Posting XML Data
I’ve been working with some web services lately that require some XML data to be submitted as a POST. FileMaker Pro can import XML data from a .xml file or from an HTTP request (and use a XSLT stylesheet from a file or an HTTP request). However XML can only be exported to a .xml file which limits it’s usefullness when working with web services. I managed to workaround this using the Troi File Plugin and the Troi URL Plugin from Troi Automaterising (we’re big fans of the Troi plugins).
For one customer we exported the XML data using a stylesheet then read that .xml file back into the FileMaker solution using the Troi fil plugin. We then used the Troi URL plugin to POST that xml data directly to a web service. We then had to parse the XML that was returned and isolate a URL which we could then view using the Web Viewer. This all happens within a few seconds.
For the other customer the XML wasn’t particularly complicated so we crafted the XML using FileMaker calculations and posted that.
zippScript Plugin
I’m a big fan of FileMaker Plugins and use them extensively in my solutions as they allow me to implement features that are not native to FileMaker Pro. I’ve spent some time lately with the zippScript plugin developed by John Kornhaus [Updated October 10 to remove the link to the zippTools website as John Kornhaus has advised he is no longer able to distribute the plugin). This is an event plugin that lets you trigger scripts based on certain contions, such as when exiting a field or committing a record. You can also schedule scripts to be run at certain times.
Another freeware plugin that I’ve started to look at is the MooPlug which has a number of handy functions and you can’t complain about the price.
