Base Elements plugin and Chinese characters

[sleepy62]

I have a filemaker solution which passes files from one database to another using BE_FileImport. This was the only way that I could see to copy a file from a container on one database to a container on another independent database. Its is via a server script by exporting the file to a known path then upload to the other DB from that path. It has been working for years. It is not an option to connect the DB directly via a relation link or FMDS.

Anyway, I have a new client who uses Chinese file names and I have now discovered that BE_FileImport does not seem to handle Chinese characters. It replaces them all with '_" characters. The file itself exports properly with Chinese name, but after FIle import the name inside the receiving container is wrong.

I am using the latest version of the BE plugin.
The server is a Windows Server 2022.
Base Elements is silent on this.

Anyone in the community have thoughts or suggestions?

[nickorr]

BE does support extended character sets, but it can depend. I need specifics of the actual commands, paths, versions of BE, FMP, OS etc.

But : you don't need to save a file to disk to move a container, a Set Field will do that. Create a temporary or permanent relationship between the two records. If you need more help with that I'd suggest the Claris Community forums.

[sleepy62]

Thank you for your response. Yes I realize there are other ways to do this if there are direct connections between the databases. However in this case there is not. There is an active discussion thread on the Claris forum which provides more details on what has been tested.

https://community.claris.com/en/s/feed/0D5Vy00001zrrtrKAA

[nickorr]

You can also get me to look at the plugin issue, but as mentioned I need all the specifics of paths, filenames and versions etc.

[sleepy62]

So I think we have narrowed down the issue. It seems to be limited to FIlemaker on WIndows Server. More specifically:

BE_FileImport will not import Chinese or other Asian text used in filenames.
Affects FIlemaker Server and Pro running on Windows Server 2022.
Not tested on other versions of Windows server.
Problem is seen in both Client and WebD connections.
Appears to affect all versions of Filemaker Server but most testing was done on V20.

The Claris discussion linked above provides more context. The test file (made by the great Alex Zueiv) which we used to test for the problem can be downloaded from here:

https://community.claris.com/en/s/contentdocument/069Vy000016lzKDIAY

Note that the filename problem is also seen using Filemaker "Insert URL" on V20 but is at least partially fixed in V21 & 22, but BE_FileImport exhibits the problem in all versions on Windows Server 2022.

Export and Import Chinese Files MKII.fmp12.zip

[nickorr]

I still don't know what versions of FileMaker Server and the BE plugin are that you're using to test this with.

[sleepy62]

We are testing using plugin version 5.5.0 and mainly testing on FM server 20.3.4 on WinServer 2022 21H2.
But based on the comments form other users this also occurs on FMS V21 and 22.

[nickorr]

There is no 5.5.0 version of the plugin. What does the BE_VersionAutoUpdate when run via PSOS? The output of the BE_DebugInformation would also be useful.

[sleepy62]

Apologies, I meant 5.0.0. Anyway here is the platform info gathered by a PSOS script: