Variable Wizard - automatic File / Folder Watcher values
When using File / Folder Watcher sometimes it is very important to provide consequent Action with information what files / folders have been watched and / or in what location on disk (path).
Instead of providing fixed values when configuring File Actions, user can specify that these values are to be taken from File / Folder Watcher by using Variable Wizard when applicable.
Variable Wizard and File / Folder Watcher
Variable Wizard gathers data on monitored files / folders and allows using it as parameters in Actions.
| Automatic dynamic variables | Description |
| Preset | Choose one of the available presets that determines which parts of monitored file name will be returned:
|
| Example | Shows a typical example of file / folder name formatted according to selected preset. |
Assuming that File / Folder Watcher is set to monitor "C:\My Documents\" folder including its subfolders and then activated by "C:\My Documents\Images\My Picture.jpg" file, the returned variable values of each preset are listed below:
| Full path and filename | Preview |
| Full path and filename | C:\My Documents\Images\My Picture.jpg |
Filename preset returns filename without its location on disk. User can specify whether filename, extension, or both are returned.
| Filename | Preview |
| Filename | My Picture.jpg |
| File | My Picture |
| Extension | .jpg |
Regardless of monitored folder and its subfolders, the absolute path preset returns full path of the folder containing monitored file. Drive letter and backslash are optional.
| Absolute path | Preview |
| Absolute path | \My Documents\Images |
| Drive | C:\My Documents\Images |
| Ending backslash | \My Documents\Images\ |
Relative path returns watched file and subfolder path that mediates monitored folder and watched file. The monitored folder and higher ones are not included. Optionally, only subfolder path without name of watched file can be returned.
| Relative path | Preview |
| Relative path | Images |
| Ending backslash | Images\ |
| File | Images\My Picture.jpg |
Watched folder preset returns the full path of folder monitored by File / Folder Watcher.
| Watched folder | Preview |
| Watched folder | C:\My Documents |
| Ending backslash | C:\My Documents\ |
Drive preset allows retrieving different versions of letter of the drive on which watched file is located. If file is located in UNC network path, empty driver variable value is returned.
| Drive | Preview |
| Drive | C |
| Colon | C: |
| Ending backslash | C:\ |
Custom preset allows combining necessary components (and skipping the ones not needed) into custom variable value. Supplemented with 8.3 file name format, custom preset provides good means for variable integration into various Actions and external applications.
| Custom | Preview |
| Drive | C: |
| Path | \My Documents\Images\ |
| File | My Picture |
| Extension | .jpg |
| 8.3 filename | C:\MYDOCU~1\IMAGES\MYPICT~1.JPG |
Note that on file systems that do not support 8.3 file names (e.g. exFAT) the long file name will be returned by Variable Wizard even if 8.3 file name value is requested.
Please do not hesitate to contact our support department with any possible further questions or to solve practical issues connected with Febooti Automation Workshop.