Question

How to External file through a batch process

  • 4 July 2023
  • 8 replies
  • 224 views

Userlevel 7
Badge +20

Dear Team,
 

I am running the external supplier invoice load process through batch load in IFS Cloud (22R2).
 

It appears that the system only recognizes the exact file name and I have been unable to find a mechanism to inject files with different suffixes, such as ExtSuppInv001.txt, ExtSuppInv002.txt, and so on.


Is there anyone who is aware of how to accomplish this? If so, could you please share the solution?


8 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +11

Hi Xavier,

if you use for the import STDSIN1 or STDSIN2 it not possible to handle with various file names or extensions. Wildcards as *.csv are not allowed.

You might want to take into consideration using the import via XML files. Files dropped in a specified folder (that you can define) will be automatically uploaded. You can work here with wildcards but it is a completely different format. 

Kind regards

Ralph

Userlevel 5
Badge +11

Here is the structure for the xml receive functionality

Userlevel 4
Badge +8

I did this the long way in external files  - made multiple templates from the same file type and input the exact file name as a different value in each template

Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi, 

To continue with the above, the external file template / process can load a file A.CSV for example and then move the file to a backup location and add additional notations to that file name.   The idea is drop file A.CSV every day or every X period of time, IFS background job will run the file and move it to a backup location with a revised file name. 

You would use file name A.CSV on all files. The assumption being that you run the job right after placing the file in a given location.    From an IFS file loading perspective, you would not need different file names, IFS will then manage the output by moving A.CSV to a given location with a notation as part of the file name.  

Hope this helps, 

 

Best regards, 

Thomas

Userlevel 4
Badge +8

Thomas -

That makes sense - in our situation the files are generated by a different system and placed in the folder at the same time (multiple companies) - we do move the files to a backup location with additional notations, but multiple templates was the easiest solution for us.

Badge +1

I have a similar requirement to auto process files through external file interface. We are receiving the files through SFTP generated by a deferent application.

But when it comes to external file templates, I see a challenge with processing files with different names, in my case the first part of the file is identical in all but all file names end with a timestamp.


  these are a few example file names loaded into IFS (EXTERNAL_BATCH_LOAD_FILE_TAB)

 

When defining an external file template I expect to provide the first part of the file name followed by a *, as below. 

 

But this does not work and file name expects the full file name to be specified. Otherwise the file matching does not work and throws an error in background job (file does not exist). 

Is there a workaround within IFS to support this requirement?

Only solution I see at this point is to limit the file names (generated from other application) to a predefined set (2-3) and create templates with those names. Not ideal but just to make it work. 
 

Badge +2

Hi, 

 

is there any follow up on this matter? I am curious about solving the issue with distinct file names, which is quite expected within file exchange scenarios.

Badge +1

I managed this through a minor modification to IFS

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