The CDATA block contains a list of record IDs. Sometimes there is a run of records and instead of listing every ID they provide the beginning and end IDs.
If you were creating an fmpsl file you could simply provide every ID. It potentially increases the size of the fmpsl file but that probably doesn't matter.
These are internal IDs, they are easily obtained using Get(RecordID).
If your clients are presently sending you an export of IDs, why don't you get them to send you a snapshot file instead?
They are not doing exports. They have projects that they manage and they make these lists manually in Excel. Users often time will use reports and make decisions about reassignments and need us to make massive reassignments from lists they build based on arbitrary decisions. The "foundset" has never been displayed in fmp therefore it cannot be exported. It was created on paper, bringing together records without a distinctive unique set of attributes that could be found, the commonnality being the target to achieve. My workaround works very well and is very quick but it is a workaround.
Instead of misusing import update (which forces you to have a match field and at least one field to import) one could use a native function create foundset from list if it existed built in (like the quick search field).
In 21.1, they unfortunately couldn't add the theme column but there is a small improvement (actually I don't like it but some asked for it): if a table is missing it's explicitely shown there (I thought blank was even more visible in a list)
it took Claris over 20 years to finally fix the column size adjustments' settings. So the theme to show in the Layout list - themes around since 2013 might happen hopefully in next 10 years.
(in FMP it would take less then 10 sec to copy something from a detail layout into a list view layout ..)
Sorry, that wouldn't fly for showing in FileMaker user interface.
I wondered if there is a trick with a function like GetLayoutObjectAttribute to get it.
now I get it - no - not with any DesignFunctions or other AFAIK. The DataAPI meta data call to get layout specific data only returns Fields, Tablename and Valuelist. No "cosmetic" infos.
No there isn't.
That said, if you would PSoS a Save as XML and manage that… I know it's a completely different approach from how your plugin works, but it may open a range of new possibilities.
That's great news. Now I have to get into the habit of using Open Quickly.