For sending eMails with myFMbutler’s AutoSender, which integrates with FileMaker Server, we recommend creating a table whose only purpose is to interact with the autosender robot. Then, from any layout from which you want to send emails, simply save your email fields as variables to copy them into your AutoSender layout.

Adding the ability to add attachments is a little more difficult, as the AutoSender can not get a file directly out of a container field. Instead, you use FileMaker Server’s XML capabilities to access the file through the XML web interface. Here we summarize the steps:

Preparation:

You need two fields in your AutoSender table.  We call them Attachment_Container (type: container) and Attachment_Address (type: calculation- discussed later). Write the name of the Attachment_Address field in the AutoSender Configuration application in the Sources–>Fields tab in the attachment field (the last field for the version we are using).

As per AutoSender’s instructions, you should create a user account that the robot uses to login to your database.  To enable the XML extended capability needed to use attachments, in FileMaker go to File-> Manage-> Accounts & Privileges…-> Extended Privileges tab.  Double click on the fmxml keyword and enable the account you made for the eMail robot.  You are now ready to send attachments.

Fields:

You will need to make the Attachment_Address field a calculation, returning text as a result. The formula is:

If ( not IsEmpty ( Attachment_Container ) ; “http://username:password@address of fm web publishing server” & “/fmi/xml/cnt/data.pdf?-db=” & Get ( FileName ) & “&-lay=name of the layout you created for the eMail robot&-field=Attachment_Container” & “&-recid=” & Get ( RecordID ) ; “” )

You only need to replace the itilicized words with your unique information.

The last step is to put the file you wish to add as the attachment in the Attachment_Container field, change the status field to 0 and AutoSender will send the eMail with the attachment.