# Getting a List of External Data Sources

**URL:** <https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Tags:** data\_source\
**Created:** [May 27, 2024, 2:02pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135 "2024-05-27T14:02:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bdbd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/bdbd/32/620_2.png) [@bdbd](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/bdbd)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2024, 2:02pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135/1 "2024-05-27T14:02:31Z")

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Does anyone know of a technique to get a list of external data source names for a FileMaker file?

To be clear, I am not looking for a list of open files.

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**Author:** ![Malcolm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/malcolm/32/196_2.png) [@Malcolm](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Malcolm)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2024, 7:45pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135/2 "2024-05-27T19:45:45Z")

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It’s in the xml outputs. External sources and file access permissions.

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**Author:** ![bdbd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/bdbd/32/620_2.png) [@bdbd](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/bdbd)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 12:34am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135/3 "2024-05-28T00:34:57Z")

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Let me add… within FileMaker.

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**Author:** ![jwilling](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/jwilling/32/256_2.png) [@jwilling](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jwilling)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 1:01am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135/4 "2024-05-28T01:01:24Z")

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I certainly can't think of a way. I think of the EDS names sort of like variable names, sorta dev-facing 'handles', but not query-able.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jwilling](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/jwilling/32/256_2.png) [@jwilling](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jwilling)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 1:03am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135/5 "2024-05-28T01:03:26Z")

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Though, if it's a requirement, maybe you could have a server schedule periodically Save As XML, and store the EDS names in a field within the db itself?

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**Author:** ![bdbd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/bdbd/32/620_2.png) [@bdbd](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/bdbd)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 1:43am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135/6 "2024-05-28T01:43:34Z")

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Oh! That's interesting. I might try that one.

Too bad such a basic need requires such a roundabout solution.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jwilling](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/jwilling/32/256_2.png) [@jwilling](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jwilling)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 2:24am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135/7 "2024-05-28T02:24:03Z")

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Agreed, especially since the Eds name is how to fully qualify a script name in perform script by name.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bdbd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/bdbd/32/620_2.png) [@bdbd](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/bdbd)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/getting-a-list-of-external-data-sources/4135/8 "2024-05-28T02:43:54Z")

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Precisely why I need to figure this out. I want to know if a failure to address a script is because the external data source name is failing or the script name is failing.