How do I export a search result?

[JonasG]

Hi! I'm feeling like I'm in a bit over my head, and would appreciate some help ...

 

This is the situation: I have ported the data from an old Hypercard stack to Filemaker. Now I have to recreate one of the scripts in that stack. The data I have are member records for a non-profit organization. This society has several "ranks" for lack of a better term, and ranks are awarded after a set amount of time. The member records contain information on when each member were awarded a new rank, and then calculates how much time has passed since the member last was awarded.

 

The old Hypercard stack had a script that sorted the members first by the highest rank achieved and then by the time since the last award, and then exported the results as a text file. I can recreate the first part with a search and sort of course, but how do I then print this to a text box or file? Also, how can I control which fields to show and which ones to print? Can I do a layout for this? Also, can I include fields for sorting and then make them invisible? (I.e., I have to exclude all inactive members as noted by the field Activity, but I don't want that field printed out.)

 

Sorry, I know his is probably trivial, I feel like I'm staring the answer right in the eye, but I'm too tired to see it ...

[Weetbicks]

You can build a layout to do your search on (which I think you have already done) search on all active members or whatever, then use the Sort Records script step to sort members by rank & time since last rank awarded.

 

to export this information use the Export Records script step. You can choose the output file (and type), u can export in various formats ie tab separated text, comma separated text, microsoft excel, FileMaker, xml etc...

 

From this export records dialog you can choose exactly what fields you wish to export. Records will be exported in the same sort order as they are after the sort you do so that is taken care of.

 

If you actually want to print these records, build a layout you wish to use for printing, do your search/sort etc there. You might like to make the layout a "List" layout, under layout seutp make it a list under the different views. This will allow you to print rows of records on a single page ala microsoft excel. You can use the print script step to actually print to a printer, or you can use save as PDF step to generate a pdf document of your records etc.