Automated Import Of .xls Files

[Chris1961]

Hi

I have a database which relies on me updating 17 Excel spread sheets every day. At present, I download the files using Internet Explorer and save them to ../Documents/Temp folder. Filemaker then imports everything from script.The url and filenames are always the same.

It works fine but I was wondering if there is any way to get filemaker to do the downloading for me as well. Maybe I am asking just a bit too much though??

Chris

[bcooney]

Perhaps using 360works, FTPeek?

[Chris1961]

Hi BC

Thanks for that.

I am not sure that it would work though. Unfortunately the site that contains the 17 files that I use has no contact info on it so I cannot contact the admin. I have tried (just from a point of interest) typing the url into Explorer using ftp: instead of http: and I get Error 404. I am presuming therefore that any plugin would have the same problem?

If I was able to contact the webmaster and get access to the file I guess that would solve the problem but it is a very basic site.

Have you tried 360 works under similar circumstances by and chance and did it do the job?

Many thanks and appreciate your feedback,

Chris

[comment]

Filemaker cannot download files on its own, so you need either a plugin or an OS-level script to do this for you. On the Mac platform, this would be fairly trivial to do using AppleScript - I don't know about Windows. Perhaps the MooPlug could be a good solution:

http://mooplug.com/

[Chris1961]

Hi

OK. Thanks for your feedback. I'll have a look at that.

Chris

[bcooney]

Yes, Chris, I'm a happy user of FTPeek for fetching files that I need to import nightly.

[comment]

Barbara,

Can you use FTPeek to download this file?

http://databases.about.com/library/samples/address.xls

[Chris1961]

Hi guys

Thanks for your replies.

I have downlaoded mooplug and activated it in FM.

Sorry for being a bit dumb about this but I haven't had cause to use plug-ins before and am not sure on procedure.

If I give you the game plan, perhaps you would be kind enough to give me an example of the use of the plug-in.

There is a website in the uk, http://mi.lincolnshiremarriages.org.uk . The volunteers on this site are attempting to transcribe all of the marriages records for Lincolnshire between 1837 and 1911 and make them available FOC. The county has been split into 17 areas and there are therefore 17 .xls files to be downloaded. Because the project is not completed, these file get updated on a regular basis and I need to get the updated files into the database with the minimum of effort because some of my colleagues are not very IT Lit.

As it stands at present, the files have to be downloaded manually. FM then imports from c:....DocumentsTemp.

So, for arguments sake, I have a db with 4 fields, Groom's Surname, Groom's Forename, Brides Surname, Bride's Forename.

The url for one of the file that I want to import is http://mi.lincolnshiremarriages.org.uk/bostonRD.xls .

Can you tell me what the scripting would be using mooplug to download the file to DocumentsTemp?

Once downloaded, I'm OK. The import works great.

Sorry to be a bore on this one. Just not used to plugins yet. Also just taken a big leap from FM 7 to FM 11 Advanced - a bit of a jump!!

Thanks for any advice

Chris

GY, UK