I've done this in the past by temporarily importing the picture into a global container in order to derive the path then import the pic into its permanent container.
Importing pics into the file itself is often considered a bad idea because it produces really big files that are constantly changing, therefore new versions are constantly being backed up - filling up the backup medium. People often have a separate file for the pix which is backed up much less often. FWIW. -- Steve Gerow FileMaker 9/8/7 Certified Developer President Abrazos Data Consulting, Inc. Pasadena, California 626.398.1506 Member FileMaker Bus. Alliance > -------Original Message------- > From: Landy Atkinson <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Importing single photos into FMP10 database of images > Sent: Sep 18 '09 18:38 > > OK, I will take a look at that over the weekend. I actually need to > also import the full images into the database, but having a second > container field in the database with the reference shouldn't be a big > space waster! I think that is essentially what I am doing now with > the File Path that I get from importing folders full of images. Now > all I have to do is figure out how to have a single script pull the > reference into one container and then import the image into a 2nd > container with the user only having to select the file once. Not sure > I saw a way to programatically select the file to import, but will > explore. > > My goal here is to have the database information survive accidental > deletion or moving of files on the server. The images I am saving are > "proof" images of the transmission through fiber image guides in 3 > stages. 1. when sent to a vendor for packaging, 2. upon return from > packaging vendor, 3. finished product sent to customer. I've created > 3 tables in a single database to hold the various images. We put them > on the file server in folders separated by year and in each year are > To Vendor, From Vendor, Finished Scope folders. An image of an image > guide will appear in all 3 folders (not necessarily in the same year) > with the same file name, which is the image guide serial number. When > I import an image into the database, I want the year and "to, from, > finished" info to be automatically recored with the saved image; based > on it's location in the folder structure. I've written the database > such that one Layout is used to import an image and another is used to > display "triplet" images for quick comparison and confirmation that > all was well at each step of the build process. > > When I import whole folders of images, all works well and the job is > done. That takes care of the past. Now I want a simple scripted > system, so the QC people can import the images right after they take > them. This means a few at a time, not whole folders full of images. > > By the way, both Windows PCs and Macs will be adding images to the > database and viewing the database. With the folder import, this all > seems to be cross platform with no glitches. I will need to confirm > that the "save reference only" method is cross platform as well. > Since I only need the reference to parse information directory > structure from, it will probably work even if the image doesn't > actually display correctly due to cross platform path differences. > > -Landy > > On Sep 18, 2009, at 5:54 PM, Steve B. Gerow wrote: > > > Landy, > > You can get the info you need from a container with the following > > exercise: > > > > Insert a picture into a container field ("MyContainer") with "as > > reference" checked. > > Create a calc field, "MyMetadata" with expression: GetAsText > > ( MyContainer ). > > > > In this calc field you'll see the path, along with other metadata. > > > > Will send you a sample file with does this on the Windows side, but > > the Mac won't be too different. > > > > -- > > Steve Gerow > > FileMaker 9/8/7 Certified Developer > > > > President > > Abrazos Data Consulting, Inc. > > Pasadena, California > > Member FileMaker Bus. Alliance > > > > > >> -------Original Message------- > >> From: Landy Atkinson <[email protected]> > >> Subject: Importing single photos into FMP10 database of images > >> Sent: Sep 18 '09 10:32 > >> > >> I have used the Import File script step to import whole folders of > >> images and a very important side benefit is that you also get the > >> File > >> Name, File Path and Image Thumbnail. Knowing the image path, lets me > >> parse the path to get other useful information based on the directory > >> structure (such as the year and topic the imported file came from) > >> that I put in the database along with the image. This is very useful > >> in searching the database for the images I want. {NOTE: This only > >> work because as the images are saved from the camera to the server, I > >> am careful about creating a YEAR folder with TOPIC folders inside.} > >> > >> If I want to import a single image into the database, I have found no > >> such nice solution. The Import Picture script step lets me select > >> the > >> desired image and gets it into the container field, but does not let > >> me know the FILE NAME or the PATH from whence it came. Any ideas how > >> to set up a script to import single images and also keep track of the > >> filename and where it came from? Getting a thumbnail may be nice for > >> a list view of images, but is not all that important to me. > >> > >> -Landy > >> >
