multiple_scripts_combining?

[cwboomer]

Hello FMForum World,

 

I apologize for my first post being a bust right in there, and help me out question, but, I thought I would see if it was ok.

 

I am not the most database oriented person, admittedly. I am fairly sharp, but this is not my native background. (so warning, there on the explanations!)

 

I work on a MAC V.11 database, sharing off a windows 64bit server, that I picked up from another individual. It was set-up to routinely import data. As part of that process, the person was cautious, and broke out the steps of import into 11 scripts steps. Since the process has been 2 years without much of an issue, and the script steps are lengthy, I was wondering if there was a quick way to create single script that either combines all the steps.

 

1. an import into 1 script?

2. a script that runs them all unattended?

3. a script feature the I don't know about, that allows you to embed others within it?

4. desktop level scripting, apple, java, etc. (not preferred..)

5. Importing each step, but could I "copy and paste" whole groups of steps, which would be fine too.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheese and Brats from Wisconsin.

cwboomer (dan)

[Matthew F]

Welcome to FM Forums and your first posting. 

 

You know the old saying, "If it ain't broke don't fix it".  There's nothing inherently wrong in having a process that uses multiple scripts, but 11 does sound excessive.  Sometimes you should have multiple scripts, e.g. if there is a subscript that might get called repeatedly, and you don't want to have the same block of steps repeatedly in your main script.  

 

If you really want to consolidate things then you could try the following:

Don't change the original scripts (it ain't broke).  Instead make a new blank script.

Copy the steps from the first script and paste them into this new script.

In place of the each of the subsequent "Perform script" steps, copy and paste the text of the subscript that was being called.  

 

You may need to insert pause script steps, if the original solution did not run as a continuous process, but instead required the user to give input along the way.  I personally prefer to have one script end, and then have another one start, rather than inserting pauses in a script. 

 

Hope that helps.