Hi Guys,
It is specific that MacOS doesn?t have integrated ODBC support. Here is a simple scenario how to use *.xls and filemaker files via ODBC to read/write data from/in Vectorwosk file. Notice that there are three steps in Vectorworks but before that there is necessary to install and configure some additional stuff on Mac.
First of all, you need an ODBC manager tool. If there is any in Utilities, download and install ?ODBC Administrator? or ?ODBC Manager? (both are free) or other tool. Then make sure that you have installed FileMaker application and ODBC FileMaker Driver. Filemaker can be used to read data from xml files.
So, here we are:
1) Start Filemaker and open the database file. If the file is xls file, Filemaker will offer you to convert it. Allow it to do this and continue. Go to File > Sharing > ODBC/JDBC? and turn on ?ODBC/JDBC Sharing? for the file and all users (or particular user).
2) Do not close anything. The file should stay opened while working with it otherwise the ODBC driver will return error. Start ODBC Manager and create System DSN using FileMaker ODBC driver. If there is no wizard, you must configure the driver manually. Enter keywords SERVER=localhost (or the IP of the server machine) and PORT=2399. This is very important.
3) Start Vectorworks.
Establishing ODBC connection in Vectorworks consists of three steps:
1) Connect to DSN. Go to Tools > Database > Manage Databases? and connect to the DSN you?ve created. Enter ?admin? for the username if you don?t have one.
2) Create Record Format Database Connection. Go to Tools > Database > Create Record Format Connection..., select the record format you want to link and go to edit it. Each field of the record format needs to be mapped to the appropriate database table column.
3) Create Object Database Connection. This is the final step and it is to connect object instances to the database table rows. Select object(s) which you want to link to the database data and go to Tools > Database > Object Connection?. Choose a row to whom this object will correspond or use the find options in Multiple Objects dialog.
Now you are able to update record field values with data from the database file or to write into the database file. Use ?Update Vectorworks Document? and ?External Database? menu commands to do that.
I hope that post will spread a little light into the darkness
Regards,
Sasha