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File Reader

[ | version 3.0]

Connector

The connector is forbidden for use by the platform background agent.

Connector processing type: Row by row!

The File reader connector reads the content of one or more local files as a Base64 string. See the Configuration section for a description of each option.

Configuration

File Read configuration

Mode

Mode Description
Read single file Reads always the same file specified in Path.
Read all files Reads always all files (which fit the Mask filter) from the directory specified in Path.
Read only new files Not recommended! Reads only new files from the directory specified in Path.
Read only modified files Reads only newly modified files from the directory specified in Path.

Try to avoid using Reads only new files mode

This mode keeps a list of read files and transfers it to the agent and back each time a step is run. The higher the number of files processed, the higher the traffic and CPU usage. The preferred way for reading only new files is Read only modified files mode, which stores only the name and modification date of the last file read.

Path

Based on selected Working mode:

Working mode Description
Read single file Path to a file, e.g. C:\Directory\MyTextFile.txt.
Other Directory from which the files will be read, e.g. C:\Directory.

Path can also be taken directly from the input data by using a ${input.<input_column>} placeholder, e.g. ${input.Path}.

NonExclusive Access

Allows subsequent opening of the file for reading or writing. If this flag is not specified, any request to open the file for reading or writing (by this process or another process) will fail until the file is closed. However, even if this flag is specified, additional permissions might still be needed to access the file.

Mask

The search string to match against file names. This parameter can contain a combination of valid literal path and wildcard (* and ?) characters, but it doesn''t support regular expressions (e.g. *.txt for text files, *.log for log files, *.csv for files with comma separated values etc.).

Mask can also be taken directly from the input data by using a ${input.<input_column>} placeholder, e.g. ${input.Mask}.

Batchsize

The maximum number of files loaded in a single task run.

Batch size Description
0 Unlimited, all new files will be loaded.
Greather than 0 Only specified number of files will be loaded at maximum.

Input & Output Schema

Input

Connector has optional input schema

Output

File (ver. 1.0.0)

Column Data type Allow null Description
Name string No Name of the loaded file, e.g. MyTextFile.txt.
Directory string No Directory from which the file was loaded, e.g. C:\Tmp.
FullPath string No The full path of the loaded file, e.g. C:\Tmp\MyTextFile.txt.
Extension string No Extension of the loaded file, e.g. .txt.
Data Base64 No The contents of the loaded file encoded in the Base64 string.
Size integer Yes Size of the loaded file in bytes.
Created DateTime Yes Date of creation of the loaded file, e.g. 2022-03-09T06:39:44Z.
Modified DateTime Yes Date of last modification of the loaded file, e.g. 2022-03-09T06:40:13Z.

Release notes

3.0.5

  • Updated package binaries because of changes in another included connector.

3.0.4

  • Added optional input schema.

3.0.3

  • Fixed shared nuget package versions.

3.0.2

  • Fixed right processing of nullable properties.