Link a field to file directory

[Ken Cormier]

Simply put, I have have a field named “Plan No.”. I would like to be able to link this field to a file directory.

eg…the plan no is 1001, which represents a PDF stored in a certain directory. …when I select I would like it to retrieve that PDF from the specified directory…..can it be done….if so…how??
Better still….could I add a new field that would show a thumbnail image of that PDF?

Very new to this application….but really impressed so far….am I correct in assuming that this product is Canadian mad….from Calgary..

thanks

[Daniel Leu]

Yes, you can do this. Use a field with the type “Web Site” and set the link like file:///Users/ken/Desktop/Plans/plan_1001.pdf. Whenever you click on the globe icon, your PDF file will be opened. You have to give TapForms permission to access that directory in Preferences -> Script Folder Access. The permission is granted to all enclosed directories and files.

To set the URL path, you might want to use a JavaScript field to set it based on the “Plan No.” field.

[Ken Cormier]

Thanks for the response…..I ended up creating a field with a type “file attachment”. then I simply copy the plan into that field….appears to work fine.
If I am not mistaken….your method would also work….but I would manually have to type in the exact plan name at the end of the url for each plan no.

The drive directory does not change, just the actual plan no. does…

thanks for your help

[Ken Cormier]

Hoping you have some time to help me out with the logistics of what I am trying to do. I have some surveyors files which have unique id’s as shown in the FILE NO field. I have a directory in dropbox of all of the survey plans associated with the surveyors files. I have created a field file lookup, where I simply copy the PLAN NO to the file lookup field for FILE NO. from the dropbox survey plan directory.EG. PLAN NO. “JAG 1001” is copied to the file lookup field for FILE NO “JAG1001”. In this case it just happens that the FILE NO and the PLAN NO are the same, this is not always the case.This gives me a visual image of the survey plan, when selected. However, I have more than 10,00 File No’s so I am thinking this method is going to make a really large db.
I am very new at this, but your original method to handle this problem basically said to create a field type “Web Site” such as file:///Users/ken/Desktop/Plans/plan_1001.pdf. I believe that would create the link for that specific plan…which means that I would have to amend each link with the proper plan number? I am wondering if there is a way to amend that link so that it searches that same file directory for the name of the file that is located in the Plan No. field for that record? eg..for FILE no JAG1025 it would look for Plan No JAG1024a as per that record

I am thinking that a link to where the survey plans are located would make the database much more efficient. Since they are in dropbox they should be accessible from anywhere.

I have attached an xlsx file of my partial db.

I don’t mind paying for a little help here…..thanks for your time.
Perhaps a phone call would help….

Ken

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[Daniel Leu]

Hi Ken,

If you use the ‘alias’ option when attaching a new file, then the size of the database doesn’t grow much. But that would be cumbersome to do for all 10,000 files you have.

Please contact me at daniel AT danielleu.com to discuss technical details to automate/script file linking.

Best,
Daniel

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