible?

[bcooney]

If you are importing into different tables, then you'll need an Import for EACH table. You cannot direct imports field by field to different table destinations.

From what you're describing, if you are only interested in one field, then just create a worksheet with that one field.

However, if you want many fields, then create an Import Table, import there and using a looping script and Set Field, take the values from your ImportTable and put them anywhere.

More details would help.

[kirvis]

Thanks for your reply, I will try to explain my reasoning a little further:

With the Excel sheet, I am actually trying to circumvent another problem I described earlier, but that nobody seems to be able to answer.

I would like to grab subsummary field values and use them in another (overview) table. As this does not seem to be possible, I wanted to create a standardized Excel sheet, which calculates the subsummary values for me, after which I import only those values into different Filemaker tables. See below for example Excel sheet, the product name and the light grey values need to be imported.

However, as I said before, this is a workaround because Filemaker does not seem to be able to grab subsummary values and put them in another table for further processing. (see my very long explanation in this thread for the intitial problem.)

[bcooney]

I'll study your first thread, but "free time" is gone for today. Maybe someone else will have time today.

My first thought is having a "dashboard" table that displays totals is very common, although it can be slow, as they'd be unstored calcs.

Perhaps that's really where you're heading--a dashboard.

[kirvis]

Thank you! I am looking forward to the day you have some "free time" again. :(