I'm on the verge of having to clone a database file that has about 85 graphic images in containers. This is the GUI file of a separation model application and the images are the icons, logos, etc. for the runtime. Most of the fields are dimensioned (repetitions) to contain a small array of selections.

This is the first time I've been faced with this and it looks like it could be messy. Is a low-level, image-by-image right-click export the most practical way? I was hoping there was some kind of a magic wand, but I don't see one yet. "Container fields cannot be exported" seems to eliminate most of the possibilities.

Thanks in advance for advice from anyone who's been there, done that.

Import?

Actually, I was hoping for something a little more, shall we say ... comprehensive.

Getting the current graphics out is at least half of the problem. They're not all just sitting in graphic files on my disk. About half are ones I created using Insert Picture onto the background of a layout ... and then Cut and Pasted into a container. Others were created using FileMaker's own graphic tools ... followed by the Cut/Paste step. Especially with small, finely-featured graphics, FileMaker is very finicky about the details. (BTW, it's an entire separate topic, but I wish FileMaker would document the nuances. So much is trial and error and it shouldn't be.)

If anyone has conquered such things, I'd sure like to hear. Mostly, all I've found so far involve "1000's of photos" and the like.

Thanks for the response.

I meant why don't you open up the clone file (which presumably has the same fields) and import from the original file?

Well, so much mention is made about exporting fields into text files and then importing them to avoid any transfer of corruption from the old database, that I figured it would apply to container fields as well. Although I haven't seen anything resembling corrupt contents, I was opting for a better-safe-than-sorry approach to populate the clone. (BTW, the reason I'm cloning is because of a half-dozen detected errors during a routine verification using Recover ... and, the database has been in daily development/use for over a year.)

Certainly what you suggest is familiar and far less tedious. Any reservations? ... or (given the above) is it the "best bet"?

I have very little experience with corrupted files (and I hope to keep it that way...). If it were me, I'd redo the graphics from scratch - and keep a copy. I am not sure why you had to paste graphics into a container, instead of inserting a picture directly; I believe this can only reduce the quality.

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BTW, exporting containers can be scripted (to some extent).

Edited January 20, 201114 yr by comment