PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME

Use the PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME script function to retrieve a list of files that are available in a specific computer directory. The script lets you filter for particular file names, and specify whether to include subdirectories and folders. On the host, the Agent retrieves the files. The script function returns a reference to a data sequence that you can use for further processing by assigning the return code to the :PROCESS script statement. Use the GET_PROCESS_LINE script function to access each line in the data sequence.

Important! Agents for applications (Oracle applications, PeopleSoft, and SAP) do not support PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME.

Notes:

The script function causes all open transactions of the script to be written to the AE database. For more information, see Script Processing.
You cannot assign a new value to the script variable that contains the reference to the data sequence. Use :CLOSE_PROCESS to discard the existing data sequence, and then assign a new value.
There is no error message if the data sequence does not contain the content that you specify. The :PROCESS script statement does not process the data sequence in this case.

Syntax

PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME (Host, File name, [Wildcards], [Subfolder], [Filter] [,"COL=Definition1[, Definition2]"] ,"UC_LOGIN=Login object")

Parameters

PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME
Retrieves a list of file names
Host
Name of the Agent on the computer on which the files are located
Format: script literal or script variable
File name
Path and file name to search for
Format: script literal or script variable
Notes:
- Use the wildcard character * to stand for any number of characters, or ? for a single character in the file name.
- Do not use wildcards in the path.
- Case sensitivity is determined by the parameter Wildcards.
Wildcards
(Optional) Indicates whether the file name is specified with wildcard characters
Format: script literal or script variable
Allowed values:
- Y (default)
  File name contains wildcard characters, case insensitive
- N
  File name does not contain wildcard characters, case sensitive
Subfolder
(Optional) Determines whether to include subfolders and subdirectories in the search
Format: script literal or script variable
Allowed values:
- Y
  Subfolders and subdirectories are included
- N (default)
  Subfolders and subdirectories are excluded
Filter
(Optional) Additional filter for file names in the data sequence
Format: script literal or script variable
Default value: *
Notes:
- The filter is case insensitive
- Use the wildcard character * to stand for any number of characters, or ? for a single character.
COL
Use the following format COL=Definition1[, Definition2]. For more information, see Defining Columns.
Login object
(Optional) Name of a Login object
The login data in the Login object is checked for access to the file to be read. The actual file access and transfer to the Automation Engine is done by the effective user of the Agent.
Format: script literal or script variable
Important!
- If you do not specify a Login object, the user must have the following privilege: File Transfer: Start without Login object specified. For more information, see Granting Automation Engine Privileges.
- Enclose the complete phrase UC_LOGIN=Login object in quotation marks.
- (z/OS) UserIDs without a password (such as PROTECTED UserIDs in the Login object) cannot be used anymore since v12.1 when login security was improved and password requirements were changed. See Login (LOGIN)

Note: Include commas between the parameters even if you omit parameters. Do not place a comma after the last parameter that you specify.

Defining Columns

To split the data sequence lines into columns, specify the Column separation parameter as follows:

COL=Definition1[, Definition2]

Where

COL
Keyword for column separation
Definition1
Defines whether the data sequence lines are split into columns
Format: script literal or script variable
Allowed values:
- NONE
  Lines are not split into columns
- LENGTH
  Sets a predefined column size
  Note: Use LENGTH_TAB in Definition2 to specify the size.
- DELIMITER
  Separates columns with a delimiter
  Note: Use DELIMITER in Definition2 to specify the delimiter.
Definition2
(Optional) Defines column sizes and names, or the delimiter
Note: If you specify Definition2, you must specify Definition1.
Format: script literal or script variable
Allowed values:
- LENGTH_TAB
  Specifies column sizes and column names
  Example:"COL=LENGTH,LENGTH_TAB='3=drive,100=file name'"
  Notes:
  - Separate individual column definitions with commas.
  - Specify up to 22 columns with a total of 2048 bytes.
  - Specify the column size as the number of characters. The maximum size is 255 characters.
  - (Optional) specify column names. Names can be up to 32 characters long.
  - Use quotation marks before the first and after the last column definition. Use double quotation marks if you use single quotation marks for script literals in Definition2, or vice versa.
- DELIMITER
  Defines a delimiter that separates columns
  The lines of the data sequence are returned as columns that are placed before, between or after the delimiter string.
  Example:
  "COL=DELIMITER,DELIMITER=*'*"
  'COL=DELIMITER,DELIMITER=@"@'
  Default value: ;
  Notes:
  - You can use any characters as the delimiter.
  - The delimiter can be a string of up to 10 characters.
  - Enclose the delimiter with any character: *Delimiter*. The enclosing characters are not displayed in the output.
  - A column is not separated if a line does not include a delimiter.
  - If you use single quotation marks as delimiters, then you must enclose Definition2 in double quotation marks, or vice versa.

Return Codes

The script function retrieves a reference to a data sequence that contains a list of retrieved file names. The following return codes indicate errors:

20240
Login information is missing
20303
Automation Engine authorization error
20349
Agent is not available
20510
A CP or WP is specified instead of an Agent
20514
Invalid entry when used with wildcard characters

Examples

The following example lists all HTML documents contained in the Web Help of the Automation Engine documentation. The use of wildcards is explicitly specified. The resulting list of files is printed in the activation report.

:SET &HND# = PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME("WIN01","c:\AUTOMIC\documentation\webhelp\german\uc*.htm","Y",,,,"UC_LOGIN=WIN_LOGIN")
:PROCESS &HND#
: SET &LINE# = GET_PROCESS_LINE(&HND#)
: PRINT &LINE#
:ENDPROCESS

The following example creates a list of all stylesheets that are supplied with the Automation Engine documentation. All subfolders of the documentation directory are included in the search. The result contains no drive specification, and is written to the activation report.

:SET &HND# = PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME("WIN01", "\AUTOMIC\documentation\uc*.css","Y","Y",)
:PROCESS &HND#
: SET &LINE# = GET_PROCESS_LINE(&HND#)
: PRINT &LINE#
:ENDPROCESS

The following example creates a list of all AE programs. The individual lines are split in columns, with the columns separated by backslashes. The script retrieves the fifth column in the data sequence, which contains the file name of the program, and writes the results in the activation report.

:SET &HND# = PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME("WIN01","c:\AUTOMIC\server\bin\*.exe",,,,"COL=DELIMITER,DELIMITER=*\*")
:PROCESS &HND
: SET &LINE# = GET_PROCESS_LINE(&HND#,5)
: PRINT &LINE#
:ENDPROCESS

The following example retrieves the same files, but this time, a filter excludes all files except those that contain the string "server" in the file name.

:SET &HND# = PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME("WIN01","c:\AUTOMIC\server\bin\*.exe",,,"*server*","COL=DELIMITER,DELIMITER=*\*")
:PROCESS &HND#
: SET &LINE# = GET_PROCESS_LINE(&HND#,5)
: PRINT &LINE#
:ENDPROCESS