Monitor File

The Monitor File activity invokes a runbook when files that you specify in folders and sub-folders have changed. You can monitor a file that indicates the completion of a transaction. For example, there are nightly transfers sent to your runbook server, and when the transfer is complete a file with the name "Complete" is written to the folder. This activity can automatically invoke a runbook that processes all the files in the folder when the "Complete" file is created.

Configuring the Monitor File Activity

Use the following information to configure the Monitor File activity.

Details Tab

Settings Configuration Instructions
In folder Enter the path to the file that you're monitoring or use the ellipsis (...) button to browse for it.
Include sub-folders Select this option to copy any files within the sub-folders of the path you've specified that match the filename that you've specified.
Filters Create filters with custom criteria for the files that you want to monitor. Perform the following for each filter that you want to create:

1. Select Add to open the Filter Settings dialog.
2. From the Name dropdown list, select the criteria that you want to use. The Relation and Value menu options present custom options according to the criteria that you select from the Name list.
3. Select options from the Relation and Value items.
4. Select OK.

Triggers Tab

Settings Configuration Instructions
Trigger if one of the files was Select a condition to invoke the activity if the condition in the monitored file is true.
Trigger if file properties changed Select a condition to invoke the activity if the condition in the monitored file is true.

Authentication Tab

Settings Configuration Instructions
User name Enter the user name required to access the folder if it's on a remote computer.
Password Enter the password required to access the folder if it's on a remote computer.

Published Data

The following table lists the published data items.

Item Description
Change type The type of changed that was detected on the file.
Name and path of the file The name and path of the file that was monitored.
Include sub-folders Indicates that the Include sub-folders checkbox was selected.
Notify if changed Indicates that the Changed checkbox was selected.
Notify if created Indicates that the Created checkbox was selected.
Notify if deleted Indicates that the Deleted checkbox was selected.
Notify if renamed Indicates that the Renamed checkbox was selected.
Origin Folder The folder that the monitored file was stored in.
Notify if file attributes changed Indicates that the Attributes checkbox was selected.
Notify if file creation time changed Indicates that the Creation time checkbox was selected.
Notify if file last access time changed Indicates that the Last access time checkbox was selected.
Notify if file last write time changed Indicates that the Last write time checkbox was selected.
Notify if file security changed Indicates that the Security checkbox was selected.
User name The user name used to access the folder if it was on a remote computer.