Specifying Input Settings for a Project File

You can specify the following the input settings for a project file:

• The input file type: either text or database

• The input file(s) to be assigned to the project

• How multiple input files should be grouped

• The desired file existence criteria

• The order in which multiple input files will be processed

• An input file distribution, with which you can email, copy, move, etc, the input file(s).

To specify input settings for a project

1. On the Navigation Tree, click Automator  > Standard Processes and select Project Editor.

2. On the Input tab specify the input file type by selecting either the Text or Database radio button. If you select Database, perform the following steps, then skip down to Step 5:

1. • Under the Select a data source heading, specify the data source or click the Browse For... button to select the data source type (Local or Web File, Data Link Wizard, Data Link File or Connection Definitions) and the desired file via the dialog that displays.

   NOTE: In addition to Excel file types .xls and .xlsx, .xlsb and .xlsm file types may be used as database file input.

    

   • If the file is password protected, select the Include password check box and enter the required password in the adjacent field.

   • If you want to select a specific table within the input file to export data to, click the Table drop-down arrow and select the desired table.

   • If you want to replace nulls in the table, select the Replace nulls with default values (empty strings, zeros, and default dates (1/1/1970)) check box.

   • To apply a filter (or filters) to the table during the export select the Apply Filter check box and click the Change button under it to specify necessary filters.

Note: When Automator exports the table data, the filter(s) you selected will be applied to it. Only the data that matches the filter's specifications will be exported.

1. • To include column names in the table with the exported data, select the First row contains column names check box.

   • To choose an Excel engine, click on the Excel Engine drop-down list, and choose Legacy or Modern.

3. If you select Text, click the Add button to add an input file to the project via the displayed dialog. Repeat this step to add any additional input files to the project.

Note: Input files in compressed archive format (e.g., zip and gzip) can be used and specified in the Project Editor.

3. If you added more than one input file to the project, specify how you want to group the multiple files by selecting the All in a single job or the Each in its own job radio button.

Note: This provides a fundamental choice as to how jobs are spawned when the process is assigned more than one project file. The option makes no difference if the process specifies only a single project. For more information, see Process Handling Scenarios.

5. Specify a File Existence Criteria setting by selecting one of the following options:

   • All specified files must exist: Specifies that all of the input files must exist for the process to start.

   • At least one must exist: Specifies that at least one of the input files must exist for the process to start.

   • Not required: Specifies that none of the input files must exist for the process to start.

6. Specify an Order in which to process multiple files setting by selecting one of the following options:

   • Natural: Select to process the input files in the order in which they are listed (i.e., from top to bottom of the input file list).

   • Alphabetical: Select to process the input files alphabetically according to their names.

   • Oldest first: Select to process the input files in chronological order, i.e., from oldest to newest.

   • Newest first: Select to process the input files in reverse chronological order, i.e., from newest to oldest.

7. To save or download created project, click the corresponding button or continue specifying other project settings if necessary.

Note: When saving a project file provide a comment in the displayed window and click Commit. The Server Library Project page is displayed, where you can  edit project file name, revision and access rights if necessary.

You may now perform the next step in configuring a project file, specifying export settings.

If you want to add an input distribution to the project, navigate to the Input Distribution tab and follow the instructions provided in the Distributions section.