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Import From File
The Import From File node imports files from a configured file system into a dataflow. This node can retrieve one or multiple files from a file system location and make them available for further processing within the dataflow.
The configured path can reference either a single file or a directory:
- When a file is specified, that file is imported.
- When a directory is specified, all matching files are imported based on the configured search pattern.
Steps:
- Select a valid Connection.
- Configure the Path to a file or directory.
- Optionally enable Subdirectories to include files from nested folders.
- Define a Search Pattern to filter the files that should be imported.
- Execute the node: the matching files are returned to the dataflow.
Configuration
Section titled “Configuration”| Setting | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | Yes | The file system connection used to access the files. |
| Path | Yes | The file or folder location to import, e.g. C:\Import\customers.csv, C:\Import, \\Server\Shared\Invoices. Can be a fixed value or a column mapping from a previous node. When using a column mapping, the node must be executed using the For Each Row execution type. |
| Subdirectories | No | When enabled, the node searches all subdirectories below the configured path. When disabled, only files located directly in the specified path are processed. |
| Search Pattern | No | Wildcard filter for which files to include, e.g. *.*, *.csv, *.xml, invoice_*.pdf. Only matching files are returned. |
Output
Section titled “Output”The node returns one record for each imported file:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| FileName | Name of the file. |
| FileExtension | File extension. |
| FileSize | File size in bytes. |
| FileLastAccessTime | Last access timestamp. |
| FileCreationTime | File creation timestamp. |
| FileContent | File content. |
The output can be used by subsequent nodes for further processing.
- Use specific search patterns to limit the number of imported files.
- Enable Subdirectories only when files may be stored in nested folders.
- Verify that the configured path exists and is accessible.
- Ensure the configured connection has sufficient permissions to access the specified location.