# File Read Use the **File Read** task to get information from a file. It is represented as rectangular shape box as shown below: ![](https://2015371994-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMpDjHWFRUtZ5nJcSfVXd%2Fuploads%2FAK24DGTh7lH4v1i26ljN%2F0?alt=media) **Purpose** The **File Read** task is used to read information from file. When your process flow requires to access information from a file, user can use **File Read Task** to read the data. The "**File Read" Node Task** supports files from many sources and different formats. **File Node Configuration Properties** Configurations property settings panel has 3 tabs to define properties. **General** General Tab contains general information such as title name, task id, description etc. **BusinessObject** Used to configure and map the **Business Object** for input and output for the node. **File Read Parameter** ![](https://2015371994-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMpDjHWFRUtZ5nJcSfVXd%2Fuploads%2FyCc8k5YynzdeJ8adis9V%2F1?alt=media) All Settings in File Read Parameter Tab are shown below: | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | --------------------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | File Source | Y | - | The format type for the file transfer, like File system, FTP, Secured FTP (SFTP) and FTPS. | | File Type | Y | - | The format type of the metadata files, namely FIXWIDTH, XLS, DELIMITED, and XML. | | Skip 1st Row | N | Off | The value is used to skip first row of a file. | | Remove Duplicate Records | N | Off | The value is used to remove duplicate records in a file. | | Apply Filter | N | Off | The value is used to filter the data. | | Apply Sort | N | Off | The value is used to sort data in file. | | Transform Fields | N | Off | The value is used to convert data to desired type. | | Move File After Compilation | N | Off | The value is used to move the file to do something when reading is success or failure. | The values for **File Source** can be as following: **File System, FTP, Secured FTP (SFTP)** and **FTPS**. When value for **File Source** is selected, user must enter information for **File Source**. **File System** Select **File System** to read file from computer directory. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | -------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | Path Directory | Y | | The path or the directory that keeps the file. | | File Name | Y | | The name of the file to be used. | **File Transfer Protocol (FTP)** **FTP** is the standard network protocol used to transfer of computer files between a client and server on a computer network. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | -------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | IP Host | Y | | The value of the ftp host address for transferring files. | | Port | Y | | The value of the ftp location for transferring files. | | Passive Mode | N | Uncheck | To connect the protocol ftp with passive mode. | | Username | Y | | The username for logging in to the ftp host. | | Password | Y | | The password for logging in to the ftp host. | | FTP Repository | Y | | The path for keeping the ftp file as back up. | | Expression | Y | | The value that was defined is the condition for showing the data. | | Suffix | N | | The value is the extension of the ftp. | **Secured File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)** **SFTP** is the standard data transmission protocol for use with the SSH2 protocol. It assures that information is securely transferred using safe information stream. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | -------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | IP Host | Y | | The value of the sftp host address for transferring files. | | Port | Y | | The value of the sftp location for transferring files. | | Username | Y | | The username for login to the sftp host. | | Password | Y | | The password for login to the sftp host. | | FTP Repository | Y | | The path for keeping the sftp file was backed up. | | Expression | Y | | The value that was defined is the condition for showing the data. | | Suffix | N | | The value is the extension of the sftp. | **File Transfer Protocol Secured (FTPS)** **FTPS** is an extension to the commonly used **File Transfer Protocol (FTP)** that support for the Transport Layer Security (TLS) and the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) cryptographic protocols. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | -------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | IP Host | Y | | The value of the ftps host address for transferring files. | | Port | Y | | The value of the ftps location for transferring files. | | Implicit SSL | N | Uncheck | To connect the protocol ftps with Implicit SSL mode. | | Username | Y | | The username for logging in to the ftps host. | | Password | Y | | The password for logging in to the ftps host. | | FTP Repository | Y | | The path for keeping the ftps file as back up. | | Expression | Y | | The value that was defined is the condition for showing the data. | | Suffix | N | | The value is the extension of the ftps. | The values for **File Type** can be **FIXWIDTH, XLS, DELIMITED** or **XML.** When value on **File Type** is selected, user must also enter information about that **File Type.** **FIXWIDTH** This format support data where every field has a fixed width and for width those fields is less than the value. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ---------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------ | | Non Uniform Rows | Y | Off | To indicate if the file has varying widths | When **FIXWIDTH** is selected on **File Type**, user can choose **Non Uniform Rows** as **"on"** or **"off".** If set to **"on"**, then user must also enter information for **Non Uniform Rows** and **Non Uniform Rows** is set to **"off"** when a file has consistent width for all rows. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ---------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------- | | Number of Header | Y | 1 | Number of field Header. | | Field | Y | | The value is the field name. | | Length | N | 0 | Size of field to be used. | If **Non Uniform Rows** is on, user must enter information about Header (**HR**), Splitter (**TR**), Data (**TD**) and Footer (**LR**). It is used to support data when a file has an irregular row width. **HR** | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ------------ | ------------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | HR Start | Y | | Header starts with HR value. | | Number of HR | Y | 1 | Number of header. | | Ignore | N | Uncheck | To be ignored when number of line over than length value. | | Field | Y | | The value is a field name. | | Length | Yes | 0 | Size of field to be used. | **TR** | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ------------ | ------------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | TR Start | Y | | Splitter starts with TR value. | | Number of TR | Y | 1 | Number of splitter. | | Ignore | N | Uncheck | To be ignored when number of line over than length value. | | Field | Y | | The value is a field name. | | Length | Y | 0 | Size of field to be used. | **TD** | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ------------ | ------------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | TD Start | Y | | Data starts with TD value. | | Number of TD | Y | 1 | Number of data. | | Ignore | N | Uncheck | To be ignored when number of line over than length value. | | Field | Y | | The value is a field name. | | Length | Y | 0 | Size of field to be used. | **LR** | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ------------ | ------------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | LR Start | Yes | 1 | Footer starts with LR value. | | Number of LR | Yes | | Number of footer. | | Ignore | No | Uncheck | To be ignored when number of line over than length value. | | Field | Yes | | The value is a field name. | | Length | Yes | 0 | Size of field to be used. | **XLS** Use **XLS** to support file format for getting information from Microsoft Excel documents. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ------------ | ------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | Sheet Name | Y | | The document name of the xls type that want to read. | **DELIMITED** Use **Delimited** to support file format has a text file with delimiter character. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ------------ | ------------- | ----------- | ----------------------------------------- | | Delimited | Y | | The character used as Delimiter**.** | **XML** Use **XML** to support file format for getting information from **Extensible Markup Language (XML)** format. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ------------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Number of Rules | Y | 1 | The Number of Required Field Name. | | Required Field Name | Y | | The value is a file name. | | Element Type | Y | | The value is a type of element, there 2 types as following: element and attribute. | | Path in XML File | Y | | XML path to that element or attribute. | | End TagName | Y | | The name of element used to stop reading of a field. | | Type Field Name | Y | String | Type of a field name. | When **Remove Duplicate Records** is on, system will remove duplicate records. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ---------------------------------- | ------------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------- | | Number of Remove Duplicate Records | Y | 1 | Number of Duplicate Records. | | Remove Field Name | Y | | The value is the field used to determine duplicate. | When **Apply Filter** is on, system will filter the data. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ----------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------------- | | Filter Expression | Yes | | The value which is used to filter. | When **Apply Sort** is on, system will sort data. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | -------------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Number of Apply Sort | Y | 1 | Number of sort. | | Sort Field Name | Y | | The value is a field name for sorting. | | ASC | N | Uncheck. | Type of sorting used. To get ascending order data check this field. | When **Transform Fields** is on, system will convert data to a desired type. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | -------------------------- | ------------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------- | | Number of Transform Fields | Y | 1 | Number of a transform. | | Field Name | Y | | The value is field name for converting. | | Type to transform | Y | | Type result for converting. | When **Move File after Completion** is on, system will move the file to the set directory once reading success or error. | **Property** | **Mandatory** | **Default** | **Description** | | ------------------------------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | Success Directory | Y | | Path of directory to move when reading success. | | Append Datetime after Move of Success | N | Uncheck | The value is used to append datetime after move of success. | | Error Directory | Y | | Path of directory to move when reading error. | | Append Datetime after Move of Error | N | Uncheck | The value is used to append datetime after move of error. | In **FileRead Parameter** tab, **"Open Mapping Parameter"** button is used to set mapping parameter of a File read node task. When click **Open Mapping Parameter** button, the system will redirect user to **Mapping Parameter** screen and the user can click **Mapping Parameter Input** line or **Mapping Parameter Output** line to mapping parameter for this **File ReadTask** **On Mapping Parameter screen:** When **FIXWIDTH** is selected as **File Type**, system will show a parameter for **Non Uniform Rows** to be set to on or off for a file. When **XLS** is selected as **File Type**, system will show parameters to support the excel sheets. User must create an output parameter to support the columns of an excel file. When **DELIMITED** is selected as **File Type**, system will show a parameter for **Delimited** type. When **XML** is selected as **File Type**, system will display the parameters to define the XML structure. {% hint style="info" %} **Note**: User must click "**Save Panel**" to save all configuration changes. {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.oneweb.tech/oneweb/reference/process-designer-reference/process-designer-component/activity-nodes/file-read.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. 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