Link to Folder NOT File

[Kelly1982Ann]

Hello, I'm totally new to FileMaker Pro 12.  Like 2 days new.  Before that the only database I've used was Excel. Filemake is a whole different thing.  I know that it can probably do what I need it to do, but I can't figure out how.  Don't know what scripts are or how to set up buttons, or schema, etc.  I've figured out the easy stuff I have customers pictures with their name, address, DOB, etc. Like a client database, but I need it to link to folders....so here's my plan:

 

Right now I have a ton of folders on my flashdrive. Each folder is for a person.  Some people have more than 1 folder.  Each folder is a report and each report is numbered.  And each folder contains multiple pages or reports, statements, photos, etc.  I need Filemaker to somehow link to each folder. Here's what I would love:

 

To search for a person, the picture and info comes up )which I've already set up) and underneath you can click on individual reports for that customer.  So the link (Like a hyperlink in Excel) should link to the folder with all it's contents and not just a file. 

 

I am also trying to figure out how to list multiple things under the same name.....I have a field called "report number" where I would like to insert the link, however, if someone has more than 1 report, I can't have another field named "repor numbert" which makes it difficult for searching....On the search page I only want 1 field to say "Report number", and all reports tied into that.  So 1 person has 5 reports, I need them all listed under the title "Report" or "Report Number" and I need each of those to link to the corresponding folder. 

 

If it is not possible to link to an external folder is it possible to bring all the data to another Filemaker database and link to it all at once through that??  What I want to avoid is having 15 links to 15 different pages. 

 

And please, when responding, try explaining in english...not to offend anyone.  Some responses that I have read mine as well been in a foreign language.  I'm computer literate but I am no computer genius.

Thank you

Kelly

[bcooney]

Kelly,

afaik, you cannot link to a folder full of documents. Nor, imho, would you want to. The value of a database is to be able to find data quickly and to report upon it accurately. To do so requires breaking data down to its most granular level, and to store it so that there is no redundancy.

 

If given your situation, I would have a Person and Document table (one to many relationship, if each document belongs to one and only one person). Apparently you want to store documents of several types, and so I would create a DocType table that has a value list of doc types. Each Doc record would also have a DocTypeID.

 

That would mean that each document would be seen as a row in a portal on the Person's form view. I also would store the document name in a field, but let FM store the document by ID, and FM would assign the unique, meaningless, ID.

 

What version of FM are you using? Prior to FM12, I might have also mentioned a product by 360works, called SuperContainer.

 

hth,

Barbara

[comment]

Each folder is for a person.  Some people have more than 1 folder.  Each folder is a report and each report is numbered.  And each folder contains multiple pages or reports, statements, photos, etc.  I need Filemaker to somehow link to each folder.

 

Assuming you have two related tables, People and Reports, you could have a field in the Reports table holding the path to the corresponding folder and use the Open URL[] script step to open that folder.

 

See something similar here:

http://fmforums.com/forum/topic/79551-open-calculated-file-directory/#entry370547

[bcooney]

Comment, ok, it can be done, but should she? 

[comment]

Why not? If you want to have an external folder of documents without tracking its contents, where is the harm?

[bcooney]

Well, Kelly, that is the point. Do you want to manually create this hierarchy of folders and documents or do you want FM to do it for you?

[comment]

Do you want to manually create this hierarchy of folders and documents or do you want FM to do it for you?

 

I am not sure that's a balanced presentation of the two options. Or that there are only two options here, for that matter.

[Lee Smith]

In case you haven't noticed, Kelly hasn't been back since posting this question. 

[comment]

Well, it hasn't been that long, so...

 

If she does come back, I'd suggest she updates her profile to reflect her version and OS - as that might be very relevant here.

[Lee Smith]

If she does come back, I'd suggest she updates her profile to reflect her version and OS - as that might be very relevant here.

 

That is a good point, and if they do come back I'll ask them to do it.

 

Hello, I'm totally new to FileMaker Pro 12.  

Hi Kelly, and welcome to the forum,

 

Please update your profile to show your version FileMaker Pro 12 (Advance or Client), Operating System and Platform. Here is a quick link to Update Profile.

 

Lee