Re: FM AppleScript task, seems so simple...

Hi Harry -

And thanks very much for your thoughts. I have tried a bunch of different strings for the URL, including doubling the forward slash as you suggest. Varying results, but no joy. FM says in my V9 documentation that "get remote URL" does not open a remote database, but displays the "Open Remote File..." dialog box and selects the server mentioned as a parameter, and so it seems to be.

I will continue to work on this and if I discover the secret, I'll post. Thanks again to all for your suggestions.

James

Helpful Harry wrote:
In article <47da6cf4$0$6117$4c368faf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, James
<jbusch@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Dave -

Thanks very much for your reply. In the past, I have often used local FM databases as you suggest to open network-hosted databases. Another trick is to have your auto-running script create a new record and auto-enter the Date, Time and Username before closing. This provides you with a handy log of database use.

Now, though, I am focused on using AppleScript to open databases by my client's request. Can't imagine why this doesn't work, and I hope someone else in the group will have some insight.

Thanks again -
James

Why not use a "stub" database and use AppleScript to open that instead?
It should solve the problem and sticks to the "letter of the law" for
the client's strange request. ;o)

I know next to nothing about AppleScript, so these ideas may be
completely off track, but for what it's worth ...


Tell application "FileMaker Pro"
Activate
GetURL "fmnet:/###.###.###.###/mydatabase.fp7"
End tell

I'm sure of the path, the script compiles with no problem,

Compiling means nothing for this problem. It probably doesn't bother
checking the actual URL address is correct, but simply that something
has been typed in there as the required parameter. Since the script
commands are proper ones and have the needed parameters, it compiles
with no error. It's only later when actually running and trying to open
that URL address that it hits a failure point.

Are you sure the address string is correctly formatted? I've only got
FileMaker 5.5, but according to its AppleSript dictionary the address
should have a double "//" after the ":" (just like any normal http or
FTP address in a browser).
eg.
GetURL "fmnet://###.###.###.###/mydatabase.fp7"

or perhaps
GetURL "FMP7://###.###.###.###/mydatabase.fp7"

Although if you're using FileMaker 9 it may actually be:
GetURL "FMP9://###.###.###.###/mydatabase.fp7"

FileMaker 5.5 also has a second command in its dictionary for opening a
remote database, but it may be the same thing or may no longer exist in
newer versions:

Get Remote URL "FMP5://[host]/filename"


Helpful Harry Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)
.

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