VISUAL QUICKPRO GUIDE FileMaker Pro 7 Advanced FOR WINDOWS AND MACINTOSH [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Exporting Formatted Text

When you use the Export command in FileMaker, you create a text file without any of the formatting specifications that you created in your layouts.

With the addition of XML capabilities to FileMaker, it is possible to use XSLT style sheets to create formatted output files. Unfortunately, XML can be daunting and has a steep learning curve. But there is a simpler way that doesn't require a degree in computer science.

Using calculation fields, you can embellish the raw data if you're exporting the text to a program like Quark XPress that supports formatting tags. Being able to control typographic setup when you export records can improve your communication with a designer who's using the material to create an annual report, or simply save your own precious time by not having to redefine basic hierarchies of information in a page-layout program.

As an example of how to export Quark-style tags, we'll add tags to name and address fields to make the names bold and the addresses italic.

To include format tags in exported text

1 .In the file you want to export as formatted text, choose File > Define > Database (Control+ Shift+D/ Command+Shift+D).

2 .In the Define Database dialog box, click the Fields tab. Type a field name (we use Formatted Name). Choose Calculation (Control+L/Command+L) in the Type drop-down list (Figure 11.34). Click Create.

3 .

When the Specify Calculation dialog box appears, click the quotes operator button. Type the < and > operators inside the quotes (Figure 11.35). Insert your cursor within the brackets and type B.

The brackets are also the universally recognized symbol for a font formatting tag. Formatting tags act as toggles, so this <B> turns on the bold style.

4 .

Click to the right of the quotes and click the ampersand (&) button (Figure 11.36).

5 .

Click to the right of the ampersand. Double-click the LastName field in the field list.

6 .Click the ampersand button and then the quotes button. Type a comma and a space between the quotes (Figure 11.37).

You must put quotes around any nonfield characters so they won't be mistaken for a field or an operator.

7 .Click to the right of the quotes and click the ampersand button. Double-click the FirstName field in the field list.

8 .

Click the ampersand button and then the quotes button. Type the < and > operators inside the quotes. Insert your cursor within the brackets and type B (Figure 11.38). This second formatting tag toggles the bold style off. Click OK.

This first formula creates a format that will make the field text export like this: Smith, Patti

9 .

When the Define Database dialog box returns, click the Formatted Name field and click Duplicate.

10 .

Change the field name to Formatted Address and click Change (Figure 11.39). Double-click the Formatted Address field.

11 .When the Specify Calculation dialog box appears, change both <B>s to <I>s (Figure 11.40). Doing this changes the toggled style to italic.

12 .Select the LastName field in the formula and double-click the Home City field in the field list (Figure 11.41).

13 .

Select the FirstName field in the formula and double-click the Home State field in the field list (Figure 11.42). Click OK twice to finish.

The address information will export in this format: New York, NY

To export formatted fields to a text file

1 .Once you have a calculation that adds format tags to your data, choose the records to export and sort them.

2 .

Choose File > Export Records.

3 .

In the Export Records to File dialog box, type a name for the export file. Click in the file Save as type/Type drop-down menu and choose Tab-Separated Text Files/Tab-Separated Text (Figure 11.43). Click Save.

4 .In the Specify Field Order for Export dialog box, double-click the Formatted Name and Formatted Address fields in the field list on the left. Click Export (Figure 11.44).

You now have a text file that you can import into Quark XPress just as you would any other text document. When you place the text in Quark, make sure that the Include Style Sheets option is checked (Figure 11.45).

When placed in Quark, the list will automatically be formatted in bold and italics (Figure 11.46).

Tip

You can expand this technique to include any formatting options. Consult the documentation of the page-layout program you use for a complete list of available tags.