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It’s the question which has been popping up within the FileMaker community lately. While I can’t be long on details, I can acknowledge that a conflict of interest has caused the recent redirect from zipptools.com to FileMaker’s website.

The plugin is no longer available at the zipptools website but we felt it was a shame that the author had to make such a drastic change.

You can still get a copy of the most recent version (both Windows and Mac) at this link

http://www.filemakermagazine.com/plugins/zippscript.html

While I’m unsure if any future versions will be supported or released, this is not a reason to stop using script triggering plug-ins by any means. True, zippScript was probably the most popular, but there are other alternatives.

The absolute best way to approach the use of a script triggering plug-in within your solution is to create your own custom function. In fact, the custom function that I use references many different methods of triggering a script. I have included that code at the bottom of this post.

My next-in-line suggestion for a free script triggering plugin is DoScript from myFMButler.com. While the plug-in is a bit more “geeky” it is definitely solid and might also have a higher “future support” quotient.

Since the details are bit unclear about what the future of zippScript is, I would suggest hedging your bet and using your own custom function for script triggering. It’s the only way to protect yourself from having to make many changes in all the areas of your solution.

The script below assumes a parameter named method. This value can be left empty (blank quotes) and the default you specify within the function will be used. This is what allows you to make one change in your custom function and any location in your solution using script triggering will be affected.

 
/*
=====================================================
script.execute( method; file; script; parameter; control )
RETURNS:    (bool) Result of the execution of a script.
DEPS:       At least one Script triggering plugin.
            Supported are SmartPill PHP plugin, zippScript & DoScript
NOTES:
=====================================================
*/
If ( Get ( WindowMode ) = 0;
    Let([
        //------------------------- VARIABLES
        _Default = "zipp"; // Set your default script plugin here
        _File = If (IsEmpty(file); Get(FileName); file);
        _Control = If (IsEmpty(control); "pause"; control);
        method = If (IsEmpty(method); _Default; method);
        _Error = Case(
            method = "zipp"; Get ( ScriptName ) = script or Let ( [ _Result = zippScript_PerformScript( _File; script; parameter; _Control );
              $$SCRIPT.TEXT = Case(
                                    _Result = "" ; "" ;
                                    _Result = "$$-1" ; "Incorrect number of parameters" ;
                                    _Result = "$$-2" ; "Unknown control parameter code" ;
                                    _Result = "$$100" ; "File is missing (named file not open)" ;
                                    _Result = "$$104" ; "Script is missing (no script of that name)")
              ]; "" );
            method = "dosc"; Get ( ScriptName ) = script or mFMb_DoScript( script ; _File ; parameter ; _Control  ) & mFMb_DS_LastErrNum;
            method = "php";
                Let([
                //------------------------- VARIABLES
                _Control = If ( IsEmpty (control);
                			3; // 3 is the value used by fm_perform_script for pause
                			Let( val = Left( control; 4); Int( Position ( "halt exit resu paus " ; val ; 1 ; 1 ) / 5 ) )  );
                _PHPCode = "print fm_perform_script("
                			& Quote( _File ) & ", "
                			& Quote( script ) & ", "
                			& Quote( parameter ) & ", "
                			& _Control &
                			");";
                $$SCRIPT_RESULT =  Get ( ScriptName ) = script or PHP_Execute( _PHPCode )
                ];
                //------------------------- RESULT
                0 // I haven't put error trapping in yet. :(
                );
            0
        )
        ];
        If ( _Error;
            Let( $$SCRIPT.ERROR = _Error; 1 )
        )
    )
)
// Thanks Koen Van Hulle for the window mode suggestion
// Thanks Peter Wagemans for the "aha" in logic for testing for the name of the currently running script and the error trapping