Integrate FX Reports

This article is about how you can integrate FX Reports with your own application. There are 2 ways to do that.

1. Using the Add-on

Requires FileMaker 19 and up.

The Add-on provides the easiest way to integrate FX Reports into your application. On double-clicking the FX_Reports.fmaddon FileMaker file will install an FX_Reports folder in the AddonModules directory.

Alternatively can copy the FX_Reports addon folder from the repository to AddonModules manually.

If FileMaker has been running while copying the Add-on, it must be restarted. Now, going into layout mode and switching to ‘Add-ons’ in the left sidebar, Add-ons can be added to the application with the + button at the bottom. Choose “FX_Reports” in the list to add the elements necessary to talk to FX Reports.

The add-on does not replace the FX_Reports database but merely provides a connection and simplifies the integration into an existing solution.

2. Manually with copy/paste

The target file, FX_Reports.fmp12 and FX_ReportsExample.fmp12 must be located in the same directory or on the same server.

The file FX_ReportsExample.fmp12 serves as blueprint and holds the elements necessary for the integration.

These elements must be added to the target file in this order:

Custom Functions

First copy the custom functions:

SError.catch_v7

SError.display_v6

Table: FxReports

Now create the table occurence for FxReports in the target file. It must not be renamed.

Scripts

At last, copy the scripts from the FxReports folder beneath # Connector:

*FxReports.excelGenerate( $filename, $location )

*FxReports.excelValidate() (optional)

The file reference to FX_Reports.fmp12 should now be present.

Basic Usage

Provide the source data

The source data can be written directly into the template that is used to create a report or it can be provided as an xlsx export file. This file is placed in a directory of choice, the temporary folder for example; or it can be copied into a special container field.

The source file is then referenced in the template by its path.

Prepare the template

The templates prepared for custom exports can be stored in fields in the application, where they can be edited before specific tasks, like setting a desired target filename or the output directory.

Generate the document with FX Reports

To generate the output:

• copy the template json to the container field FxReports::a_container_
• call the script *FxReports.excelGenerate()

The file will be generated and saved at the location specified by location and filename either by parameter or as specified in the template (or by default on the desktop with a generic filename).