Comments on: FileMaker 9 Tip#6: Append to PDF http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/ smart business solutions Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:48:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Geoff Coffey http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-1034 Geoff Coffey Wed, 07 May 2008 17:02:46 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-1034 @Jan: Yes, absolutely there is. Any time FileMaker asks you for the path to an output file in a script, you can put a variable instead of a hard-coded path. First, you need to create a variable with the correct path. Something like this: <pre><code>Set Variable [ $path, "file:" & Get(DesktopPath) & My Field & ".pdf" ]</code></pre> That puts a "file:" type path in the <code>$path</code> variable. It will refer to a file on the user's Desktop whose name comes from the <code>My Field</code> field. Then, in your <code>Save Records as PDF</code>, when you specify the file, put <code>$path</code> in the window instead of choosing a file. Hope this helps :) Geoff @Jan:

Yes, absolutely there is. Any time FileMaker asks you for the path to an output file in a script, you can put a variable instead of a hard-coded path. First, you need to create a variable with the correct path. Something like this:

Set Variable [ $path, "file:" & Get(DesktopPath) & My Field & ".pdf" ]

That puts a “file:” type path in the $path variable. It will refer to a file on the user’s Desktop whose name comes from the My Field field.

Then, in your Save Records as PDF, when you specify the file, put $path in the window instead of choosing a file.

Hope this helps :)

Geoff

]]> By: Jan Gravesen http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-1032 Jan Gravesen Tue, 06 May 2008 22:03:30 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-1032 This is great, thanks a lot. Allmost what I wanted. But I wonder if there is any way to use a value from a field to name the output PDF file. Jan This is great, thanks a lot. Allmost what I wanted. But I wonder if there is any way to use a value from a field to name the output PDF file.

Jan

]]> By: Geoff Coffey http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-1012 Geoff Coffey Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:05:55 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-1012 @raj: I assume you're sending your email in a loop. The key here is to turn the Append option *off* when you output the brochure layout, and then *on* when you output the certificate(s). This way, each time through the loop, the brochure is re-created, overwriting the existing one, and the certificate is then added to the new, fresh PDF. If recreating the brochure every time isn't appropriate (maybe it is slow?) then you'll have to put something like the Troi File plug-in or AppleScript in the mix. Create the PDF once, then use the plug-in to copy it to a new location. You can then append to this copy, send the email, then delete it and make a fresh copy. Hope this helps. Geoff @raj:

I assume you’re sending your email in a loop. The key here is to turn the Append option *off* when you output the brochure layout, and then *on* when you output the certificate(s). This way, each time through the loop, the brochure is re-created, overwriting the existing one, and the certificate is then added to the new, fresh PDF.

If recreating the brochure every time isn’t appropriate (maybe it is slow?) then you’ll have to put something like the Troi File plug-in or AppleScript in the mix. Create the PDF once, then use the plug-in to copy it to a new location. You can then append to this copy, send the email, then delete it and make a fresh copy.

Hope this helps.

Geoff

]]> By: Raj Kiran http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-1011 Raj Kiran Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:29:08 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-1011 Thanks for the example of appending pdf. I have a unique situation - a brochure (same for every one) + Certificate (varies for each person). I want to send these two togeter in one email as attachment. When I append the certificate to brochure, the brochure file keep growing and keep appending new certificates at the end.. which is not a desirable outcome. I want to keep brochure file clean as orig and append certificate, and send that brochure+cert out keeping the brochure.pdf in its orig state. Can this be done with FM 9? Thanks for the example of appending pdf. I have a unique situation - a brochure (same for every one) + Certificate (varies for each person). I want to send these two togeter in one email as attachment.
When I append the certificate to brochure, the brochure file keep growing and keep appending new certificates at the end.. which is not a desirable outcome. I want to keep brochure file clean as orig and append certificate, and send that brochure+cert out keeping the brochure.pdf in its orig state. Can this be done with FM 9?

]]> By: Geoff Coffey http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-777 Geoff Coffey Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:20:46 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-777 @stefan: I believe PDF creation is still MIA in the 9 runtime. My recollection is that this has to do with the PDF technology licensed by FMI. I've been told that their license doesn't allow the kind of unlimited end user distribution the runtime allows, so they have to keep this feature out. I may be wrong though. Anybody know a different story? @stefan: I believe PDF creation is still MIA in the 9 runtime. My recollection is that this has to do with the PDF technology licensed by FMI. I’ve been told that their license doesn’t allow the kind of unlimited end user distribution the runtime allows, so they have to keep this feature out. I may be wrong though. Anybody know a different story?

]]> By: Stefan LAnker http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-767 Stefan LAnker Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:25:55 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-767 Geoff, YOur articles are GREAT! One question: In FMP 8 when you created a stand-alone version, the PDF functionality was lost (workaround was to print, then select as the printer 'Adobe PDF'. Do you know if with 9 Advanced the PDF and Append PDF function are available when you create a stand-alone version? THanks! Geoff,

YOur articles are GREAT! One question: In FMP 8 when you created a stand-alone version, the PDF functionality was lost (workaround was to print, then select as the printer ‘Adobe PDF’. Do you know if with 9 Advanced the PDF and Append PDF function are available when you create a stand-alone version?

THanks!

]]> By: Matt Klein http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-495 Matt Klein Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:29:02 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-495 It appears that I spoke too soon. I found that if you allow insertion, deleting, rotating of pages in the Security Options then you can append to the pdf. It would be nice to be able to apply the security options to the pdf AFTER appending. That way I could just run the script that appends to the pdf without any security restrictions and then lock down the final version of the PDF. I know I can do this will external apps, but it would nice to get rid of the external app from the equation. It appears that I spoke too soon. I found that if you allow insertion, deleting, rotating of pages in the Security Options then you can append to the pdf.

It would be nice to be able to apply the security options to the pdf AFTER appending. That way I could just run the script that appends to the pdf without any security restrictions and then lock down the final version of the PDF.

I know I can do this will external apps, but it would nice to get rid of the external app from the equation.

]]> By: Geoff Coffey http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-492 Geoff Coffey Wed, 05 Sep 2007 15:15:12 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-492 @Matt: Coincidentally, I ran in to the exact same problem just last week. It took me a while to figure out so I wish you had posted earlier :) I have not yet found a workaround. @Matt: Coincidentally, I ran in to the exact same problem just last week. It took me a while to figure out so I wish you had posted earlier :) I have not yet found a workaround.

]]> By: Matt Klein http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-491 Matt Klein Wed, 05 Sep 2007 15:09:00 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-491 This is a great feature. I have been doing this in Windows using command line code which works great with a little more scripting. The Append feature should allow me to clean up my scripts and, of course, use native features instead of external methods. I just ran into some trouble with the Append feature though that you didn't touch on here.... If you impose any kind of Security on the PDF such as not allowing printing or editing, the Append feature doesn't work. It creates the PDF just fine, but when you try to append to it, you get the Error Code 9 - Insufficient Privileges error. I tried not imposing any Security until the very last Append and, while the last append worked, it did not apply the Security settings. For the most part, this is not a big deal to most people. However, I do work in the Healthcare industry and as such am concerned with HIPPA compliance. Anyone have a work around or perhaps knowledge that I don't. This is a great feature. I have been doing this in Windows using command line code which works great with a little more scripting. The Append feature should allow me to clean up my scripts and, of course, use native features instead of external methods.

I just ran into some trouble with the Append feature though that you didn’t touch on here….

If you impose any kind of Security on the PDF such as not allowing printing or editing, the Append feature doesn’t work. It creates the PDF just fine, but when you try to append to it, you get the Error Code 9 - Insufficient Privileges error.

I tried not imposing any Security until the very last Append and, while the last append worked, it did not apply the Security settings.

For the most part, this is not a big deal to most people. However, I do work in the Healthcare industry and as such am concerned with HIPPA compliance.

Anyone have a work around or perhaps knowledge that I don’t.

]]> By: Jesse Antunes http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-233 Jesse Antunes Sun, 22 Jul 2007 05:24:42 +0000 http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/filemaker-9-tip-6-append-to-pdf/#comment-233 <p>@Bart: You're the man. Thanks for adding that. We definitely will add that to the post body... The really weird thing is that if you don't have print privileges and you attempt to print or append to a pdf, FileMaker doesn't throw the standard <code>Error Code 9 - Insufficient Privileges</code>. It throws a much more obtuse <code>Error Code 9 - Command is Unavailable</code>. Strange.</p> @Bart: You’re the man. Thanks for adding that. We definitely will add that to the post body… The really weird thing is that if you don’t have print privileges and you attempt to print or append to a pdf, FileMaker doesn’t throw the standard Error Code 9 - Insufficient Privileges. It throws a much more obtuse Error Code 9 - Command is Unavailable. Strange.

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