read file folders and report missing documents???

[richard2007]

is this possible?

we have thousands of client files (folders) which hold all of the documents for each client.

these documents in the main have the same name - an exampe 'rptRoS'. it is our regulators requirements that we hold these documents.

So - is it possible to create an app which can read the contents of folders and report those folders which do not have the correct files?

i have with help, a function to open a file for a specific record and show the contents, but i am thinking here of something which will read each folder in turn and create a record for those folders which have missing docs and name the missing docs.

the client that these files pertain to are not in my alpha database as they are much older.

thanks for any ideas.

richard

[Stan Mathews]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

is it possible to create an app which can read the contents of folders and report those folders which do not have the correct files

It is possible to read the contents of folders and the files they contain. Where would the corresponding list of files they should contain be found?

[richard2007]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

i thought i could either -

1. create a master folder with one of each of the documents required

or

2. create a table in the db to list the document names

there are only about 10 compulsary documents

some could have varying names as time has gone by and systems change, so for example the same doc could be called either

rptRoS
RWL
Comp Ros

[NoeticCC]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

I have used this in a web grid with a custom field to onlt allow users to progress a job if the PDF proof is present on our Samba file server, or show a note that the proof is missing.

But the principle is the same, you just have to do a few tests for variants of file names, to allow for the different permutations...

If file.exists("\\PATH_TO_FILE_DIRETORY\\"+FileName) Then
FileResult = "FILE OK"
Else
FileResult = "MISSING"
End If

Instead of just returning a string, you could use the list processing functions to collect a list of files present and missing for each entry in a table and so forth.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

My attchment illustrates one solution. It should be extracted to the root c:\drive as the directory "dirtest". It should contain the database and four sub-directories.

The script will

identify the sub directories and check their contents against a list that is built into the script (this list could be generated elsewhere as you mention). As each directory is checked, files that are in each directory are checked against the list. If there are missing files, an entry is made to the issues table recording the directory and the missing files.

alist = <<%lst%
a123.txt
b234.txt
c345.txt
d456.txt
e567.txt
%lst%
dirs = filefind.get("c:\dirtest\*.*",FILE_FIND_DIRECTORY,"PN")
dirs = *LINE_REMOVE( dirs,1, 2 )
cnt = w_count(dirs,crlf())
FOR i = 1 to cnt
	files = filefind.get(word(dirs,i,crlf())+"\*.*",FILE_FIND_NORMAL,"N")
	files = *LINE_REMOVE( files,1, 2 )
	not_there = WORD_SUBTRACT( alist,files, crlf() )
	IF not_there >""
		tbl = table.open("issues",FILE_RW_EXCLUSIVE)
		tbl.enter_begin()
		tbl.Directory = word(dirs,i,crlf())
		tbl.Missing = stritran(not_there,crlf(),", ")
		tbl.enter_end()
		tbl.close()
	END IF
	
next i
end

[richard2007]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

stan,

thanks for this. there is no attachment.

reading your code i understand most of it. your lines of a123.txt am i right in thinking this is where i would note the names of the documents to be checked against?

thanks

richard

[Stan Mathews]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

I added the attachment to the prior post.

The section

alist = <<%lst%
a123.txt
b234.txt
c345.txt
d456.txt
e567.txt
%lst%

creates a list of files to be the "standard" content that should be in each folder.

[richard2007]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

Stan,

Thats great. i have modified a little and have got the parent folder to be variable.

i have tried to make the documents variable. i have limited the search to 5 documents at the moment.

im struggling with the code.

open frmbranch to start the search
the script 'check dirs' is the modified code to make the documents variable.

any guidance would be appreciated.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

I think I covered everything and I added a time field to the issues table to be populated when the record is written. I did not change the browse to display it.

PS The doc# variables had to be declared as global on the form and in the script for them to be available to the script.

[richard2007]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

stan thats awesome.

we have a big financial services authority visit soon and this will really help us ensure our files are in order.

ill put this on the samples page for others.

im keen to understand coding better.

tst = doc1+doc2+doc3+doc4+doc5
if tst = ""
ui_msg_box("Oops","No files selected.")
end
end if

alist = *concat_lines(doc1,doc2,doc3,doc4,doc5)

how does the concat line work with the tst line. to me it looks like the tst line would concantenate all 5 documents.

thanks again.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

The *concat_lines() is completely separate logic from the tst variable. The tst variable concatenates all five trimmed values to see if anything has been entered, stopping if it hasn't.

*concat_lines() concatenates all five trimmed variables, adds a crlf() after each, and removes any blank lines. This creates the alist variable used in the comparison to the folder contents.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

Enhanced to read five "default" documents stored in a new table. Once loaded into the form variables they can be edited on the form. Would be simple to allow user to edit the actual stored values on another form.

[richard2007]

Re: read file folders and report missing documents???

this was my next move, thanks. i was also thinking about automatically adding the file extension, the user can type in the document name then choose the doc type from a drop down list, which will add the file extension

i used this app on friday and it is such a powerful little tool. it completed a task that would have no doubt taken a human hundreds of hours.

thanks again for your time stan.