I'm developing an app for our company, and need to use FMP data to merge with documents in MS Word.

I considered going direct to .pdf, but I'm thinking it may be a little more time consuming each time a template is modified.

So, I'm looking at going direct to MS Word.

Anyone have any experience with the gbPro WordConnector Plug-in? There were no trial versions in English, so I was a bit reluctant.

I want to quickly and easily perform document merges from within FMP.

?

We've used EZxslt for simple merges to Word. At the time we were using it you couldn't send what might look like a portal in FileMaker and have it be line items on an invoice in Word (for example) but that may have changed.

John

Thanks.

I had looked into that plug in, and it may work.

My dilemna is, I want users to be able to add their own template documents to be used with the solution.

I can't figure out a way to do this without providing a plug in like this whereby they could create their own external templates to export data to.

If I create all templates within layouts in FMP, they won't be able to edit them unless the solution is unlocked, right? And having users add new layouts would complicate matters, because any scripts I've setup to go to a "selected" layout for preview and print would not include any layouts that the end user added later.

It's much more ideal to find a way to keep everything inside FMP, but I'm just stumped.

Does this make sense?

I appreciate your quick responses to my questions here, but I recognize that my inquiries are probably outside the scope of this forum's purpose. Are there other sites with active FMP developers where I could post questions like this so that I don't bother you, John?

You are quite articulate and informative, but I don't want to wear out my welcome.



Nate

Well...

Nate wrote:My dilemna is, I want users to be able to add their own template documents to be used with the solution.

Your original thought about PDFs might be the way to go: this custom function lets users build letters, etc. as merge fields without layout access. You could then just print these to PDF.

Nate wrote:I can't figure out a way to do this without providing a plug in like this whereby they could create their own external templates to export data to.

If I create all templates within layouts in FMP, they won't be able to edit them unless the solution is unlocked, right? And having users add new layouts would complicate matters, because any scripts I've setup to go to a "selected" layout for preview and print would not include any layouts that the end user added later.

As you know, FileMaker 7 will let you set access privs so that (some) users can create new layouts without modifying existing ones. You can then create a little table of "reports" or "letters"; have the users create new records there to describe their new layouts and have them include the layout name. Then your print script can get the layout name as data. (Portal rows from this "reports" list can become your print buttons as well.)

Nate wrote:I appreciate your quick responses to my questions here, but I recognize that my inquiries are probably outside the scope of this forum's purpose. Are there other sites with active FMP developers where I could post questions like this so that I don't bother you, John?

No bother.

But, there are some *great* resources out there...

• The "blueworld" list. Subscribe to this and you won't be sorry. They also have a quick searchable archive.

• FMForums: the big daddy FMP forum.

• FSA Talk- the members' only email list and forum. Probably the best signal-to-noise ratio of the bunch. Also with an indispensable, searchable archive.

... of course I like nothing more than new posts to our forum, so don't be shy.

HTH,

John