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The Read File action directs the Integration Service to look in a specified folder for a defined file type, read the data that is contained in that file, and then save the data to a variable.

You can configure the following properties for the Read File action:

Action

• Name: Specifies the name of the action. If desired, you can replace the default name by typing a new name in the field.

• Description: Allows you to save a description for the action.

• Run Action: Allows you to specify how often you want to run the action.

  • Always: Specifies that the Integration Service will run the action each time it runs the integration.

  • Never: Specifies that the Integration Service will not run the action when it runs the integration.

  • Conditionally, based on variable: Specifies that the Integration Service will run the action only when a selected variable meets a specified condition. Use this option in situations where there is only one condition that determines whether or not the action will run. Once you have enabled this option, you can create the conditional statement in the input box provided.

    Input box controls

    • Variable: Enter the variable that you want to use for the conditional statement. Alternatively, you can add a variable for the conditional statement value.

    • [Relational Operator]: Specifies the relational operator to use for the conditional statement. Click the existing operator to open a list of additional operators, and select the one you want to use. For more information, refer to Relational Operators. The operators available in the list depend on whether you have selected Text or Decimal for the Type option.

    • Value: Specifies the value(s) to use for the conditional statement. Some operators, such as Is null and Is not null, do not require a value to be specified. In these situations, the Value field is not available.

    • Type: Specifies whether the conditional statement is evaluating a text or decimal value.

       

  • Conditionally, based on expression: Specifies the conditions under which the Integration Service will run the action. Use this option for situations that require more than one conditional statement. Once you have enabled this option, you can create the conditional expression in the input box provided by creating the desired conditional statements. You create and edit your conditional expression on the Tree View tab. Click the Text View tab to see a read-only text view of the conditional expression.

    Input box controls (Tree View tab)

    • [Conditional Joiner]: Specifies the conditional joiner for the conditional statements within the group. The default conditional joiner is And.

      Click the existing conditional joiner to access a menu that allows you to configure your conditional expression in one of the following ways:

      • Select a different conditional joiner: The menu options include a list of conditional joiners. Select the conditional joiner you want to use for the conditional statements. For more information about the supported conditional joiners, see Conditional Joiners.

      • Add Condition: Click to add another conditional statement to the current group.

      • Add Group: Click to add a sub-group of conditional statements to the current group.

      • Remove Group: Available in the menu when the menu has been opened from a sub-group. Click to delete the sub-group.

      • Clear All: Available in the menu when the menu has been opened from the top-most group. Click to delete all conditional statements (including sub-groups).

    • : Visible just to the right of each conditional joiner in your expression. Click to add a conditional statement to the group associated with that joiner.

    • :  Visible when you position the cursor over an existing conditional statement. Click to delete the conditional statement.

    • Variable: Enter the variable that you want to use for the conditional statement. Alternatively, you can add a variable for the conditional statement.

    • [Relational Operator]: Specifies the relational operator to use for the conditional statement. Click the existing operator to open a list of additional operators, and select the one you want to use. For more information, refer to Relational Operators. The operators available in the list depend on whether you have selected Text or Decimal for the Type option.

    • Value: Specifies the value(s) to use for the conditional statement. Some operators, such as Is null and Is not null do not require a value to be specified. In these situations, the Value field will be hidden.

    • Type: Specifies whether the conditional statement is evaluating a text or decimal value.

Source

• Location: Specifies the file system where the source folder exists. File systems or locations can include local file systems or network shares, Librarian, or a supported cloud storage location. For more information about supported cloud storage locations, see Administration Console's Cloud Storage Page.

• File Name: Specifies the file that the Integration Service will read from. You can type the folder location and file name or click Browse to locate and select the desired file. Alternatively, you can add a variable to specify the desired file or add a special character to the value you have entered.

If you have clicked to select the Wait for file to arrive check box under File Detection (as follows), the File Name option changes to the Folder to Scan option.

• Folder to Scan: Specifies the folder location where the Integration Service needs to look for the file. You can type the folder location or click Browse to locate and select the desired folder. Alternatively, you can add a variable that specifies the folder to scan, or add a special character to the value you have entered.

• File Encoding: Specifies the method that is used to encode the file that is being read.

• File Content Format: Specifies the data contents type. The Integration Service processes the contents of the file according to this format.

• Data is contained in a SOAP message: When enabled, the Integration Service expects the data to be contained in a SOAP message.

• Locked-File Timeout: Specifies how long to attempt to open the file that is found to be initially locked by another application.

File Detection

• Wait for file to arrive: When this option is selected, the Integration Service waits for the file to arrive if it does not already exist in the folder.

File detection options are available only when you have clicked to select the Wait for file to arrive check box.





• Detection Options

  • Scan Method: Specifies the method the Integration Service will use to monitor the scan folder for the arrival of the specified file.

    • Notification and Polling: Specifies that the Integration Service will both monitor the scan folder continuously and scan the folder at timed intervals. This option may be useful when you have concerns about the reliability of your file system. If an event were to be missed during the continuous scan, a polled scan would ensure its detection. When selected, you can specify the polling interval in milliseconds, seconds, minutes, or hours.

    • Notifications Only: Specifies that the Integration Service monitors the scan folder continuously.

    • Polling Only: Specifies that the Integration Service scans the scan folder at timed intervals. When selected, you can specify the polling interval in milliseconds, seconds, minutes, or hours.

  • Polling Interval: Specifies how often the Integration Service scans for the file, Available when Notification and Polling or Polling Only is selected for the Scan Method.

  • File Pattern: Specifies the filter for files to look for. The default is *.dat. Enter a different file extension if you wish. Alternatively, you can add a variable that specifies the file pattern, or add a special character to the value you have entered.

    • Use Regular Expression: Specifies that the Integration Service will use regular expressions to identify the file pattern. Once this option is enabled, you can add regular expression modifiers to the previous property for more control over the search criteria.

  • Minimum File Size: Specifies the minimum file size that the file must be for the Integration Service to accept it as the source file.

  • Maximum File Size: Specifies the file size that the file cannot exceed for the Integration Service to accept it as the source file.

  • File Idle Time: Specifies the maximum time a file can be idle in the specified folder for the Integration Service to still accept it as the source file. The maximum idle time can be specified in milliseconds, seconds, minutes or hours, and is compared against the file's "LastModifiedTime".

• Multiple File Sort Order

  Defines the order in which the Integration Service will process files in the specified folder when more than one file matches the indicated file pattern. If no sort order is specified on the property page, sorting defaults to creation time (ascending order), and then by file name (ascending order). You can specify zero to four sort criteria.

  • Order: Displays the order in which the sorting criteria are applied to the matching files in the specified folder.

  • Sort Field: Specifies the criterion to be applied to the matching files.

  • Direction: Specifies ascending or descending order is used when the sort field criterion is applied to the matching files.

  • Add Sort Criteria: Allows you to add additional sorting criteria.

Output

• Save file contents to variable: Specifies the variable to which you want to save the file contents. Enter the variable in the input box. Alternatively, you can add a variable.

Test Read File

• Test: Runs the action. The Message pane displays information on the success or failure of the action.

  Clicking the Test button executes the action only and does not run the integration. Therefore the action will run without any data from the integration that you may have configured it to use. For information on testing your integration, refer to Using the Test Pane.

User Account

• Inherit from parent action: When enabled, the action inherits the user account credentials specified on the Actions property page. Alternatively, if the action is part of a Group action, it will inherit the user account credentials specified on the immediate parent Group action’s property page.

• Specify user credentials: When enabled, the action runs using the credentials specified.

Error Handling and Diagnostics

• Ignore errors and continue running actions: When enabled, specifies that if the action fails, the remaining actions will continue to run.

  When this property is not enabled and the action fails, the resulting behavior depends on the following scenarios:  If you have specified Sequentially for the Execute Actions property of the selected action's hierarchical Actions or Group property page, no further actions within that group are executed. If you have specified In Parallel for the Execute Actions property of the action's hierarchical Actions or Group property page, the actions within that same group are not affected; the errors are ignored and the other actions within the group are executed. If the selected action is within a Group action, no actions outside of that Group action are affected.

• Retry if failed: When enabled, specifies that if the action fails, the Integration Service will try to run it again.

• Maximum retries: Specifies the maximum number of times the Integration Service will try to run the action again. Available when Retry if failed is enabled.

• Retry interval: Specifies the amount of time the Integration Service will wait after the action has failed before trying to run the action again. Available when Retry if failed is enabled.