Landy,
Global field values are session-specific, so if the file was hosted
when you put that PDF file into the global container field, then it's
only there for that one client computer and only until FileMaker is
closed on that computer - it's essentially a temporary value, as is
always the case with global fields. That would explain why you didn't
see it on the other clients on your network (it has nothing to do with
whether they're Macs or Windows computers). You either need to un-host
the file and open it in single-user mode, then put that PDF in the
global field to have it stay there (as the default value for that
field), or do what Jonathan suggests and create a one-record table,
which you would access via a "constant" relationship or some other
mechanism.
Jeff
On Sep 3, 2009, at 5:03 PM, Jonathan Fletcher wrote:
If you save the PDF as something else that is cross-platform such as
PNG or JPEG it might work better.
One way to get around having to make it a global is to put those
fields in another table that has only one record--a forms table, so-
to-speak.
j.
On Sep 3, 2009, at 10:40 AM, Landy Atkinson wrote:
I have sort of gotten it to work using your scheme. The only way I
could get the PDF into Filemaker was to use a container field as
you suggested. I set the field to Global, to save storage space
and then imported the PDF into the container using Insert Object...
on one of the Windows clients. This seems to work for Windows
clients, but Mac clients see a blank field. Some of the Windows
clients don't see the PDF either. I still need to play some more
with container fields to figure out a reliable and cross platform
way to put a PDF into them. Once that is done, your technique will
do the trick.
-Landy
On Sep 1, 2009, at 6:47 PM, Jonathan Fletcher wrote:
Now I see why you are confused! (Either that or I was...)
Those extra PDF documents need to be printed out of FileMaker for
the Append option to work.
Just make up two blank layouts and place your forms on those
layouts, either as graphics, in container fields or as something
you constructed with FileMaker's native layout tools. Then when
you need to include one, switch to the layout, make sure you only
have one found record and then call the Save Records as PDF with
the Append option. Do this for each of the forms that you want to
include with this email.
j.
On Sep 1, 2009, at 6:25 PM, Landy Atkinson wrote:
The problem is that I have 2 standard PDF documents that I want
to include along with the one I generate in Filemaker. Depending
upon the products and whether outside the US, I might need just
the Filemaker created document, or that along with one or both of
the standard PDF documents. By "standard" here, I mean they are
forms that do not get changed based on the customer data in
Filemaker.
I'm still not seeing how to accomplish that using your procedures.
-Landy
On Sep 1, 2009, at 9:08 AM, Jonathan Fletcher wrote:
Landy,
There are two ways to approach this in my mind: Save each
attachment or not.
If you don't use the "Append..." option the save-as-PDF will
over-write any file with the same name and extension and replace
it with the current output. So for the first save in your script
you would leave the Append... checkbox unchecked. Subsequent
Save Records as PDF for that email would have it checked. This
way you never need to change the file name. This will not save
any of your sent files, though.
If you create a new filename unique to each email you can save
all the attachments. You just calculate a unique name each time
and save it as a memory variable. Then you use that variable in
the Specify output file option of the Save Records... script
step. Also, this way you can leave the Append... option on all
the time.
You can use either way, depending on what you need to keep.
HTH.
j.
On Sep 1, 2009, at 8:33 AM, Landy Atkinson wrote:
I have taken a look at this script step and have not figured
out how to use it to tack new pages onto an existing PDF file.
The "Send Mail" script step has a place to specify the PDF
filename to attach to the email. The "Save Records as PDF"
script step has an Append option, which lets you add additional
pages to the end of an existing PDF file, which is determined
using the Specify Output File option. All I have been able to
figure out so far is to take my SpecialHandling.pdf and set it
as the Output File. I can then append the customer specific
information and mailing label and attach the result to an
email. I am now left with a modified SpecialHandling.pdf
document that I don't know how to use again for the next
customer.
Please help me see what I am missing.
-Landy
On Aug 27, 2009, at 3:48 AM, Jonathan Fletcher wrote:
Make PDFs and use the "Append" option on the "Save Records as
PDF" script step.
j.
On Aug 26, 2009, at 10:58 PM, Landy Atkinson wrote:
I have a need to send more than one attachment in an email
created using the email script step in FMP 10. The step
allows you to specify more than one file, but this just seems
to provide multiple search paths and the first file found is
the one attached. I have not figured out a way to tell it to
include more than the first valid file it comes across.
Here is the need, in case someone has a good work around.
I use FMP 10 to create Return Material Authorization tracking
numbers along with a record of all touches along the RMA
process. The first step is to generate a 1 page document
from the data entered in the initial call from a customer
that includes a shipping label at the top and return
instructions and a place to fill in payment information for a
repair at the bottom. For international customer, there is
an additional document required to deal with Customs and for
a few products there is a special handling document we send.
For 99% of our customers, these documents are sent as email
attachments. The request from the database users is to have
these documents automatically attached to the email as
needed. I started out by adding a couple of check boxes that
the person taking the RMA call can mark off if these
additional documents are required. I thought it would be a
simple matter to just create several email script steps with
an if-then structure to decide which to use based on the
check boxes. This won't work until I can figure out how to
specify more than one attachment during the script step.
The only alternative I have come up with is to create 4
different layouts
1. RMA Only
2. RMA and Special Handling
3. RMA and International
4. RMA and International and Special Handling
and branch to those to create the attachment. For the
international form, this would be a bit trick as the customs
form is a bit complex.
Any other ideas?
-Landy
