Today we provided an example to a FileMaker developer. The job is to convert the sound from a video (or audio) file to an mp3 file. As we recently got the new Shell functions, we can now use ffmpeg easily in FileMaker with a script like this: 

Set Variable [ $shell ; Value: MBS( "Shell.New" ) ] 

Set Field [ Shell::Output ; "" ] 

Set Field [ Shell::Error ; "" ] 

Commit Records/Requests [ With dialog: Off ] 

# Where the app is:

Set Variable [ $executable ; Value: "/Applications/ffmpegX.app/Contents/Resources/ffmpeg" ] 

# option: overwrite file

Set Variable [ $s ; Value: MBS( "Shell.AddArgument"; $shell; "-y" ) ] 

# option: input file

Set Variable [ $s ; Value: MBS( "Shell.AddArgument"; $shell; "-i" ) ] 

# Path to input file

Set Variable [ $InputFile ; Value: "/Users/cs/Desktop/movie.m4v" ] 

# and output file

Set Variable [ $OutputFile ; Value: "/Users/cs/Desktop/sound.mp3" ] 

# Run it!

Set Variable [ $s ; Value: MBS( "Shell.Execute"; $shell; $executable; $InputFile; $OutputFile) ] 

Set Variable [ $error ; Value: "" ] 

Set Variable [ $result ; Value: "" ] 

If [ MBS("IsError") ] 

Show Custom Dialog [ "Failed to run" ; $s ] 

Else

# Loop while app runs and collect messages

Loop

# Wait a second or till it quits

Set Variable [ $s ; Value: MBS( "Shell.Wait"; $shell; 1) ] 

# And read output

Set Variable [ $error ; Value: $error & MBS( "Shell.ReadErrorText"; $shell; "UTF-8") ] 

Set Variable [ $result ; Value: $result & MBS( "Shell.ReadOutputText"; $shell; "UTF-8") ] 

Set Field [ Shell::Error ; MBS( "Text.ReplaceNewline"; $error; 1) ] 

Set Field [ Shell::Output ; MBS( "Text.ReplaceNewline"; $result; 1) ] 

# exit when done

Exit Loop If [ MBS( "Shell.IsRunning"; $shell) ≠ 1 ] 

End Loop

# We are done

Commit Records/Requests [ With dialog: Off ] 

End If

Set Variable [ $r ; Value: MBS("Shell.Release"; $shell) ] 

As you see we prepare new shell and than you can loop and call Shell.Execute with the next input file. When launch works, we run a loop to wait for result and collect output from both channels, stdout and stderr. The messages are put in the fields and when the tool is done, we exit. The script is universel and can be used to run any shell tool on Mac, Windows and Linux. Just make sure the paths are correct.

The new Shell functions are coming with 7.5 release in the next weeks. You can try the beta today.

PS: Instead of wait, you can use also the FileMaker Pause Script Step to pause.