Read from Text File

The Read from Text File Action Step allows you to read from a text file and you use the Read Mode to specify which part of the file is to be read. The button in the Workflow shows the Read Mode that is presently active in brackets after the name of the Action Step (in the example above: WholeFile). There is an option to determine whether the text should be deleted after reading.

To achieve a correct result, the text file to be read has to be UTF-8 encoded.

Properties

File Operation Settings:

Delete line(s) after read Specify whether the text should be deleted after it is read.
Directory path Enter the path to the directory where the file to be read is stored. You can specify an absolute or relative path. If a relative path is used, then the path relates to the Base Path variable.
File name Enter the name here of the file that is to be read.
Line count Enter the number of lines to be read. This option can be used if you have specified that more than one line (Range of lines) should be read in Read file check mode.
Number of first or Single Line Specify the number of lines that are to be read here. If you have selected more than one line to be read in Read file check mode, i.e. a Range of lines, this is where you select the line number at which to start reading.

The first line in a text file is line number 1!

Read file check mode Use Read file check mode to specify which part of the file is to be read:
- Read whole file The whole file will be read.
- Last line Only the last, most recent line of the file will be read.
- Single line Only a single line will be read (please also note the setting Number of first or single line).
- Range of lines A set of lines will be read (please also note the setting Number of first or single line).
Read to end Specify whether to read to the end of the file. This option can be used if you have specified that more than one line (Range of lines) should be read in Read file check mode. The advantage of this option compared to the Line count option is that you do not have to define how many lines are to be read when in Range of lines mode.

Other Properties that are the same in all Action Steps are described in the section on Common Properties. For reasons of clarity they are not shown here.

Inbound Variables

Directory path Enter the path to the directory where the file to be read is stored. You can specify an absolute or relative path. If a relative path is used, then the path relates to the Base Path variable.

Outbound Variables

Read text The Read from Text File.Read text variable provides the selected read mode (Read file check mode).

IsRead The Read from Text File.IsRead variable indicates whether the file could be read or not (True/False).

Line Count The Read from Text File.Line Count variable provides the number of lines that are to be read.

File name The Read from Text File.File Name variable provides the name of the file that is to be read.

Directory path The Read from Text File.Directory Path variable provides the path that is used.

Wizard

Directory path Specify the path to the file that is to be read. You can create an absolute path or a path relative to the Base Path. The initial value is %STWS_BASEPATH%. Select an existing path. You can also insert variables from the Workflow in order to construct the path. To do so, click on the pin and select one of the available variables.

File name Enter the name here of the file that is to be read. You can also insert a variable from the Workflow as the File Name. To do so, click on the pin and select one of the available variables.
Read mode Use Read mode to specify which part of the file is to be read. Other fields will be shown depending on the chosen setting:
- Entire file The whole file will be read.
- Last line Only the last, most recent line of the file will be read.
- Single line Only a single line will be read. Enter the line number of the line that is to be read in the Line Number field.
- Range of lines A range of lines will be read. Enter the line number of the first line that is to be read in the First line to read field. Enter the number of lines that is to be read in the Line count field. Use the option Read to end of file to specify that reading is to occur until the end of the file. The advantage of this option compared to the Line count detail is that you do not have to define the number of lines that is to be read.