Importing a folder of files all at once
FileMaker Pro can import a folder of files in a single operation. Instead of inserting several pictures or
QuickTime files one by one, you can import them all at once. You can also import a folder of text files, which is faster than copying and pasting the contents of each file.
FileMaker Pro can import any image file that you can insert with the Insert Picture and Insert QuickTime commands, including GIF, JPEG, EPS, TIFF, QuickTime Movie, and many other formats. Text files must be plain, text-only files with a .txt filename extension or a TEXT file type.
You can import a folder of image files into a container field, or import a folder of text files into a text, number, date, time, timestamp, or container field. In addition to the file content, you can also import information about each file: the filename, the file path, and (for picture and movie files only) a smaller thumbnail image.
You need an existing FileMaker Pro file into which to import a folder of files. FileMaker Pro won’t convert the imported data into a new file.
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In the Folder Location area, click Specify, and choose the folder that contains the files you want to import.
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Select Include all enclosed folders to indicate whether to import files that exist in any enclosed folders. (FileMaker Pro will import up to 100 folder levels deep.)
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In the File Type area, choose Picture and movie files or Text files, then click Continue.
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If you’re importing a folder of picture files, you can use the Import only a reference to each picture file option to indicate whether to import only a reference to each file, or import a copy of each file directly into the database.
Important Because movie files are usually large, they are always imported by reference. If you’re importing large picture files, consider importing only a reference to each file. However, if you import files by reference and later move, rename, or delete a source file, FileMaker Pro won’t be able to display it. Also, consider importing both the smaller thumbnail and the image files into separate container fields. Designing some layouts to display the thumbnails instead of the full-size images may help increase the scrolling speed if you need to display many images in a list.
For Picture and movie files import, the following data mapping is available:
For Text files import, the following data mapping is available:
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Mac OS: FileMaker Pro can import a folder of Portable Document Format (PDF) files into a container field. Each PDF file appears in QuickTime format. To display different pages in a multi-page PDF file, click the PDF file container field and use QuickTime controls.
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Windows: FileMaker Pro does not import files or from folders that are hidden, offline, system, or temporary.
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Mac OS: FileMaker Pro does not import invisible files or from folders that are invisible.
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If you import the File Path data into a field, you can open the original file directly from FileMaker Pro: select the entire file path text, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the text, and then choose Open File from the shortcut menu.
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