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Open URL

Purpose 

Allows the user to open a URL.

Format 

Open URL [No dialog; <URL>]

Options 

•	Perform without dialog prevents the “Open URL” Options dialog box from displaying when the script step executes.

•	Click Specify to display the “Open URL” Options dialog box, where you can type the URL directly in the text entry area or click Specify to create your URL from a calculation.

Compatibility 

 

Where the script step runs	Supported
FileMaker Pro	Yes
FileMaker Server scheduled script	No
FileMaker Go	Yes
Custom Web Publishing	No
FileMaker WebDirect	Yes
Runtime solution	Yes

Originated in 

FileMaker Pro 6.0 or earlier

Description 

Windows:

Open URL supports http, https, ldap, ldaps, ftp, file, and mailto URL types. For example, if the URL starts with http, FileMaker Pro opens the user's web browser and processes the URL.

Note  FileMaker Pro uses the preferences stored in the Windows system file URL.DLL to determine the application to handle the URL. The URL is then passed to ShellExecute for execution.

OS X:

If the user has configured the internet system preferences, this script step allows the user to open a URL. Open URL supports http, https, ldap, ldaps, ftp, file, and mailto URL types, using the applications specified in either the control panel or system preferences. For example, if the URL starts with http, FileMaker Pro opens the user's web browser and processes the URL.

Example 1 

Opens the user's web browser and displays the FileMaker, Inc. homepage.

Open URL [No dialog; "http://www.filemaker.com/"]

Example 2 

Opens Windows Notepad and opens the file My_File.txt on the root level of the user's hard disk.

Open URL [No dialog; "file://c:/My_File.txt"]

Example 3 

Launches the default email application, opens a new email message, and uses the value in the Email field to address the message.

Open URL [No dialog; "mailto:" & Customers::Email]

Example 4 

Opens a shared FileMaker Pro file running on another system.

Open URL [No dialog; "fmp://account:password@host/database"]
#where "account" is the FileMaker Pro account name, "password" is the account password, "host" is a DNS entry, IPv4 address, or IPv6 address for the machine where the file resides, and "database" is the FileMaker Pro filename.

Important  Account name and password information entered in an Open URL script step is visible to users with script editing access privileges, and is therefore not secure.

Related topics 

Script steps reference (alphabetical list)

Script steps reference (category list)