Re: UI Scripting of FileMaker
Re: UI Scripting of FileMaker
- Subject: Re: UI Scripting of FileMaker
- From: dave dowling <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 23:51:40 -0500
Anyone who has done any power FileMaking knows that to be able to
script ScriptMaker, and, even more important, Field Definitions, has
great value. I tried to use UI scripting to accomplish this very thing
the first day UI Scripting was released, and was very sorry to learn it
was not possible. I can say from my experience in FileMaker circles
that Simon is a FileMaker heavy lifter, and would not have made this
request if there had not been good reason. There are numerous good
reasons for his request, but I don't think there's a great deal of
profit in listing them all here. Here are two excellent reasons to
script FileMaker's dialogs, including ScriptMaker:
1. I created a calendar application a while back that had a large
number of similar fields, all of which had to be set in very similar
ways in certain scripts. Example:
set field 1 to x + 1
set field 2 to x + 2
... and so on.
Doing this by hand is maddening and costly. Fortunately, I had
OneClick (OS9), which saved me many hours, and therefore many dollars.
2. FileMaker's Script Import utility works about half of the time.
Importing scripts often results in broken relationships, missing fields
and lost scripts. Had UI Scripting worked with FileMaker's dialogs,
script importing could have been automated, saving a great deal of
time/money.
These highly valuable uses only scratch the surface of the power that
UI Scripting could have brought to FileMaker. I've used OneClick to
save many, many hours by automating field creation, script creation and
manipulation, and even layout duplication and manipulation. If there
were one thing I could change about FileMaker, this would be it: allow
the scripting of FileMaker's dialogs via AppleScript. QuicKeys doesn't
cut it as a power tool for numerous reasons, and OneClick is OS9 only.
OneClick is one of the best utilities I've ever used on any computer,
and I'm sorely wishing that there were an OSX version.
If Simon, or anyone else, figures out how to do what Simon is wishing
he could do here, please let us know. I, for one, would be greatly
indebted.
On Wednesday, November 19, 2003, at 06:44 PM, Gary Lists wrote:
On or about 11/19/03 5:07 PM, Simon Forster wrote:
Just Curious: why would you want to script the script editor?
Because frequently one has a repetitive action which doesn't lend
itself to looping through in FileMaker's scripting language. However,
an AppleScript routine could build these repetitive items for you.
That's not much of an answer, really. ;) There don't seem to be any
practical uses where you need AppleScript to create a script in the
ScriptMaker, since AS can already execute FM ScriptMaker scripts by
name or
directly perform many of the same tasks.
(I can think of one situation where it might be useful, and that is
when
you've already created a many dozens of files for a multi-file
solution and
you need to add the same script to each file. Rather than import from
file
to file, using the ScriptMaker import, you could create the same
script in
an automated fashion.)
Again, I explored the possibility of UI control of the FM ScriptMaker,
but
decided against it because of limited practical applicability and
because of
the specific nature of the interface for that kind of FM window. You
may
have better luck with other tools.
Is it possible that you could achieve your desired goal by some other
means?
Out of curiosity, what are you actually trying to achieve...or why?
(And
don't say 'automate FM script creation' ;)
Time spent on a repetitive task versus time spent creating an automated
procedure has some kind of break even point, and unless you really
have a
continuing need for batch script making, you may consider your time
investment on each side of that equation.
Best,
--
Gary
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Thanks.
Dave Dowling
http://www.davedowling.com
Free at last! How I found peace with God:
http://www.davedowling.com/peace.htm
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