Playing with Features of FMPro Version 8 [Saving Files with variable names and paths]

Here is a good tip from FileMaker’s Famous Andrew Lecates explaining how to save a file to a specific path.
This is one of the new features in version 8 which was previously possible only with the aid of a plug-in.

1. Set a script variable to the path as a text string.
3. Enter the variable in the path dialog to 'carry' a calculated path
there

For step 1, use a script step like this:
  Set Variable [$filePath; Value: "file:" & Get(DesktopPath) &
    customer::first & "_" & customer::last &
    ".pdf" ]

This will result in a path string that places a .pdf file on your
desktop, and names the file based on the current customer record in
the form "Fritz_Jung.pdf".

For step 2, something like:
  Save Records as PDF [Restore; "$filePath"; Automatically open;
Current record]

So in the Specify Output File dialog, you would enter "$filePath" (no
quotes) into the Output File Path List.

FWIW, when doing this with scripts, I highly recommend using local
script variables [$filePath] over global script variables [$
$filePath] unless you want to make extra work for yourself cleaning
up the global variables and testing to make sure multiple scripts
using the same $$filePath aren't clobbering (writing over) each
other's output.

Enjoy!

FileMaker 8 Rocks

I have just attended the annual FileMaker Developer Conference where FileMaker 8 was introduced. FileMaker 7 introduced some great new functionality and removed a lot of the old limits on FileMaker Database systems. Version 8 adds some great new usability features that will save time for users and developers alike, reducing the cost of development and improving responsiveness. We were told to expect speed improvements on the order of 20% for some actions. Users will love the new calendar input (without the use of an extra cost plugin) and the clairvoyance features which allows autocompleting based on a valuelist of data.

I have been tremendously busy helping my client FIRST to convert their system from FileMaker 6 to 7. We have put off completely rewriting the system from the ground up due to the magnitude of work involved. The conversion process went fairly smoothly after running the files through a utility to clean up the old file references.

Heading home now from a post conference vacation at the same Desert Ridge Marriott.

Joel