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FILEMAKER PRO HELP 961
Description
There is no need to open an external file when using a script in it—FileMaker Pro opens it for you.
You can use separate scripts to break complex tasks into smaller segments, which are often easier
to troubleshoot. You can also save time by putting common tasks like printing or exporting records
into separate scripts, which can then be accessed by more than one script. For example, you might
want to use the same page setup and printing options in several scripts. By defining those steps
once and saving them in separate scripts, you make it easy to access those steps many times.
Use script parameters to pass text or numbers into a script. When a parameter is specified, that
parameter may be accessed within a script or passed to other script steps using the
Get(ScriptParameter) function.
Script parameters:
• exist within the parent script only unless explicitly passed to the sub-script. If your script
calls another script, parameters in the called script are independent of parameters in the
parent script.
• exist only for the duration of the script. Script parameters are reset each time a script is
performed.
• can be used (but not modified) within a script and can be passed along to sub-scripts by
using the Get(ScriptParameter) function as the parameter for the sub-script. You can also
specify different parameters each time the sub-script is called using Perform Script.
Changing the parameters passed to a sub-script does not modify the value of the
parameters returned from Get(ScriptParameter) in the parent script.
• can contain multiple values separated by carriage returns. Use the LeftValues function,
MiddleValues function, and RightValues function to isolate a specific parameter.
Tip If you've performed an external script and you want to return to the original file, add an Enter
Browse Mode step or Go to Layout step right after the Perform Script step in the original file, so that
the script returns to the original file.
Notes
• If you are using FileMaker Pro Advanced to define a custom menu item that performs a
script, select the script and optional script parameters. For more information, see
Defining
custom menus (FileMaker Pro Advanced).
• A runtime solution can perform an external script only if the external file is bound to the
solution.
Example 1
Runs the "Print Invoice Report" script with no parameters.
Go to Layout ["Invoice Report"]
Perform Script ["Print Invoice Report"]
Example 2
Uses a field value, Customer Name, as the parameter. Invoices for the current customer are
returned in a new window with the Invoice Report layout.
Main script: Current Customer Invoices
Find Matching Records [Replace; Invoices::Customer ID]
#Calls the "View Customer Invoices" sub-script defined below