Insert photo file in portal field, then click and see large thumbnail

[alexliz]

I have this tabbed interface with dentist patients' cards, and the X-rays for their teeth. One patient can have many X-rays, okay?

If I click the tab for their X-rays, I am taken to a portal showing a row each for every X-ray for the particular patient. Trouble is: if the image file had been inserted using the "Insert Picture..." command after right-clicking into the container field in the portal row, then I don't have a quick way to see the actual file in a big window. And if the "Insert File..." command after right-clicking was used, then I have no visual feedback inside the portal: all I see for all the rows (and therefore all the X-rays for the patient) is the generic Preview.app icon, on which I can, of course, double-click and the image will open in Preview, but I still don't know what it is going to be until I see it open in Preview.

So: is there a nice way to show thumbnails of all imported X-ray image files, and then still be able to quickly view a large size full view of each upon clicking on them?

Many thanks, as always.

[comment]

Filemaker can create true thumbnails for you - if you import the pictures from a folder. If that's not an option, then you can show the "real" container field in reduced size - but this will be slower.

To show the big picture, you can define the portal pic as a button that goes to the related record (in a new window, if you prefer).

[alexliz]

Thanks for the reply; sorry for being so late to respond!

When you say 'if you import from a folder', what exactly do you mean? Do you mean that I should select a folder and import everything in it?

I have found the following through trial and error: if I use Insert File, then I get no thumbnail in the container field; the upside is that I can double click the container field, and the image file (for it is an image file that I am importing) will open up in Preview.app (I'm on Mac OS X).

If on the other hand, I use Insert Picture, then I do get the thumbnail in the container field, but then I can't open the real file by double clicking the field (or by any other means for that matter).

So I guess I'm asking: is there a way to have both upsides together? Is there a way to have the thumbnail showing in the portal with the rows of imported picture files, and be able to quickly double-click the thumbnail and arrive at a full scale window with the real picture?

Many thanks, as always!

[comment]

When you say 'if you import from a folder', what exactly do you mean? Do you mean that I should select a folder and import everything in it?

Yes - see:

http://www.filemaker.com/help/html/import_export.16.14.html#1028368

If on the other hand, I use Insert Picture, then I do get the thumbnail in the container field

No. That's not a thumbnail - that's the actual image. When importing a folder of images, you have the option to also create thumbnails in ANOTHER container field. However, as I said, you CAN use the actual image at reduced size as a "thumbnail".

Is there a way to have the thumbnail showing in the portal with the rows of imported picture files, and be able to quickly double-click the thumbnail and arrive at a full scale window with the real picture?

Yes, there is - for example, you could get the image's path and use it with the Open URL[] step. But why not do it all in Filemaker, as I suggested?

[alexliz]

Okay, I'm guessing that I'm not getting something you're saying. So, why don't I explain a bit about my FMP file? It's a dentist's registry. He's my cousin, and I'm trying to help him get rid of actual paper card files (!)

I've setup a portal where he can have all X-rays for a patient. I want to go to a patient's card, bring the layout with the portal, and each row in the portal has an entry for an X-ray of his. It's not like I have a whole bunch of X-rays to import at a time. I have one single X-ray to bring to the database at each time, just as fast as they come in.

So, how does this sound? Do I import a whole folder? Or follow some other method? I just can't imagine how I can import a folder when I am really talking about importing a single file today, another one or two tomorrow etc.

Many thanks for persevering with this!

[comment]

I have one single X-ray to bring to the database at each time, just as fast as they come in.

You didn't say from where. I am sure it's possible, one way or another, to route the incoming to a folder and import from there - but I wouldn't spend too much effort on this, unless the files are huge and slow down the solution significantly (and even then, there are alternative methods to create thumbnails after importing - esp. in Mac OS).

[comment]

As an afterthought, perhaps I should clarify something.

There are two issues here:

1. What to show in the portal: the real image at reduced size, or a thumbnail?

2. How to show the real image - at full size - from a selected portal row? The answer to this issue does not depend on the answer given in #1.

[alexliz]

Hi comment! I somehow feel like you're working harder at this than I am!

To answer to your last two posts:

I suppose I can easily carry out the import of individual X-ray imagery files from one particular dir on the Hard Disk. Would that class as 'importing from a folder'? Do you mean, always import from the same location on the disk? If that's what you mean, then I can easily do that.

I also suppose that when I am viewing the patient's layout with the portal showing all X-ray info on him, each row corresponding to an individual X-ray, I could show either the miniature of the real photo file, or a thumbnail. It really makes no difference to me. I guess the thumbnail will 'paint' faster on the screen, especially where a patient has had many X-rays done.

Lastly, I need allow the user (i.e. my cousin) to quickly view the full scale image just by scrolling up-down within the portal, locating the one X-ray he thinks he's interested in, then click on the portal row (or the little image, be it a miniature or a real thumbnail) and arrive at a new window, within FMP or in Preview, again it makes no difference, so he can study the X-ray.

Basically my problem so far is this: If I use "Insert File..." then I can double click the field with the file name and it takes me to Preview to see the photo file at full resolution. Problem is, until I actually gaze at the full photo, I'm not sure I've got the right one, as all I see in the portal is textual information within the field.

On the other hand, if I use "Insert Picture...", then I get the visual feedback within the portal row, as I can see a miniature of the real photo inhabiting the portal row field, but then I cannot easily arrive at the full scale window to see the full photo.

I hope this helps you help me! And many many thanks!

[comment]

I suppose I can easily carry out the import of individual X-ray imagery files from one particular dir on the Hard Disk. Would that class as 'importing from a folder'?

Only if you are importing the entire folder, using File > Import Records > Folder… (or the script equivalent).

Do you mean, always import from the same location on the disk?

Not necessarily, that's up to you. As long as you are importing everything in that folder.

I cannot easily arrive at the full scale window to see the full photo.

Why does it have to open in Preview? Why not open the full scale picture in Filemaker, as suggested in my first post?

[alexliz]

Only if you are importing the entire folder, using File > Import Records > Folder… (or the script equivalent).

Got you.

Not necessarily, that's up to you. As long as you are importing everything in that folder.

Got you here, too.

Why does it have to open in Preview? Why not open the full scale picture in Filemaker, as suggested in my first post?

RIght. Here is the problem. I haven't got that part. How do you do it in FileMaker? I tried to open a New Window where I only keep the single field of the X-ray Container, but all I get is an error text within the field to the effect that FMP cannot find the image file which I have just imported.

Does this make any sense?

[comment]

See if this helps:

Zoom.fp7.zip

[principal]

I like it, but the pics don't scale up very well

See if this helps:

[comment]

It's because they're small to begin with - it's only a demo.

[principal]

OK, I see. Thanks for the file, I've been looking for the same solution for (seems like) years.

Of course being a total noob, I have no idea on how to implement this into my project

Cheers - RO

Edited January 6, 2010 by Guest

[alexliz]

That's excellent, comment, thanks so much!

It's very simple, and is pretty much what I need. Can't believe how simple it was. I am just not used to the new commands in FMP10, me coming from the days of v5.5.

Can you think of a way to optionally open the image file in an external program? I am thinking that if the X-ray is too big for viewing even in a separate FMP window, I should give the user the chance to still open it with an external viewer, such as Preview.app, so he can pan and zoom at will.

Thanks again for all your help so far!

[comment]

Actually, there's nothing new here - I would have done the same in any version since v.3.

Note that I have pinned the container to the window size, but you could remove this and make the field much larger than the window - then you would get scroll bars.

To open the image in Preview, make a button that does Open URL[] with the URL calculated as =

Substitute (

GetValue ( Child::Image ; ValueCount ( Child::Image ) ) ;

"imagemac:" ; "file:/" )

Of course, this will only work with pictures inserted as reference only.

[alexliz]

Haven't quite grasped how you 'pin' to the window size. Where is that option? Or am I missing something obvious (again)?

[comment]

http://www.filemaker.com/help/html/edit_layout.10.8.html#1027936

[alexliz]

Excellent help, comment, thank you!