Connecting with Microsoft word

[Adam Marshal]

I am an executive recruiter. I have made candidate data files on FileMaker. I would like to make a button on the form that you could click on and it would open the resume for the individual from Microsoft Word. Is that possible? Could someone give me simple instructions on how to do that?

 

Please advise.

[andygaunt]

Sounds like you might need a file plug-in to open the related file. Try www.troi.com

 

Originally posted by Adam Marshal:

[qb]I am an executive recruiter. I have made candidate data files on FileMaker. I would like to make a button on the form that you could click on and it would open the resume for the individual from Microsoft Word. Is that possible? Could someone give me simple instructions on how to do that?

 

Please advise.[/qb]

[Doug]

An alternate solution in 5.5 would be to define a text field called; Resume.

 

Enter in the path and filename for the resume into this field.

i.e. C:My DocumentsJohn resume.doc

 

Then create a script using the Open URL function as follows:

 

Open URL[ No Dialog, Resume]

 

When executed, the script will open the document.

[andygaunt]

Dougs choice is cheaper.

 

No plugin required.

[blackcat]

This should help you without a plug in if my understanding is correct!

 

In Filemaker create three fields called:-

 

File Ref (text)

File location (Global)

File Open (Calculation - text)

 

File Ref will contain the name of the file you want to open.

File Location will contain the path of the directory where the files are saved e.g. c:Docs

File Open is a calculation which automatically links the file ref with the relevant directory.

 

The calculation should look like the following:-

File Location &""& File Ref

e.g. assuming a file is called John.doc & is stored in a folder on the C drive called ‘Docs’ the following would be entered in the fields:-

Drawing Ref =John.doc

File Location =c:Docs

Result of calculation will be

File Open =c:DocsJohn.doc

 

Now you need to create a script that will open the required file.

Go to Scriptmaker under the Script menu.

Under the Available Steps options, scroll down & select the Send Message Option.

Click the Specify Button.

Click the Field Value Option followed by the Specify Button

A list of all fields will be displayed, scroll down & click on the ‘File Open’ field created earlier & click the Ok button to accept.

 

Make sure you select the ‘Bring target application to foreground’ in the Options section

Now click the Ok button in the Specify Message Dialog box

Now click the ‘Ok’ in the Script definition dialog box.

Last of all click the ‘Done’ Button

 

Now all that is needed is to assign the script to either a Button or to the File Open field.

 

NOTE:Only things to make sure of are that neither the path to the files or the file name does not contain any spaces; otherwise you will have to use DOS naming conventions in the File Loactaion field which looks messy at best.

 

Hope this helps, let us know how you get on

 

Steve

[Adam Marshal]

Thank you very much!

[Bergson]

Hello pp,

 

Blackcat wrote:

 

NOTE:Only things to make sure of are that neither the path to the files or the file name does not contain any spaces; otherwise you will have to use DOS naming conventions in the File Loactaion field which looks messy at best.

 

---

 

I've seen this comment a few times and it put me both on and off-track:

 

I've been playing with these steps for the last two days. And I've found out about file and path name with spaces:

 

Open URL[] - has no problems with spaces

 

Send Message[] - has no problems with spaces if you use the "Specify File" Option. Both for "Text" and "Field" Options are problematic with spaces.

Both have Mickey Mouse Solutions:

*For "Text" All you have to do is include (") in the Text, such as: "C:Path space spaceMy document.py"

*For "Field" you have to create an extra global field with the " as contents and use it in the calculations sugested above by blackcat

 

BTW: If somebody could get me a convention list DDE ServiceName/Command/Topic/ I would be delighted!

 

By the way txs guys your posts helped me alot.