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Directories

Please read the Material Usage Rules on this site.

Description​

This action is designed for working with directories. Here's what you can do with it:

  • create,
  • copy,
  • move,
  • delete,
  • retrieve one or more files from a directory. For example:
    • article files for posting on a channel or blog,
    • a picture for an avatar when registering on apps or websites.
  • check if a directory exists.

When parsing, you can create a separate directory for each product, then save images, descriptions, and other info there.

How to add it to your project​

Use the context menu: Add action → Data → Directories.

Add to project

How to use the action​

You can pick the needed action in the properties window when working with directories:

How to use the action

Copy​

This action copies the entire directory along with everything inside it to a new location.

Copy

Directory path​

Here's where you enter the path to the original folder.

New path​

And here's where you enter the destination for the directory.

Please note

If a directory with the same name already exists in the new location, nothing will be copied. The action will still finish successfully (green branch).

Move​

Works pretty much like the previous one, except it "takes" the directory away from its old locations, meaning it doesn't keep a copy there.

Get list of directories​

With this action, you can get a list of all directories in the given path.

Get list of directories

Directory path​

Enter the folder path here.

Search in subdirectories​

If you turn this option on, the search will look through all subdirectories, no matter how deep.

If you leave it unchecked, you'll just get the top-level directories.

Mask filter​

In this field, you can enter a search mask. You can set several, using | to separate them.

Save to list​

You can save the result to a list.

Get list of files​

Works the same as the previous action, except this time you're looking for individual files, not directories.

Check if directory exists​

This action lets you check if a directory exists at the specified path. If found, the process goes down the green branch; if not, it goes down the red one.

Directory path​

Enter the path to the folder you want to check.

Timeout​

Amount of time (in seconds) this action will wait while searching for the directory.

Get file path​

This action gets the path to a file in the chosen directory.

Get file path

Directory path​

Type in the path to the folder where you'll search for a file.

File​

  • By number: Specify an exact file number (count starts at zero).
  • Random: A random file will be chosen from what's available.

Sort alphabetically​

Check this if you want the file chosen from a list sorted alphabetically.

Search in subdirectories​

If this is enabled, the file search will go through all subdirectories, no matter how deep.

If not checked, the file will be picked only from the root of the directory you're searching in.

Mask​

You can specify a search mask here. You can use several, separated by |.

Save to variable​

You can assign the found file to a variable.

Create​

This action lets you create a new directory at the specified path.

Please note

If a directory already exists at this path, it won't be overwritten. The action will still finish successfully (green branch).

Delete​

This action deletes the chosen folder along with everything inside it. If you try to delete a folder that doesn't exist, the action will still finish successfully (green branch).

Folders deleted this way don't go to the Recycle Bin—they are gone for good!

Example of use​

When registering on different sites, you often have to upload an avatar. Imagine you've got a folder with ready-made images in jpg, jpeg, png, and tiff formats. You need to pick just one.

The site where you're making an account specifically requires a PNG file. So, when searching, you'll use the mask *.png and pick a random image.

Example of use

After running this action, the absolute path to the file will be saved in the avatar variable.

System variable {-Project.Directory-}

This holds the full path to the project's folder.

You can use special symbols in search masks:

  • ? stands for any single character except the dot.
  • * means any number of any characters (including dots).
  • | lets you set several masks at once.

Examples​

MaskWhat it does
*.*Any files with any extension.
*.jpgFiles with the .jpg extension (image.jpg, avatar.jpg, 1.jpg).
*.p*Files with extensions starting with p (document.pdf, presentation.ppt, document.project, 1.p).
car*.*Files with any extension, but names starting with car (carriage.jpg, cartoon.ico, carrots.html).
*mat?.html.html files whose names start with any characters, then mat, then any 1 character (automate.html, tomato.html, mate.html).
doc?????.xls.xls files starting with doc and then 5 any characters (except the dot) (document.xls, doc-1208.xls, doctrine.xls).
???.??Files with 3 characters in the name and 2 in the extension (abc.ps, job.ai, 123.45)
?????Files with 5 characters in the name and no extension (house, image, tasks)
*.xlsx or *.docxAny xlsx and/or docx document (invoice.docx, resume.docx, project.xlsx, default.xlsx)