When I use the export field contents within filemaker- It says it can't do it because it is an unknown format. .PCT I am on a mac with snow leopard and it won't open. Is there anyway that filemaker can export an image in a container field to a .jpg or a .png so that it can be used?

FM does not offer the ability to change the file type of an embedded container when you use Export Field Contents. (Perhaps a plugin would).

Are you using Import File or are you cutting and pasting?

That is odd. I am able to take a graphic file, save it as a .PICT (using GraphicConverter), Insert into a FileMaker container field, then Export Field Contents to the desktop.

However, I am not able to automatically open the file with Preview. If I double-click the file, Preview comes to the front (due to its setting as the default app for most graphics), but it does not open the file, nor does it say anything (which is kind of a bug-of-omission).

If I set Preview to [x] open in 32 bit (quit Preview, select its application file, Get Info), then it opens a PICT fine. In Snow Leopard Preview by default opens in 64 bit mode, and will neither open nor save a PICT file. The end of an era.

But I can definitely Insert the PICT image into FileMaker, then Export Field Contents. FileMaker does not even have a 64 bit mode, so that's not it. Perhaps there is something funky about that particular file. Could you for example import it (just it) into a test FileMaker file? If so, you could zip and post it here, if it is not too large.