Introduction: Phase 1.

The directory is searched for files that match the given file pattern.

Unless otherwise specified, only the specified directory is searched.

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the read-in file is deleted immediately after the creation of the backup file.

(1) File name pattern. You can enter multiple file name patterns separated by the pipe (|) character (e.g. *.txt|*.csv). Regular expressions are supported. Note: Files whose names start with a dot (.) are not considered by this Input Agent!

(2) The files can be sorted for processing by filename or timestamp in descending or ascending order or as supplied by the operating system. Note: The accuracy of timestamps in Windows systems is in the minute range, in Unix/Linux systems in the seconds range.

(3) Specifies whether files that are older or younger than this information should be used. There will be no check for values 0/0 (like in the screenshot). This option only makes sense if you do not delete files and do not respond to file events. Example: The profile searches for new files every 30 minutes. If you now set 0 hours and 30 minutes as values, then files that have already been processed in a previous run will be ignored this time because their timestamp is older than the current time minus 30 minutes.

(4) The directory in which to search for files. See also system variable VAR_SYS_FILE_PATH. Under Windows, access to external shares is possible using the UNC syntax: //<server name>/<directory name>. Slashes (/) and no backslashes (\) are to be used. Several directories can be specified and processed. These directories must be separated by a semicolon (;). Example: /tmp/subdir1;/tmp/subdir2;/var

Within the file pattern (1) and the directory (4), all timestamp placeholders of the form <yyyy>, <dd> etc. are resolved. Variables can also be used, but only variables with the prefix MSG_CALL_ will be available in phase 1.

Important note: If the directory does not exist, an error occurs (unless the checkbox Ignore if directory does not exist and do not throw an error is set), but this error can only be found in the General Messages area, since no job is created if no files are found.

(5) You can explicitly log in to external systems with an SMB login. You can also select an SMB channel. Note: If possible, always use channels to centrally manage connection parameters. In addition to the increased clarity that also facilitates maintenance. If the connection parameters change, you only have to adjust the data in one place and you do not forget a profile.

(6) Files can be retained or deleted after processing. Regardless of this setting, empty files can be deleted from the specified directories.

(7) If this checkbox is set, empty files generate a job as well.

(8) If this checkbox is set, files whose name start with ~ will also be processed. Normally these files are ignored.

(9) The profile responds to the following events of the configured files.

• Creating

• Renaming (that is, an existing file is renamed and the new name is configured)

• Altering

Important notes:

• If you make manual entries in (5) or select a channel, this checkbox (and function) here will be deactivated, since events cannot be detected reliably with SMB shares.

• If this checkbox is set, times can no longer be defined for the profile.

• Lobster_data also determines file events via the timestamp of the file. If the timestamp of the file is before the current time, then no file event is determined for this file. This is particularly important in Windows, as the timestamp is retained when moving a file under Windows.

• When activating the file events, no variables and no constants may be used in (1) and (4).

(10) If this checkbox is set, several instances of this profile can work in parallel. The checkbox Profile may only run in one instance must not be set then for this profile.