Using Variables To Set File Paths

[blakey1978]

Hi

I Have a script which exports a layout(Report) to a pdf file, and within the script I am using the set variable function to generate the file path of the exported file.

If I type in the file path manually all works fine:-

"filewin:/C:/Keibudo Karate/Reports/Grading History Reports/" & Students::c_Student Name & " " & Get ( LayoutName ) & ".pdf"

I have also created a separate table which I will use to set up the database default file locations, however when I use the following in the script it doesn't work:-

conf_File Locations::cGrading Reports & Students::c_Student Name & " " & Get ( LayoutName ) & ".pdf"

I am new to fmp so would greatly appreciate any advice on what i am doing wrong.

Regards

Dave

[bcooney]

I think that you might be victim of a context issue. Your script runs from the context of whatever layout you specify. So, you need a relationship to your conf_File Locations TO in order to use the field cGrading Reports and Students::c_Student Name (that's two different TOs and without a relationship from where you are, FM will not be able to grab that data).

The idea of devoting a table to default export paths is terrific. In fact, I use a one record table SYS, and there I put all my system-wide defaults. Often, rather than building a relationship from every TO to SYS, I "publish" the preference values to global variables or global fields so that I can use that value from any context without a relationship. I name the fields in pairs, for example, p_exportPath and p_exportPath_g, so that they list together nicely in field definitions.

hth,

Barbara

[blakey1978]

I think that you might be victim of a context issue. Your script runs from the context of whatever layout you specify. So, you need a relationship to your conf_File Locations TO in order to use the field cGrading Reports and Students::c_Student Name (that's two different TOs and without a relationship from where you are, FM will not be able to grab that data).

The idea of devoting a table to default export paths is terrific. In fact, I use a one record table SYS, and there I put all my system-wide defaults. Often, rather than building a relationship from every TO to SYS, I "publish" the preference values to global variables or global fields so that I can use that value from any context without a relationship. I name the fields in pairs, for example, p_exportPath and p_exportPath_g, so that they list together nicely in field definitions.

hth,

Barbara

Thank you for your response Barbara.

In my config table I have setup multiple fields for different parts of the file path and now set my filepath calculation field as global storage and it works perfectly!!!

Many Thanks

Dave