Jeez, Louise, I just want to click on the URL....

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
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#1

Geniuses,

I am a newbie here and also new to about everything else I’m mentioning: iMac G5, OS 10.3.9, (Tiger on another HD waiting until I chew the sweet out of OS 10.3), Filemaker Pro 6 (a long, hard trek up from 4.1) and scripting. So be gentle.

I have worked with FMP since the time it had no version number :>) but mostly for personal use and education. I am now trying to inventory my software, hardware, subscription accounts and support procedures so that I don’t have to look through the eleven 24" stacks around my chair to get passwords, serial numbers, model numbers and URLs.

Plus, the lady at my bank said she was going to hang up the next time I call and ask for my website account access password again. I figured I better get organized, so for the first time I am trying to connect an informational database with internet and email where these important keys to cyber survival can be lost so much more efficiently.

Problem: I would like for the one website in each URL field to be clickable and take me there from within FMP 6 database via Safari. I have been able to find scripts which take me to one particular URL. I have not been able to locate a script which addresses the possibility of a different URL in every record. I want to be able to click on the URL in that one record and have a background script open the website in Safari. I am really hoping I don’t have to write a separate script for every individual URL in a document with about 200 records. I can cut and paste the URL faster than finding the right script for it.

Over a period of years website locations can change. I would prefer changing only the URL in the database and not the script which directs Safari to the location. Is that possible?

The FMP manual contains about 15 words saying that FMP supports Applescript and apple events in a limited way and to go to FMP Help for further information. Help is no help. It works by definition, not by any logical process I can divine. I get lost in it. I can see bits and pieces of steps but no ordered series of steps for the entire process. It tells me to choose something without telling me which menu to go to get it. It tells me to choose options that don’t appear in the windows I am directed to. Mac OS X Help isn’t much better.

Can anyone help? Perhaps a link to a website devoted to words of 3 syllables and no acronyms? I would like to complete what I thought would be a simple project before I am eligible for the Social Security I am told won’t be there.

Thanks,
Pribb

Model: iMac G5 1.8 GHz, 12" Powerbook G4
AppleScript: Script Editor 2.0
Browser: Safari (1.3) 312
Operating System: Mac OS X (10.4)

#2

It’s been a while since I’ve done any FileMaker scripting, but you should be able to get close using something like:


--get the URL of the current record
tell application "Filemaker Pro"
   set theURL to contents of cell "URL" of current record -- change the cell name as appopriate
end tell
-- now open the URL
open location theURL
#3

Camelot

Thanks! A similar script from a poster came in which did the trick. It looks like you still remember your Filemaker stuff pretty good!

Open this Scriplet in your Editor:

set the_URL to cellValue of cell “URL” of current record
open location the_URL

What a great forum for those of us who aren’t at all knowledgeable about either the sortware OR scripting!

pribb

Model: iMac G5 1.8 GHz, 12" Powerbook G4
AppleScript: Script Editor 2.0
Browser: Safari (1.3) 312
Operating System: Mac OS X (10.3.9)