hiteksoftware.com

[Koen]

Hello
I am looking for an automatic ftp- upload system where i can skip the locked files that are in a directory. Is this possible with any of your products?
I want to use this upload system in combination with a video encoding machine that builds its files in a output folder. Unfortunately the video encoder has no other functionality like moving or renaming finished files...
Ableftp has all the features to do this work except the 'skip locked files' function. In the Knowledge Base i noticed an article about this feature called 'File in use- Check if file in use by another program'. But i can 't find the options mentioned.
Is it possible with any of your products?
Is there a workaround - (f.i - chain task: move files first and then upload the ones that are moved). Please help - i am waisting a lot of time trying programs without success.

Koen

[Robert]

1) Development on the 'File in Use' feature is ongoing. It release is held up because it is hard to make it work across all Operating Systems.
a) Every operating system locks files in different manners. Sometimes, this is true even for different versions of the same Operating System.
b) Some Operating Systems allow files to be copied / transferred even while locked and others do not.

2) If the file is being created in the folder, your best bet right now is to only transfer files that are older than X hours, thus giving the Video encoding machine enough time to completely write the file.

[Koen]

Testing with modification worked with one file type but not on others..flash video is updated while building, but windows media files not. The modification date remains the same until finished and then they are updated. In case the modification is not updated while building i could simply ask for a file older than 5 minutes and would not have to wait an hour.

If i could write the creation date after a copy by ablftp it would be possible to make this system work:

- encoder folder
- upload folder
- backup folder

chain task every 10 minutes:
1. copy content from encoder folder to the upload folder AND write new modification date.
2. delete original (this happens only to finished files)
3. upload file older then 10 minutes.

Only the files that are deleted from the encoder folder (finished - free to delete) will remain their last modification date and become older then 10 minutes. The others get always updated.

I realize this system works only on platforms where occupied files CAN NOT BE DELETED. On windows it will work.
So my the question are:
Is it possible to edit the modification date of a file?
Is it possible to look at creation date instead of modification date
If not: are you planning to add this in a future release?

[Robert]

1) We cannot get or set the file creation time. File creation time is not available on all OS and java api does not support this. We do not plan to support this.

2) You can only set the file modification time using the Script task if you are using Automize pro or ent editions.

3) We plan to provide the File in Use feature in version 8.x due around Feb-Mar 2008.