Recording App: Missing JPG Images In FileMaker?

Oct 23, 2025 by SLV Team 48 views

Hey guys, have you ever run into a situation where you're working with a recording app, like the one we use for archiving, and suddenly, some of your images just vanish? I recently encountered this issue while working in ANC, inputting drawings of small finds, and thought I'd share my experience and see if anyone else has run into this. Specifically, I'm talking about missing dummy images in FileMaker (FM) when the underlying image is a JPG file. Let's dive in!

The Mystery of the Missing Photos

I was deep in the trenches, working on some records, and I knew for a fact that a particular record should have had photos associated with it. I was so sure, in fact, that I started getting suspicious when I didn't see any image containers in the CM record. It was like they'd completely disappeared! I went hunting in the file repository, and guess what? The images were there! They were attached to the context, which was a real relief. But the question remained: why weren't these images showing up as dummy images in the recording app? It felt like a digital disappearing act, and it was particularly frustrating because I knew the images existed.

This led me to do some digging, and it quickly became clear that this issue seemed to be specific to JPG files. It wasn't affecting PDFs or other image formats. It was a classic case of the system not playing nice with a specific file type. The dummy images were crucial for quick visual identification and navigation within the app, so their absence created a significant hurdle in my workflow. I found that I had to go back and forth between the record and the file repository just to get a visual representation of the images, which was a huge time suck.

Now, missing dummy images in the recording app are not only annoying, but it also creates room for errors. If you don't have those visual cues, it's easier to accidentally misidentify records or miss important details. It's like trying to find your way through a maze without any landmarks! It's super important to find out the root of the problem.

Is It a Bug or Just a Support Issue?

So, is this a bug, or is it just something we need to get support on? Honestly, it's hard to say for sure without knowing the inner workings of the app. My gut feeling is that it's more of a bug, especially considering it seems to be consistently affecting JPG files. If it were a support issue, you would think we would've ironed it out. It's not a feature, so it should be fixed.

From my point of view, it seems like the app isn't correctly processing or displaying JPGs, or there is an issue with the way the file paths are being handled. If it's a bug, we're likely looking at a code-related problem, which will require some technical expertise to fix. The issue with this approach is that it is hard to find a specialist to fix a minor problem.

On the other hand, it could be a support issue. Maybe the app needs a specific setting configured to handle JPGs correctly, or there's a problem with the way our image files are named or stored. Either way, the user is the one paying the price. Regardless of the cause, the bottom line is that the missing dummy images are disrupting the workflow and creating a less-than-ideal user experience.

What Could Be Causing This?

There are several potential reasons why JPGs might be failing to display as dummy images. Here are a few things that come to mind:

File Format Compatibility: Perhaps the app has a problem with the specific JPG format. Different JPG files can be encoded in various ways, and the app might only support a subset of these formats.
File Path Issues: The app may not be correctly reading the file paths for JPGs. If the file paths are incorrect or if the app is having trouble locating the images in the file repository, then the images will not be displayed.
Image Compression: Some JPGs are highly compressed to reduce file size. The app may struggle to process these heavily compressed images.
App Settings: There could be some sort of settings issue within the app, like an incorrect image display configuration.

Troubleshooting and Possible Solutions

If you find yourself in a similar situation, here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue and try to find a solution:

Check File Paths: Double-check that the file paths are correct. Make sure the app can access the JPG images in the file repository. Ensure that no special characters are used in the file names or paths, as they can sometimes cause problems. This is the first thing you should always verify.
Test with Different JPGs: Try testing with a JPG file created using a different software. This helps to determine if the problem is specific to certain types of JPGs.
Update the App: Make sure the recording app is up to date. Sometimes, updates include fixes for known bugs.
Contact Support: If you're still facing the issue, it's time to reach out to the app's support team. Provide them with details about the problem, including the file paths, file types, and any error messages you've encountered. They may be able to provide a specific solution or report the issue to the developers.
Re-Import Images: If you can, try re-importing the JPG images into the app. Sometimes, a fresh import can resolve the problem.

Further Analysis and Mitigation Strategies

Let's get even deeper. To better understand this issue, further analysis is needed. This will include determining if there is a common factor between the JPG files that are not displaying. Another step that should be done is to investigate the app's error logs to identify any error messages that could shed light on the problem. Lastly, try converting the JPG files to another format, such as PNG, and see if the app displays those images correctly. If so, it would act as a workaround.

Why This Matters

Why does this all matter? Well, missing dummy images significantly impact the user experience. When you can't see the images quickly, it increases the time and effort required to work with records. It can also lead to mistakes or omissions because it's harder to get a quick visual overview. This is especially true when dealing with a large amount of records! The absence of those dummy images can lead to some serious workflow inefficiencies.

In our case, the inability to see the JPG images immediately slowed down the entire process. I had to constantly switch between the record and the file repository, which was a real drag. Multiply this by dozens or hundreds of records, and you're talking about a major loss of productivity. Also, errors can creep in when the visual context is missing. If you don't have those visual cues, you are far more likely to make mistakes.

Conclusion

So, what's the takeaway, guys? It appears that there's a problem with JPG images not displaying properly as dummy images in our recording app. This impacts the workflow, creates potential for errors, and makes our work harder. Whether it's a bug or a support issue, it's something that needs attention. By checking file paths, testing with different JPGs, updating the app, and reaching out to support, we can try to resolve this issue and keep our workflow smooth. We need to identify the root cause and implement a fix, whether it's an update, a configuration change, or a more complex solution. Hopefully, this problem can be resolved soon so we can all get back to our work without these annoying image glitches!