Documentation

Integrating SUI Bulletin Board with Existing FileMaker Applications

Unlimited and Developer versions of SUI Bulletin Board can be integrated into existing FileMaker applications.  Since SUI Bulletin Board is intended to inform team members about all news, events and changes that have occurred since the user’s last login, it should be launched at startup.  Follow the steps below to add SUI Bulletin Board to the startup script for your FileMaker application.

Provide access to data:

1. Open your existing FileMaker application and login using the [Full Access] account.
   
2. Choose File > Manage > External Data Sources (For FileMaker 8.5: File > Define > File References).
   
3. The Manage External Data Sources dialog box appears.
   
4. Click the New button on the lower left side.
5. The Edit Data Source dialog box opens.
   
6. Click the Add file button.

Write SUI_Bulletin_Board as a Reference Name:

1. Use the Open File dialog box to add the SUI Bulletin Board file to the path list.
   
2. Click OK to save the data source and to close the Edit Data Source dialog box.
   
3. SUI_Bulletin_Board data source appears in the External Data Sources list.
   
4. Click OK to finish.

Modify or Create the Startup Script:

1. Choose Scripts > ScriptMaker.
   
2. The Manage Scripts dialog box appears.
   
3. If you already have a startup script in your solution, then you should Edit the existing script.  If you do not have a startup script, create it by clicking the New button.
   
4. The Edit Scripts dialog box opens. If you created a new script, specify its name in the Script Name field.
   
5. Add the Open File script step to the very end of your script. Specify SUI_Bulletin_Board  as an option for this script step.
6. Save the script and close the Edit Scripts dialog box.

Specify the Startup Script:

1. Choose File > File Options.
2. The File Options dialog box appears. Click the Open/Close tab if it is not already selected.
3. Select Perform script in the When opening this file area.
4. Click the Specify button. 
5. The Specify Script dialog box appears. Select the script you modified or created then click OK. 
6. Click OK in the File Options dialog box to save the changes.
7. Close and re-open you solution. Now SUI Bulletin Board will open at startup.

Tip: If you don’t want to create accounts in SUI Bulletin Board for all users in your application, then you can set an auto login option for the predefined Reader account.