Hello,

A new law office client has an existing database developed by at least
a couple of different people, going back to FileMaker 4 or even
earlier.

Years ago, according to the client, they used word processing
"templates" in WriteNow and the FileMaker from back then would just
open the correct template and fill in all the particular data from the
database.

Then, about 5 years ago, they had someone update their database and
set up EZxslt and Microsoft Word as replacements for the "old" way of
doing things. They have been extremely unhappy with this solution, and
in fact have abandoned it. Instead, they manually fill in their Word
documents now using find-and-replace for each variable (like
xxGrantor, xxTrustDate, etc.).

Some of their document templates are 50-100 pages long, with multiple
header and footer changes. They also make frequent modifications to
these templates. They found that trying to get EZxslt to successfully
create or modify a template was so difficult, time-consuming, error-
prone and confusing for them that they quit. The instructions they
were given even had them modifying ScriptMaker scripts individually as
well, which seems like more than I'd ask of end users.

So, I'm looking for suggestions of what to do. I haven't personally
dealt with XSLT until now. (To date, all my FileMaker databases have
created their documents from within FileMaker itself, or at most used
an AppleScript to paste some text into a new, empty Word doc.)

My gut feeling is to just make an AppleScript to open the template and
do all the find-and-replace for them.

Can anyone offer some experience, other strategies, wisdom, helpful
links?

Thanks!
-Rob Steward

On 30/11/10 10:02 AM, Rob wrote:

I would look at using Adobe Framemaker rather than Word, it is designed
to handle large and complex documents.

"105" <cortical (AT) internode (DOT) on.net> wrote

Word struggles with even simple documents! The previous version of Word Mac
can't even set the borders on bar charts AT ALL, despite what the options
show and are set to! ( (I haven't yet used the newest version to see if
they've fixed that or not.)

I've never tried it, but you might be able to use FileMaker as the source
for a Mail Merge (a quick Google search seems to indicate that it can be
done), or perhaps use FileMaker Scripts and Apple Script / Automater to
automate the export of data and the Mail Merge via temporary text / Excel
files.

Personally, and especially if you going to change the application being
used, I'd probably say "{Beep} this!" and just redo the documents within
FileMaker Pro itself - although a huge task by the sound of it, it will
probably work out much, easier, simpler and better in the end.

Helpful Harry )

In article <id4mag$fff$1 (AT) lust (DOT) ihug.co.nz>,
"Your Name" <your.name (AT) isp (DOT) com> wrote:

But if it has to be in Word...

If I read this right, you're filling out a form, right? So you put the
form into Filemaker, then have an Applescript read each field into a
variable. Reproduce the Word document as a humungous string with
variables scattered through it.

E.g.

set outFile to "This is the introductory text at the top, and here's the
form:

NAME" & nameField & "
ADDRESS " & AddressField & "

etc....."

Then you paste it all into an empty Word document. But it won't do
formatting (bold, italic etc.). There are scripting commands in Word for
some of that, but it's messy.

Your Name <your.name (AT) isp (DOT) com> wrote:

it could be if FMP had a good management of end of page...
--
Philippe Manet
en fait, c'est manet avant @