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YOUSEFUL / FILEMAKER

Youseful Sched: FAQ, examples and tutorial

Learning center · Function reference

Use YsflSched.fmx64 to queue FileMaker scripts for safe idle time, a future time, a repeating interval or a condition. The tutorial requires two scripts in the same open FileMaker file.

FAQ

Why did a five-second job run later? A due job waits until FileMaker supplies a safe idle callback. A running or paused script can delay it. Timing means “no earlier than,” not a real-time guarantee.

Can I wait in a loop for my scheduled script? Do not keep the scheduling script running or paused while waiting for the callback. End it and return FileMaker to normal use so the queued script can run.

Do jobs survive closing FileMaker? No. They are in memory. Recreate recurring jobs when starting the application if your workflow needs them.

How do I cancel one job? Save the id returned when scheduling it, then call Cancel with that id. "*" cancels all jobs, so use an individual id for examples.

Examples

Read the local timestamp in a predictable text format:

filemaker
YsflSc_Now ( "iso" )

Result: a current timestamp in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS form.

Queue the script created below:

filemaker
YsflSc_ScheduleIn ( "Youseful - Reminder" ; 5 ; "param=Hello from Youseful" )

Result: a job id. The script runs after this call has returned and safe idle time is available; the id is not the script's result.

Tutorial

Standalone sample scripts: Reminder · Schedule reminder · Cancel reminder.

Goal: display a reminder after the scheduling script finishes.

  1. Create a script named exactly Youseful - Reminder:
filemaker
Show Custom Dialog [ "Reminder" ; Get ( ScriptParameter ) ]
  1. Create Youseful - Schedule reminder:
filemaker
Set Variable [ $cleanup ; Value: YsflSc_Cancel ( "youseful-demo" ) ]
Set Variable [ $job ; Value: YsflSc_ScheduleIn (
    "Youseful - Reminder" ; 5 ;
    "id=youseful-demo param=Hello from Youseful"
) ]
Set Variable [ $error ; Value: YsflSc_LastError ]
If [ $error <> 0 ]
    Show Custom Dialog [ "Scheduling failed" ; YsflSc_LastErrorText ]
End If
Exit Script [ Text Result: $job ]

The first call removes only this demonstration's prior job. On the first run, an “unknown job” result is expected and is deliberately replaced by the new scheduling call.

  1. Run Schedule reminder and let it finish. Keep the file open and leave the debugger unpaused. After at least five seconds, expect Hello from Youseful.
  2. In a separate script, inspect YsflSc_List or cancel the demonstration:
filemaker
Set Variable [ $cancelled ; Value: YsflSc_Cancel ( "youseful-demo" ) ]

Troubleshooting

Check the target script's exact name and its file. Use Info with lastError for callback failures. If a named id already exists, cancel that job before reusing the id. Keep param= last on its line when the parameter contains spaces.