Save as PDF using multiple field names

[steigrafx]

I've searched but can't find a solution to this problem.

 

I have a script that saves the current record as a pdf.  I'm using a variable called $Invoice_Number with the value

MAS_Invoices::Invoice_No & ".pdf", and this works well enough, but...

 

I would like to add a second field to the file name, MAS_Invoices::Invoice_Date, but I can't figure out the syntax.  The Invoice_Number should precede the Invoice_Date.

 

Thanks for your time and help.

 

Kevin

[MartieH]

MAS_Invoices::Invoice_Date & MAS_Invoices::Invoice_No & ".pdf"

 

if you want something like an underscore between the date and the invoice number, you could do: MAS_Invoices::Invoice_Date & "_" & MAS_Invoices::Invoice_No & ".pdf"

 

should do it

Martie

[steigrafx]

Thanks for the reply, Martie.  That's exactly what I tried but it doesn't work.  Running the script on invoice number 2, I get an error saying:

"20132.pdf could not be created on this disk.  Use a different name, make more room on the disk, unlock it or use a different disk."

 

The file saves fine with the script step in my original post, for example, 2.pdf.  I'd like it to be preceded by the date, if possible.

 

Thanks,

Kevin

[bcooney]

That is typically a badly formed path error, Kevin. Do you set $exportPath and then use $exportPath in the Save as PDF script step?

 

Set $exportPath, Get(desktopPath) & Invoice::Date & "_" & Invoice::ID & ".pdf"

Save As PDF ($exportPath)

[steigrafx]

Hi, bcooney.  Thanks for the reply.  No, I don't set a variable for the file path.

 

I set a variable for the file name:  $Invoice_Number = MAS Invoices::Invoice_No & ".pdf"

 

and use the variable in the Save Record as PDF, along with the full file path:  filewin:/c:/temp/$Invoice_Number

 

What you see here works perfectly.  When I add a second field to the file name variable, that's when I get the error:

MAS Invoices::Invoice_Date & MAS Invoices::Invoice_No & ".pdf"

 

Is it syntax?  Or am I just going about this the wrong way?

 

Thanks,

Kevin

[doughemi]

Is the Invoice_Date field an actual date field, with slashes?

[Rick Whitelaw]

Not at a computer at the moment, but I believe you should insert &" "& between your two field names. Otherwise you end up with Table::FieldTable::Field. FM won't understand this. Nor would any other application.

[steigrafx]

Thanks for your replies.

 

doughemi:  Yes, it is a date field, with auto-enter creation date, in the format 03/12/2013.

 

Rick:  I did as you suggested:  MAS Invoices::Invoice_Date & " " & MAS Invoices::Invoice_No & ".pdf"

but it didn't help.  I receive the same error.

 

Thanks again,

Kevin

[IdealData]

The date has "/" characters in it - these have the same effect as using subfolders in the file path, hence the failure.

[bcooney]

Good catch. Yes, you need to substitute out the slashes for underscores. Also, use Get(TemporaryPath) rather than hardcode the prefix.

[steigrafx]

Yes, that must be the problem.  I substituted a text field instead of the date field, and it worked perfectly.  It's definitely the date.

 

How do I change the slashes to underscores?  Using the inspector, I changed the numeric separator to an underscore, but that didn't work.  Is there somewhere else I should be looking?

 

Sorry to be such a pain.

[IdealData]

How do I change the slashes to underscores? 

 

Look at the Substitute function.

[doughemi]

Set Variable[$urldate; Substitute(MAS Invoices::Invoice_Date; "/"; "_")]

Set Variable[$filename; $urldate & MAS Invoices::Invoice_No & ".pdf"]

[steigrafx]

Thank you, IdealData and doughemi.  I was in over my head on this one, and doughemi's variables work perfectly.

 

Thanks again,

Kevin

[steigrafx]

bcooney, quick question.  You told me to use Get(TemporaryPath).  If I do, doesn't Filemaker delete everything when I exit?  I need to keep the pdf's.

 

Thanks,

Kevin

[bcooney]

Well, you did say that you were trying to write the PDFs to "and use the variable in the Save Record as PDF, along with the full file path:  filewin:/c:/temp/$Invoice_Number".

 

It is better to use FileMaker's Get (TemporaryPath), and yes this directory is purged.

 

However, why are you saving PDFs of an invoice? The record is there. Make a copy and it might not reflect the actual state of the data.

[steigrafx]

We were using WordPerfect in the past to generate invoices and obviously needed to save copies.

 

I don't know what I was thinking, except to say that "old habits die hard."

 

Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

 

Kevin