very difficult questions for advanced image imports exports

[Pierre Lessard]

I am nearing the end of development for a runtime solution that will hold an
image for each record.
I have implemented scripted backup and restore processes.

This solution is geared towards beginner computer users so I am trying to
exercise as much control as possible.
It will be xplat developed with dev6. In a perfect world the user would
click a button, a dialog would appear for them to browse my images folder,
they would choose said image and it could only be stored as a reference.
During this magical storage the filename would be captured to another field
so as to facilitate future restore operations.

OK back to reality (gosh that was a nice dream...)

I do not want users to ever store an image directly. Can I achieve only by
reference storage enforcement?
If not, next best thing ideas?

Is there any way to extract the name of the file once it has been placed in
the container field?
I know we can capture its name and path when importing an entire folder but
the user will not be importing an
entire folder. :-(

Since I have created a folder for the user to house their images I will have
some hope at
incorporating a restore feature for their images if I have that elusive
filename.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Its problems like this that make you wish your brother in law developed
plug-ins!

regards,

[Chris Brown]

FileMaker 6 captures both filename and filepath, and into text fields
and recognizing that you are aware this can be folder driven, why not import
all images in the folder, into a dedicated intermediate db, list the newly
imported filenames in a portal and select the required file from the portal
list, then import that to your real (final) db?
Basically a simple two button script process
Then delete all the records in the intermediate db.

Chris Brown
Neurosurgery
University of Adelaide




Pierre Lessard wrote:

> I am nearing the end of development for a runtime solution that will hold an
> image for each record.
> I have implemented scripted backup and restore processes.
>
> This solution is geared towards beginner computer users so I am trying to
> exercise as much control as possible.
> It will be xplat developed with dev6. In a perfect world the user would
> click a button, a dialog would appear for them to browse my images folder,
> they would choose said image and it could only be stored as a reference.
> During this magical storage the filename would be captured to another field
> so as to facilitate future restore operations.
>
> OK back to reality (gosh that was a nice dream...)
>
> I do not want users to ever store an image directly. Can I achieve only by
> reference storage enforcement?
> If not, next best thing ideas?
>
> Is there any way to extract the name of the file once it has been placed in
> the container field?
> I know we can capture its name and path when importing an entire folder but
> the user will not be importing an
> entire folder. :-(
>
> Since I have created a folder for the user to house their images I will have
> some hope at
> incorporating a restore feature for their images if I have that elusive
> filename.
>
> Any help greatly appreciated.
>
> Its problems like this that make you wish your brother in law developed
> plug-ins!
>
> regards,

[Pierre Lessard]

Hi Chris,

As far as I am aware it is not possible to script the import a folder of
images option. Am I mistaken? If it were possible to script this like other
imports (were the criteria of a manual import and its settings) can be saved
to the script it would solve the entire problem.

Thank you for your suggestion and if I am mistaken about being able to
script the import a folder of images please let me know.

regards,

Pierre Lessard.

"Chris Brown" <cbrown@medicine.adelaide.edu.au> wrote in message
news:3F1733A5.298498F4@medicine.adelaide.edu.au...

> FileMaker 6 captures both filename and filepath, and into text fields
> and recognizing that you are aware this can be folder driven, why not

import

> all images in the folder, into a dedicated intermediate db, list the newly
> imported filenames in a portal and select the required file from the

portal

> list, then import that to your real (final) db?
> Basically a simple two button script process
> Then delete all the records in the intermediate db.
>
> Chris Brown
> Neurosurgery
> University of Adelaide
>
>
>
>
> Pierre Lessard wrote:
>

> > I am nearing the end of development for a runtime solution that will

hold an

> > image for each record.
> > I have implemented scripted backup and restore processes.
> >
> > This solution is geared towards beginner computer users so I am trying

to

> > exercise as much control as possible.
> > It will be xplat developed with dev6. In a perfect world the user would
> > click a button, a dialog would appear for them to browse my images

folder,

> > they would choose said image and it could only be stored as a reference.
> > During this magical storage the filename would be captured to another

field

> > so as to facilitate future restore operations.
> >
> > OK back to reality (gosh that was a nice dream...)
> >
> > I do not want users to ever store an image directly. Can I achieve only

by

> > reference storage enforcement?
> > If not, next best thing ideas?
> >
> > Is there any way to extract the name of the file once it has been placed

in

> > the container field?
> > I know we can capture its name and path when importing an entire folder

but

> > the user will not be importing an
> > entire folder. :-(
> >
> > Since I have created a folder for the user to house their images I will

have

> > some hope at
> > incorporating a restore feature for their images if I have that elusive
> > filename.
> >
> > Any help greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Its problems like this that make you wish your brother in law developed
> > plug-ins!
> >
> > regards,

>

[Bridget Eley]

Hi Pierre

You seem to be well up on the strengths and limits of the import
command/script step.

Applescript will extract a filename and filepath, but this solution would be
limited to Macs.

Did you know that if you place a Mac alias of an image file in a folder, you
can import the image, its filename, the filepath to the original, and a
thumbnail using import from a folder? You can even reference the image then
move the original around without losing the reference. I do not know if
Windows shortcuts are able to do this, but it might be worth a try.

Bridget Eley


in article bf74ji$p1j$1@news.apple.com, Pierre Lessard at
[email]lessardpete@hotmail.com[/email] wrote on 18/7/03 7:25 AM:

> I am nearing the end of development for a runtime solution that will hold an
> image for each record.
> I have implemented scripted backup and restore processes.
>
> This solution is geared towards beginner computer users so I am trying to
> exercise as much control as possible.
> It will be xplat developed with dev6. In a perfect world the user would
> click a button, a dialog would appear for them to browse my images folder,
> they would choose said image and it could only be stored as a reference.
> During this magical storage the filename would be captured to another field
> so as to facilitate future restore operations.
>
> OK back to reality (gosh that was a nice dream...)
>
> I do not want users to ever store an image directly. Can I achieve only by
> reference storage enforcement?
> If not, next best thing ideas?
>
> Is there any way to extract the name of the file once it has been placed in
> the container field?
> I know we can capture its name and path when importing an entire folder but
> the user will not be importing an
> entire folder. :-(
>
> Since I have created a folder for the user to house their images I will have
> some hope at
> incorporating a restore feature for their images if I have that elusive
> filename.
>
> Any help greatly appreciated.
>
> Its problems like this that make you wish your brother in law developed
> plug-ins!
>
> regards,
>
>
>
>

[Pierre Lessard]

Hi Chris,

thanks for the info. I was not aware it behaved this way but unfortunately
its not a plan I can implement for a wide distribution runtime solution.
Novice users would be perplexed.

the search goes on.

regards,

Pierre Lessard.
"Chris Brown" <cbrown@medicine.adelaide.edu.au> wrote in message
news:3F17651D.98CAB831@medicine.adelaide.edu.au...

> Hi Pierre,
>
> It is a bit clumsy, but it does do it on my mac anyway. First do the

folder

> import, then run a one line script import with restore selected.
>
> first do an initial import
> file> import records> folder
> specify the folder and check the only import reference option
> do the import (these records can then be deleted)
>
> script
> Import, check perform without dialogue, (and restore import order, but

may

> not be necessary)
>
> the user can then just run the script, but some selection is required
>
> run the script
> the usual open dialogue will appear, this is by default will only have

OPEN and

> not CHOOSE operators, burrow to the required folder
> the (on a mac) SHOW popup ( i.e. file types) will by default be All
> Available, select folder from the list,
> this will trigger a message saying; "" can not be found and is required

for

> this operation
> ignoring this clicking OK produces a variation on the open dialogue box

which

> will have Choose as an option
> the pic containing folder will still be selected so click Choose
> and the import happens
>
>
> Tested applescript on my mac, and this doesn't want to play as far as
> performing the initial import folder sequence. AS will open the folder,

but

> will not grab the FM File > import menu steps.
>
> regards
>
> Chris
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Pierre Lessard wrote:
>

> > Hi Chris,
> >
> > As far as I am aware it is not possible to script the import a folder of
> > images option. Am I mistaken? If it were possible to script this like

other

> > imports (were the criteria of a manual import and its settings) can be

saved

> > to the script it would solve the entire problem.
> >
> > Thank you for your suggestion and if I am mistaken about being able to
> > script the import a folder of images please let me know.
> >
> > regards,
> >
> > Pierre Lessard.
> >
> > "Chris Brown" <cbrown@medicine.adelaide.edu.au> wrote in message
> > news:3F1733A5.298498F4@medicine.adelaide.edu.au...

> > > FileMaker 6 captures both filename and filepath, and into text fields
> > > and recognizing that you are aware this can be folder driven, why not

> > import

> > > all images in the folder, into a dedicated intermediate db, list the

newly

> > > imported filenames in a portal and select the required file from the

> > portal

> > > list, then import that to your real (final) db?
> > > Basically a simple two button script process
> > > Then delete all the records in the intermediate db.
> > >
> > > Chris Brown
> > > Neurosurgery
> > > University of Adelaide
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Pierre Lessard wrote:
> > >
> > > > I am nearing the end of development for a runtime solution that will

> > hold an

> > > > image for each record.
> > > > I have implemented scripted backup and restore processes.
> > > >
> > > > This solution is geared towards beginner computer users so I am

trying

> > to

> > > > exercise as much control as possible.
> > > > It will be xplat developed with dev6. In a perfect world the user

would

> > > > click a button, a dialog would appear for them to browse my images

> > folder,

> > > > they would choose said image and it could only be stored as a

reference.

> > > > During this magical storage the filename would be captured to

another

> > field

> > > > so as to facilitate future restore operations.
> > > >
> > > > OK back to reality (gosh that was a nice dream...)
> > > >
> > > > I do not want users to ever store an image directly. Can I achieve

only

> > by

> > > > reference storage enforcement?
> > > > If not, next best thing ideas?
> > > >
> > > > Is there any way to extract the name of the file once it has been

placed

> > in

> > > > the container field?
> > > > I know we can capture its name and path when importing an entire

folder

> > but

> > > > the user will not be importing an
> > > > entire folder. :-(
> > > >
> > > > Since I have created a folder for the user to house their images I

will

> > have

> > > > some hope at
> > > > incorporating a restore feature for their images if I have that

elusive

> > > > filename.
> > > >
> > > > Any help greatly appreciated.
> > > >
> > > > Its problems like this that make you wish your brother in law

developed

> > > > plug-ins!
> > > >
> > > > regards,
> > >

>