Need To Run Attendance Script In Background

[keeplearning]

Brand spanking new to the forum and to FM. I've spent quite a bit of time here already and have learned a ton already - Great Community! Worth mentioning...I did search forums but was unsuccessful.

My basic need: I am trying to figure out how to keep a script running in FM (which I have created) while other apps are being used (i.e. FM running in "background). The script runs, loops, and functions while FM is my active app without any issues.

More detail: Specifically, I have an attendance component on my database. As part of this I have barcodes generated, these barcodes are scanned generating an attendance record in a table.

*This much, with help from this forum, I've accomplished.

However, I need to start FM, initiate the looping attendance script and be able to use the host machine for other tasks. Example: I could be creating a Word doc while people are scanning their attendance barcodes into FM.

Database will run on a mac using os x 10.5

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any/all help.

[bcooney]

Hello and welcome to the Forums.

You've posted in the AppleScript forum. Is this intentional?

Also, I don't follow the setup. A user scans a barcode and that creates an attendance record (or finds an existing?). OK, got that.

What is happening in the loop? I don't see why you need a loop.

The obvious suggestion is to get another Mac or an iPad with FMGo. This is where I'm confused. How can someone scan a barcode if you're sitting at the Mac using Word?

[Vaughan]

FMP is single threaded so there can only be one script running at a time, and that script will affect what happens in FMP.

That said, there is no reason why FMP running a script would stop you from using Word. The only problem I have ever found was with active modifier keys: FMP sees them even if FMP is in the background. So if in Word you press the Shift key, FMP will see it too. I had a looping script that was set to exit of shift was pressed, and it kept terminating.

[bruceR]

Brand spanking new to the forum and to FM. I've spent quite a bit of time here already and have learned a ton already - Great Community! Worth mentioning...I did search forums but was unsuccessful.

My basic need: I am trying to figure out how to keep a script running in FM (which I have created) while other apps are being used (i.e. FM running in "background). The script runs, loops, and functions while FM is my active app without any issues.

More detail: Specifically, I have an attendance component on my database. As part of this I have barcodes generated, these barcodes are scanned generating an attendance record in a table.

*This much, with help from this forum, I've accomplished.

However, I need to start FM, initiate the looping attendance script and be able to use the host machine for other tasks. Example: I could be creating a Word doc while people are scanning their attendance barcodes into FM.

Database will run on a mac using os x 10.5

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any/all help.

A barcode scanner is essentially just another keyboard.

If you are in Word, and in the middle of typing up something, then use the scanner, it will be exactly the same as if YOU had just typed those characters, and they will appear in the middle of whatever you are typing. How do you propose to strictly associate the scanner with a different application?

[keeplearning]

Hi All,

Thanks for the quick responses and points. I'll clarify my needs a bit more below.

BruceR is correct about the barcode scanner essentially acting like a keyboard...this is another hurdle I will deal with after investigating this first challenge. I've used solutions in the past (non-FM) that allow this exclusive mapping of a barcode scanner (i.e. mapped to only affect one app). Something at an OS level I will address later.

A bit more detail:

1. We will typically have 200-300 students visiting us per day in a busy retail type environment (martial arts school).

2. I have a database where each of these students, as you would suspect, has a auto-gen unique id within a table (students). This unique id is used to generate a barcode.

3. Every time a barcode is scanned a time stamped record is created in a related table (attendance). So, every time a barcode is scanned their is a unique record created containing that students id which I then use to record an attendance log.

4. In our schools we have a front desk check in type area (with associated computer). I would like to be able to "start" my attendance solution (i.e. FM) and have it run continuously throughout the day. All the while the front desk computer would be used for other tasks (of which Word docs are an example). Picture staff using computer for emails etc, while students are checking in.

I was thinking this may involve system level AppleScripting thus my post here.

?? One last question - short of the above...is it possible to have FM running, my FM attendance layout running, and still use FM for other tasks? e.g. students checking in while staff looks up a students home address etc??

Thanks again.

[Vaughan]

We will typically have 200-300 students visiting us per day in a busy retail type environment (martial arts school).

And you cannot afford a couple hundred dollars to have a dedicated machine to run the barcode scanner?

[keeplearning]

Good question. We can certainly afford a dedicated machine (just figuring out best solution). Since I am brand new to FM-question, if we were to use a dedicated machine what would be the best way to have the attendance table (which would be running on the dedicated machine) communicate and "feed" that data to another computer running the other tables in the database? Or would they not be seperate?

[bruceR]

You should probably be running FileMaker Server; on a dedicated server machine. What's the big picture? A front desk; which you desire to be double duty but perhaps a second machine. Plus other users? Other Filemaker files?

[keeplearning]

I will look into FM Server today...it sounds like that may be the way I need to go. To your question re: bigger picture...

1. Our needs will be a machine running the attendance aspects (as discussed above).

2. We will need 2-3 other machines with access to the database (e.g. staff looking up members addresses, contact info, running reports etc).

3. I'm just learning about users/accounts etc within FM. We will have several machines accessing the database, however, no need to control specific users etc. (i.e. one machine may have several people accessing it for a few minutes at a time for data etc).

4. Short term I do not envision other FM files, however, we may grow in this direction as my knowledge grows.

All of this said, does FM Server seem to be more of an appropriate fit? Any thougths on that would be great. Perhaps I should re-post this as I don't think AppleScript has even come up yet.

[keeplearning]

Hello all,

Thanks for the suggestions etc. I've found some info that points me towards where I wish to go. Thought I would share it in hopes it may help others in future projects etc. Note, I have not tried this yet, however, it seems to answer most of my original question. Thanks again.

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-1104040.php

[bcooney]

This uses DDE and Access and is Windows only. (Last update on their Access demo was in 2003), and this looks really fragile.