Specifying Input File Monitoring Settings for a Process

When you specify input file monitoring settings for a process, you specify input files that you want Automator to monitor a particular location for. When the file arrives in the specified location, Automator will trigger running of the associated process.

You can specify the input file monitoring settings on the Monitoring tab of the Process page.

To specify input file monitoring settings

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

  2. Click the name of the process you want to change or click anywhere on its row, and then click Edit button.

  3. On the displayed page, select the Monitoring tab.

  4. Select the Enable check box, to enable monitoring.

NOTE: Changes in monitoring settings, including enabling and disabling monitoring or changing paths for monitored folders, take effect after approximately 1 minute.

  1. Select the monitoring type.

    • Choose Inputs if the file to be monitored is an input file. Proceed to Step 6.

    • Choose Manifests if the file to be monitored is an XML file. Proceed to Step 7.

  1. Click the Load File Specifications from Project button to specify the way specifications will be added from the following:

    • Append to the end of the list, or

    • Replace the list

  2. Click the Add button to select the folder you want Automator to monitor for reports. The Add File Specification dialog box will appear.

  3. Select one of two options in Manifest PostProcessing:

    • Delete (selected by default): Removes the XML file after processing

    • Move (and set the folder path): Moves the XML file after processing

  4. In the Add File Specification dialog box, specify the following parameters:

    • Source Type: Choose a local source and enter the file path with the name of the file you want Automator to monitor for at the end or select the file from the Named Paths list.

Note: If you're unsure of the file's exact name or if you want Automator to monitor for any file of a particular file type, you can use a wildcard character, either an asterisk (*) or a question mark (?), so that the arrival of any file of the specified type will trigger the running of the process. An asterisk may replace multiple characters while a question mark may replace any single character.) For example, adding *.prn to the end of the folder path instructs Automator to trigger the running of the associated process when any report file with a .prn extension arrives in the specified location.

  • Location: Select the location type from the drop-down list.

NOTE: If the required server is not on the list, refer to Locations Management topic to add a new location.

  • From the Named Paths list, select the appropriate named path and select the project file from the list of displayed in the Named Path Content box.

  • Path (for Local Source Type)/File Path (for Named Paths): You may use the naming macros to specify the file path. Click the Insert Macro icon Naming macro and select the naming macros from the drop-down list.

  • Click Save to add the file.

  1. Back in the Monitoring tab, specify the monitoring behavior:

    • Disable monitoring if trigger file is not removed – The input mask (e.g., myfile.txt or *xyz.pdf) from the monitored folder can sometimes cause a process job to fail with an error and remain in its original folder. By selecting Disable monitoring if trigger file is not removed, Automator stops monitoring the corresponding folder(s) for the process and its input mask(s) only. When this option is not selected, the monitoring is left enabled; when new files appear in the monitoring folder, the process running is triggered again. You would, for example, enable this option if a problem requires intervention to determine why the inputs caused the process to fail and prevent the process from running until the issue is addressed.

    • All files must exist – Monitoring based on multiple files starts as soon as one of the files is found. By selecting the All files must exist option, the monitoring process will not start unless all the associated files are found.

  1. Choose to download a manifest file that is based on the settings of the standard process. In Download Manifest, choose between the following:

    • XML – creates a manifest XML file

    • JSON – creates a manifest JSON file

NOTE: Before starting a process with a manifest containing some passwords, make sure to specify all required passwords and uncomment the “TODO:Specify Password” row in the manifest. If the process has no passwords, the manifest file generated automatically could be retained as it is.

  1. Click the Download button, and rename and save the manifest file as usual. Click the Save button to save the input file monitoring settings and proceed to the Processes page.

NOTE: When you specify manifests monitoring settings for a process, you specify the manifest XML files that you want Automator to monitor a particular location for. When the file arrives in the specified location, Automator will trigger running of the associated process.


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