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Using data in container fields

A container field can store pictures, multimedia files, or any other type of file that you want to keep in a database. The way you insert the data determines how you see and interact with the data in the container field.

For a list of files that FileMaker Pro supports, see the table below.

 

To insert	Do this
A picture	Choose Insert menu > Picture, then choose the picture to insert. FileMaker Pro displays the picture in the field.
A QuickTime file	Choose Insert menu > QuickTime, then choose the file to insert. FileMaker Pro displays the contents of the QuickTime file in the container field. You can play a QuickTime movie or sound using the standard QuickTime controls.
An audio or video file	For an interactive container, choose Insert menu > Audio/Video, then choose the file to insert. You can then play the audio or video file in the field. See Working with content in interactive containers.
A PDF file	For an interactive container, choose Insert menu > PDF, then choose the PDF file to insert. See Working with PDF files in interactive containers.
Any file	Choose Insert menu > File, then choose the file to insert (such as a spreadsheet file, word processing file, or any other file type that you want to track). FileMaker Pro displays the file’s icon and name in the container field, but not the actual content.

Note  To insert packaged files such as Keynote files into a container field, archive or zip the packaged files.

 

Container field with an inserted picture	Container field with an inserted file

FileMaker Pro supports the following picture, audio/video, and QuickTime formats.

 

Picture formats	Audio/video formats	QuickTime formats
Encapsulated Postscript (.eps)	AIFF Audio file (.aif, .aiff)	AVI (.avi)
FlashPix (.fpx)	AVI movie (.avi)	MPEG (.mp4, .m4v, .mpg, .m4a)
GIF (.gif)	MP3 Audio File (.mp3)	QuickTime Movie (.mov, .qt)
JPEG/JFIF (.jpg)	MPEG-4 Audio File (.m4a)	QuickTime VR (.mov)
JPEG 2000 (.jp2) (OS X)	MPEG-4 movie (.mp4)	AIFF (.aiff)
MacPaint (.mac) (OS X)	MPEG movie (.mpg, .mpeg)	AU (.au, .snd)
PDF (.pdf) (OS X)	MPEG-4 video file (.m4v)	MP3 (.mp3)
Photoshop (.psd)	QuickTime Movie (.mov, .qt) (see notes below)	WAV (.wav)
PNG (.png)	Sun Audio file (.au)
QuickTime Image File (.qif)	WAVE Audio File (.wav)
SGI (.sgi)	Windows Media Audio (.wma)
Targa (.tga)	Windows Media Videos (.wmv) (see notes below)
TIFF (.tif)
Windows bitmap (.bmp)
Windows Metafile/Enhanced Metafile (.wmf/.emf) (Windows)

Notes

•	For QuickTime Movie (.mov, .qt) formats inserted as audio or video, some formats, such as QuickTime VR, aren’t supported.

•	Windows: QuickTime is required for QuickTime movies inserted using Insert menu > QuickTime.

•	OS X: For the Windows Media Videos (.wmv) format, requires Flip4Mac to be installed.

•	Insert menu > QuickTime supports all media file types supported by QuickTime.

•	You can export the content of a container field to a file. You can also choose to automatically open or email the exported file. See Exporting the contents of a field.

•	When you insert a very large file into a container field, a dialog box appears showing you the progress.