I recently purchased FileMaker Pro and created a new database with the "Contact" template. I have a CSV file with Names, addresses and phone numbers. When I choose import, the dialog only allows me to import fields that go into the 'Contacts' table. How do I get the address and phone number into the related address and phone tables? I read in the support docs that you can only import into 1 table at a time, but provides no details on how to choose the related table.
3 Answers
That FMP Contacts template disables importing into the Addresses, Phone Numbers, and Email Addresses tables. The Contacts table auto-creates each record's primary key, which is used as the foreign key in the other three tables to relate them back to Contacts. Doesn't seem set up for bulk imports. Depending on your database-foo, you could try an FMP script as others have suggested. Another possible way: 1. Import what you can into Contacts. 2. Then Export all those records including each one's newly generated Primary Key. 3. In your original CMS if possible, import those new key IDs to the records where the phone numbers etc are. 4. Go back to FMP's Contacts, and create a new layout for each of the three tables. 5. Browse one of those new layouts, say Addresses, and then use the Import Data command. 6. When designating which CMS fields go to which FMP fields, set that new key id to go in the new table's Foreign Key field. 7. Repeat for the other two tables. NOTE that most of the fields in those three tables are automated, so ignore importing to them. I haven't tried this - keep a clean copy of your original CMS.
answered Jan 12, 2023 at 20:38
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Yes. Thanks. I did the 6 step process you outline. Painful, but doable. Fortunately I figured it out on my own, and got it done in time for Xmas 2021, so us old folks could use mailing labels to send our Christmas Cards. It's only the elderly that do so :)– LeonardCommented Jan 13, 2023 at 17:35
Yes, You can import into only 1 table at a time.
You can try different approaches,
Option 1. If you have a unique field (ID or similar) in the CSV file, you can import relevant fields into Contact first and then into Address table in next import and use the ID field to link them.
Option 2. Import the file into a staging table. Then write a script to move them to appropriate tables.
The way I do it usually: A script imports CSV in a global text field. Within a loop it generates new records, sets the field values after decoding of the global text with the "Middle" command according to the separating text delimiters (semicolon or tab).
