How to Add a File Management Task Step

Creating File Management Connections

If for security reasons you can only access files over an FTP (File Transfer Protocol), FTPS (File Transfer Protocol (SSL)), SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol), HTTPS or HTTP connection, you must add the connection details to the File Management Use the File Management tool to carry out a number of automated actions on single or multiple files — move, copy, rename, and delete — either locally or across the network. Uploads to and downloads from an FTP server are also supported. tool first. If no such security is in place, you can skip this step.

Access the File Management- Global Configuration interface from the resources tree — expand System > Tools > General and double-click File Management in the items list.

File Management connections are made using the two tabs provided on the Global Configuration page:

These connection sets are treated as separate connection configurations within the global configuration and the tool step configuration.

Creating FTP Connections

1. With the FTP Connections tab selected, click Add to create a new connection.

   

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2. Enter a unique and meaningful Connection Name.
3. Choose the relevant Connection Type — for a detailed description of each, see Choosing the Connection Type.
4. Enter the Server connection address — you can use the hostname, IP address, or a valid URL.
5. The Port field displays the default port number for the selected Connection Type. If your server connection uses a different port, enter the required TCP port used to communicate with this server.
6. Enable Passive Mode if required by your server.
7. If uploading files with this connection, enter the folder path on the server (Server Directory) to upload files to.
8. If downloading files with this connection, enter the folder path on the server (Download Directory) where the required files are located else skip to step 10.
9. If downloading files with this connection, enter the folder path on this BPA Platform computer where files are downloaded to else skip to step 10.
10. Enable Anonymous Login if allowed by the FTP server, else clear the selection for this box and enter the required Username and Password.
11. At this point, you can click Test to ensure the connection is successful.
12. If required, click Advanced to add advanced configuration, specific to the selected Connection Type
13. Click OK to complete the connection configuration.

Creating File System Connections

1. With the File System Connections tab selected, click Add to create a new connection.
2. Enter a unique Connection Name for the File Management connection.
3. Click Next to continue.
4. Select the required File System Type from the list of supported external file storage providers

   

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5. Click Next to continue.

6. Click Authorise to open the selected storage provider’s login panel. This dialog is managed by the storage provider and displays the fields required to complete modern or multi-factor authentication to your account with them.

7. Click the Test Connection button to confirm of the connection status.

8. Click OK to complete the connection configuration.

Adding a Task Step

To add a new File Management step to an existing task:

1. Open the relevant task (if creating a new task, see How to Create a Basic Task).
2. Either:

–OR–

3. In the General tab, Name and describe (Description) this task step.
   How Do I Do This?

   

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   Enter a unique task step Name.

   Tip: If this task instance makes use of two or more File Management steps, ensure the Name used is unique for each individual step.

   Description entry, although optional, can be used to store information relating to the File Management task step.

   For more information, see General tab.

4. Go to the Connections tab to establish the connection to the File ManagementSource and Destination locations.

   How Do I Do This?

   

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   Select the Source connection type:

   ►

   File System - connections to cloud-based file system providers

   ►

   FTP/HTTP - local and across the network connections.

   File System Connections

   Source Configuration

   By default the File Management tool will use the local file system for source and destination file locations.

   If connections to other file storage locations are available, then the step can be configured to access those locations. To do this, clear the Local check-box to enable the Connection drop-down and select from the connection settings previously set-up in the Global Configuration.

   Alternatively, use a BPA Platform variable or formula to create a dynamic connection, where the connection used is determined by runtime circumstances. At runtime, the contents of the variable must match the name of one of the global connections — this is case-sensitive. For further information see About BPA Platform Variables and About BPA Platform Formulas.

   Note: Only fully configured connections will appear in the Connection drop-down list. Connections flagged as ‘Configuration Incomplete’ will not be shown here until such time that configuration is completed.

   Enter the required Path location or use the Browse button and select the required source location path.

   In the File Name field, enter the source file name or use the Browse button and select the required source location path.

   Note: File Name entry can make of wildcard characters if required.

   Destination Configuration (File System)

   Note: Destination configuration is not required for Rename and Delete operations.

   Select the File System Destination option.

   By default the File Management tool will use the local file system for the destination file location.

   If connections to other file storage locations are available, then the step can be configured to access those locations. To do this, clear the Local check-box to enable the Connection drop-down and select from the connection settings previously set-up in the Global Configuration.

   Destination Configuration (FTP / HTTP)

   From the Destination options select FTP / HTTP.

   From the Connection drop-down select from the connection settings previously set-up in the Global Configuration.

   FTP / HTTP Connections

   Source Configuration

   Use the Connection drop-down and select from the connection settings previously set-up in the Global Configuration.

   Note: Only fully configured connections will appear in the Connection drop-down list. Connections flagged as ‘Configuration Incomplete’ will not be shown here until such time that configuration is completed.

   If required, select the Override global path option to enable entry or selection of an alternative Path location.

   In the File Name field, enter the source file name or use the Browse button and select the required source location path.

   Note: File Name entry can make of wildcard characters if required.

   Alternatively, use a BPA Platform variable or formula to create a dynamic connection, where the connection used is determined by runtime circumstances. At runtime, the contents of the variable must match the name of one of the global connections — this is case-sensitive. For further information see About BPA Platform Variables and About BPA Platform Formulas.

   Note: Where variables or formulas are being used to create dynamic connections, you are prompted to select a template connection first to populate the File and Path browser locations in the Main tab.

   The File Name and Path from previous step option is available for selection if the source File Name and Path can be retrieved using input from a previous task step. Select the File Name and Path from previous step option to enable selection of the required Step.

   Note: This option is only supported where the previous step was connected to the local file system.

   Destination Configuration (File System)

   Note: Destination configuration is not required for Rename and Delete operations.

   By default the File Management tool will use the local file system for the destination file location.

   If connections to other file storage locations are available, then the step can be configured to access those locations. To do this, clear the Local check-box to enable the Connection drop-down and select from the connection settings previously set-up in the Global Configuration.

5. Go to the Main tab and manage the actions to be performed upon the source files. The selection of an action option displays the associated configuration fields for that action.
   How Do I Do This?

   Moving Files

   

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   Specify the new Destination to move the files to. Create destination folder if not found and Overwrite file if it already exists come into affect at task run-time.

   If required, use the settings in the File Read Only Attribute pane to adjust the file's properties.

   You must specify the Maximum file size (in MB) that the File Management tool can move. Any matching files larger than the specified size are not moved and remain in their source location. This field is mandatory and defaults to 10 MB.

   Copying Files

   

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   Specify the new Destination to copy the files to. Create destination folder if not found and Overwrite file if it already exists come into affect at task run-time.

   If required, use the settings in the File Read Only Attribute pane to adjust the file's properties.

   You must specify the Maximum file size (in MB) that the File Management tool can copy. Any matching files larger than the specified size are not copied. This field is mandatory and defaults to 10 MB.

   Renaming Files

   

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   When renaming files, you can choose to:

   ►

   Use input file names as part of the output file name

   ►

   Provide a new File Name

   The file name, whether new or reused, forms part of the new file name. You can then add a string or a Date and Time Stamp to the beginning of the filename (Prefix file name with) or to the end (Suffix file name with), or do both. At the time of writing, the date and time stamp is formatted as YYYYMMDDhhmmss and cannot be changed.

   File name created displays the new file name created at task run-time.

   If required, use the settings in the File Read Only Attribute pane to adjust the renamed file's properties.

   Deleting Files

   

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   You can choose to delete source files based on a specified modification time period.

   Uploading Files

   

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   When uploading files to an FTP or HTTP server, you must choose the Destination for your source files:

   ►

   Connection — Select the global connection for this task step to use.

   ►

   Overwrite global server directory setting — In all global connections, you must specify a directory on the FTP server for the connection to use. Enable this parameter to force this task step to use a different folder to upload files to.

   ■

   Directory — Specify the new folder path

   ►

   Create destination folder if not found — This option only comes into affect at task run-time. Note that if the destination folder is not found and not created, the step will error.

   ►

   Overwrite file if it already exists — This option only comes into affect at task run-time. Note that if a matching file is found during the upload and this parameter is not enabled, the step will error.

   ►

   Delete source file on completion — Enable this parameter to delete the original source file after a successful upload.

   If required, use the settings in the File Read Only Attribute pane to adjust the uploaded file's properties.

   Downloading Files

   

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   When downloading files to an FTP or HTTP server, you must choose the Destination for your source files:

   ►

   Overwrite global download directory setting — In all global connections, you must specify a directory on the FTP server for the connection to use. Enable this parameter to force this task step to use a different folder to upload files to.

   ■

   Directory — Specify the new folder path

   ►

   Create destination folder if not found — This option only comes into affect at task run-time. Note that if the destination folder is not found and not created, the step will error.

   ►

   Overwrite file if it already exists — This option only comes into affect at task run-time. Note that if a matching file is found during the download and this parameter is not enabled, the step will error.

   ►

   Delete source file on completion — Enable this parameter to delete the original source file after a successful download.

   ►

   Move source file on completion — If required, you can move the source file to another directory on the FTP or HTTP server.

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   Directory — Specify the new folder path. Drag-and-drop recordset columns, variables, and step properties from the Task Browser to create a dynamic folder path. You must ensure the user used to connect to the FTP or HTTP server has the correct access permissions for the new folder.

   If required, use the settings in the File Read Only Attribute pane to adjust the downloaded file's properties.

   Use Memory to memorise some or all of the step output for use in other task steps. This is particularly useful when the File Management step is called multiple times — use Memory to compare the document previously processed to the new document currently being processed to avoid duplicates.

   For more information, see Main tab.

6. Go to the Options tab and select the relevant error handling options for this task step.

   How Do I Do This?

   The Options tab allows you to define how errors in this step are handled at task runtime.

   

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   If an error occurs, you can decide whether the step should Continue processing, or terminate the step immediately (Abort Step).

   If the step is aborted, you can choose to Continue processing onto the next step in the task, or terminate the whole task immediately (Abort Task).

   If file not found when file specification does NOT contain wildcard(s) (see General tab), you can choose to continue processing onto the next task step (Treat as Success) or fail the File Management step (Error).

   If no files found when file specification contains wildcard(s) (see General tab), you can choose to continue processing onto the next task step (Treat as Success) or fail the File Management step (Error).

   For more information, see Options tab.

7. Use Memory to memorise some or all of the step output for use in other task steps. This is particularly useful when the File Management step is called multiple times — use Memory to compare the document previously processed to the new document currently being processed to avoid duplicates.

8. Click  to save the task step.