How do I use "Files & Folders" Custom Tasks in PBRS?

With Files & Folders tasks you can automatically move and delete files, merge PDF or Excel files, even upload files to SharePoint.

Custom Tasks - Files & Folders

• In the Schedule Wizard, go to Custom Tasks.

File & Folders Tasks

• With these tasks you can automatically move and delete files, merge PDF or Excel files, even upload files to SharePoint.

Copy File

General

• Use this task to copy one or more files from one location to another.

• Task Name: Enter a name for the task.
• Files: Click (+) to browse and select files.
• Destination Folder: Browse to select the destination folder.

Tip: You can use Insert Menu to dynamically choose the destination folder.

• Replace existing files at destination: Check this option if the file being copied is to replace an existing file at the specified destination.

• Task Name: Enter a name for the task.
• Files: Use (…) to browse and select files.
• Recursive: Copy all folder and/or documents in that path.
• Recreate Folder Structure: Recreate the folder structure.
• Destination Folder: Browse to select the destination folder.

Tip: You can use Insert Menu to dynamically choose the destination folder.

• Replace existing files at destination: Check this option if the file being copied is to replace an existing file at the specified destination.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Rename/Move File

General

• Use this task to move a file. Keep the old name, or rename it by simply typing in a new name. Check to overwrite existing.

• Task Name: Give the task a name
• Original File Name: Use (…) to browse to the file that needs to be moved or renamed.
• New File Name: Use (…) to navigate to the location where the new file will be moved to. Here is where you would also enter the new name for the file.

• Overwrite Existing: Check this option if the new file is going to overwrite an existing file at the specified location.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Delete Files

General

• Use this task to delete old files. This may be used as an alternative to folder housekeeping.

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Files: Use (+) button to navigate to the required file.

Tip: You can use Insert Menu for the file name if required.

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Files: Use (…) button to navigate to the required file.

Tip: You can use Insert Menu for the file name if required.

• Recursive: Delete all folder and/or documents in that path.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Write Text File

General

• Use this task to create or write to existing text files, or append information and create your own log file.

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• File Name: Use (…) button to navigate to the file that is going to be written to.
• Text: Create the text that you want to write to the desired file.

• If the File exists…
• Overwrite: If this option is selected then the desired file will be overwritten with the text file and content above.
• Append: Select this option to add the text to an existing file.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Folder Housekeeping

General

Local Directory

• Use this task to regularly clear our folders. Sometimes folders used for report outputs can get very large.

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Local Directory: Use (…) to navigate to the folder containing the files that need to be purged.
• Delete files older than: Select the desire file life span that will be deleted.
• Include Subfolders: Clean any subfolders that contain files older than the specified amount of time.

Remote (FTP) Directory

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• FTP Server: Enter your FTP Server details and authentication credentials.
• Remote Directory: Browse or enter the folder path for the directory that will be purged.
• Delete files older than: Select the desire file life span that will be deleted.
• Include Subfolders: Clean any subfolders that contain files older than the specified amount of time.

• You can set Certificate Settings where applicable.

• You can also set Proxy Server details where required. Please make sure to contact your Network Administrator to verify if these are needed.

• Lastly, you can set SSH algorithm settings if needed by selecting a Host Key Algorithm and Key Exchange Algorithm.

For more on Folder Housekeeping, click here.

Create Folder

General

• Use this task to create a new folder. Simply browse for the parent folder, and then tell PBRS what the new folder name should be.

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Parent Folder: Use (…) button to browse to the parent folder.
• Folder Name: Enter the name of the new folder that will be created.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Rename/Move Folder

General

 

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Move: Click this option to move the folder.
• Rename: Click this option to rename a folder.
• Select Folder: Use (…) button to browse to the folder you want to move.
• Destination Folder: Use (…) button to browse to the location of the new folder.
• New Name: Type the new name for the folder.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Zip Files

General

Simple

• Use this option if you need to zip single files from multiple locations.

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Files: Use (+) button to select the required files. You can either select a file or specify a path including wildcards e.g. *.* to select all files.
• Output Zip File: Give the outputted zip file a name.

Tip: Use Insert Menu in the file name

• Zip File Encryption: Enter the desired Encryption details.

Advanced

• Use this option if you need to zip files in the same folder.

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Files: Use (+) button to select the required files. You can either select a file or specify a path including wildcards e.g. *.* to select all files.
• Recursive: This will search the folder and all sub folders.
• Maintain Folder Structure: Select this to ensure files of the same name are not overwritten and have the folder structure maintained. This is useful when using wildcards.
• Output Zip File: Give the outputted zip file a name.

Tip: Use Insert Menu in the file name.

• Zip File Encryption: Enter the desired Encryption details.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Unzip File

General

• Use this task to unzip a selected zip file to a specified folder.

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Select Zipped File: Use (…) button to select the required zip file that is to be extracted out.
• Password: If your file requires a password enter it here. If your .zip file requires a password, you can enter the password into the Password field.
• Destination Folder: Use (…) button to navigate to the required folder where the extracted files will be stored.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Merge PDF Files

General

• Use this task to merge PDF files. You can select individual PDF files or a folder containing multiple PDF files.

 

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Merge Multiple Files/Folders: Select this option to merge files located in different folders.
• Merge all files in a single folder: Use this option to merge all files stored in the same folder.
• Destination File: Select a destination file that the merged file will be saved to.
• Replace existing files at destination: Checking this option will delete any existing files at the specified location and replace them with these ones.

PDF Security

• Enable PDF Options: Check this option to be able to set Passwords and user permissions.
• Include the following watermark: Type the required watermark here, for example: confidential.

PDF File Summary

• PDF File Summary: Any information written here will overwrite the existing file summary.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

PDF Find & Replace

General

• Use this task to find & replace words in a PDF file. 

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• PDF File: Use (…) button to browse to the PDF file that you want to manipulate.
• Find: Enter the text to find.
• Replace With: Enter the text to replace it with.
• Page Range (Optional): You can specify a page range e.g 1-5 or specific e.g. 1,3,5.
• Use Regular Expression: Check this option to enable regular expression. 
• Save as New File: Check this option to save the changes on a new file. 
• Maximum number of files to be processed at the same time: Enter the number of files to be processed at the same time. 
• Customize Font: Use this option to customize the font and size of the replaced texts. 

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Add PDF Header/Footer

General

• Use this task to add a header and footer to a PDF file. 

PDF Header

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• PDF File: Use (…) button to browse to the PDF file that you want to manipulate.
• Add header to PDF: Check this option to enable Header to PDF configurations.
• Header Text: Enter the header text.
• Text Alignments: Use the drop-down menu to select the alignment of the header.
• Margins: Enter the number of inches for the left and top margin. 
• Font: Select the font, size, and color of the header text.
• Save as new file: Check this option to save the changes to a new file. 

PDF Footer

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• PDF File: Use (…) button to browse to the PDF file that you want to manipulate.
• Add footer to PDF: Check this option to enable Footer to PDF configurations.
• Header Text: Enter the footer text.
• Text Alignments: Use the drop-down menu to select the alignment of the footer.
• Margins: Enter the number of inches for the left and top margin. 
• Font: Select the font, size, and color of the footer text.
• Save as new file: Check this option to save the changes to a new file. 

PDF Body Text

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• PDF File: Use (…) button to browse to the PDF file that you want to manipulate.
• Add text to PDF body: Check this option to enable text to the body to PDF configurations.
• Body Text: Enter the body text.
• Text Alignments: Use the drop-down menu to select the alignment of the footer.
• Position: Enter the X and Y coordinates to enter the text. You can use the (...) button to find a text in the file to use the text coordinates. 

• Font: Select the font, size, and color of the footer text.
• Save as new file: Check this option to save the changes to a new file. 

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Manipulate PDF

General

• Use this task to change the PDF Security and File Summary of a PDF file.

PDF Security

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• PDF File: Use (…) button to browse to the PDF file that you want to manipulate.
• Enable PDF Options: Check this option to be able to set Passwords and user permissions.
• Include the following watermark: Type the required watermark here, for example: confidential.

File Summary

• PDF File Summary: Any information written here will overwrite the existing file summary.

Build Excel Workbook

General

• Task Name: Give the task a name.
• Save File As: Use (…) button to navigate to the folder where the workbook will be stored.
• Replace if File exists: Check this option if this workbook is going to be replacing one that already exists.
• Edit: Edit a Data set for a workbook.
• Delete: Deletes a data set from the workbook.
• Add a Database:
• Click Add.

• Click OK.
• Name the Data set.

• Use the Query Tool to pull the data from your data source.
• Click Parse to review your query results.

• Click Yes.
• Continue to add data sets until you have completed your workbook.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Merge Excel Files

General

• With this task, you can merge multiple Excel files into a single workbook.
• Add Files: Use (+) button to add Excel files that need to be merged.
• Delete Files: Use (X) button to remove any Excel files that you don’t want to be merged.
• Destination File: Use (…) button to browse to the destination folder where the merged files will be stored.
• Replace existing files at destination: Check this option to replace the file at the destination if it already exists.

Excel Security

• Password Protect Workbook: Check this option to enable a password field.
• Owner Password: Enter a password for the Excel file.

Excel File Summary

• Excel File Summary: Any information written here will overwrite the existing Excel File Summary.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Manipulate Excel

General

• Use this task to edit the file security and the file summary of an excel file.

Excel Security

• Password: Enter a Password for the Excel File.
• Read Only: Check this option if the Excel file will be read only.

File Summary

• File Summary: Any information written here will overwrite the existing file summary of the excel file.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Upload to SharePoint

General

• Task Name: give the task a name.
• Files: Use (…) button to navigate to the files that you want to export to the SharePoint Server.
• SharePoint Server Library: It will appear on the SharePoint Site.
• SharePoint hosted on Office 365: Check this option if the SharePoint Server is hosted on office 365.
• Document Library: Use (…) button to open the SharePoint Connection Window.

• SharePoint Server Browser: Complete the SharePoint Information and navigate to the required Document library.
• Metadata: File Metadata can be uploaded as well. Simply add the column names and values as needed.

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.

Backup System

General

• Use this task to set up automated system backups.

• Task Name: Give the task a name. 
• Location to save the backup: Use the (...) button to search for the file location path for the backup.
• Compress backup into a zip file: Check this option to compress backup into a zip file.
• Zip Name: Enter the Zip file name. 
• Keep backup files for 'X' days: Enter the number of days to keep the backup files. 

Options

• In this section, you have the option to run this task before, after or both.
  

Exception Handling

• If the System Backup fails, this option will treat the task as an error and follow the appropriate action. 
  
• Select an action from the task list. This task will be executed when the System Backup fails.
  • For more information about tasks, click here.