pc Open exported documents in FileMaker

[Martin_S]

Hi

Just a question to get a feel for if this is possible. I support a FileMaker application (FM13+Server) written mostly by a third party, which the bulk of the requirement was for reporting. So the user runs a report, which creates an Excel document with selected columns of data (using a defined criteria to generate). At the moment, I have written a script to copy all documents from the documents folder on the FM server to a network location, and set up a scheduled task in Server to run this every 5 minutes. The users would rather the document opens when complete so they can save it to any preferred location, but I have a feeling this isn't possible (based on conversations with the developers during the development phase), but would like to confirm or not?

Happy to provide more info if necessary.

Thanks

Martin

[Wim Decorte]

Opening the document AFTER an export is possible but obviously the document is saved already at that time (otherwise it can not be opened).  Once the document is open, FM has no control over it, the other application has control.  So the user can do a "save as" in that other application to resave it but then you have two copies.

 

What you are after CAN be done but it will require some plugins or some amount of OS-level scripting to take control over the other application.  So perfectly do-able, just not very trivial.

 

What I am confused about is your mention of the FMS documents folder, are the documents generated by some server-side schedule?

[Martin_S]

Thanks, that's helpful. I had suspected the same, so good to get confirmation.

 

No, the documents are created using server side scripts, and as the application is hosted on the FM Server, the export process defines the save location as the documents path (Get ( DocumentsPath ) ) and a fixed name per report with a date/time stamp appended to ensure unique reports.

 

Thanks again

 

Martin

[Wim Decorte]

Since the routine now is a server-side schedule there is no user interaction whatsoever so changing it to a routine that is initiated by the user and not a schedule is going to be pretty significant I think in your workflow.

[Martin_S]

Thanks, that's as I suspected.

 

Regards

 

Martin