FTP Monitor

Introduction

FTP Monitor is a plug-in which creates cases by checking constantly a FTP or Shared directory. If there are files on that directory, by the number of existing files on that, new cases are created.

How the plug-in works

FTP monitor requires to be created a valid FTP or Shared account on which a directory must be created. For each file uploaded on that directory, a case will be created automatically depending on some condition or if a certain time is accomplished, then that file is attached to the case, for this is necessary to create an Input Document. To run this plug-in is essential to configure a cron. In addition, if there are some XML files on the directory, the data of them will be added as a case data that was created.

If there are XML files with the same name, it will parse, and the XML data will include as case data that will be created.

Requirements

• ProcessMaker V 2.0.37 and later.

Browser Compatibility

• Mozilla Firefox from 3.6 and later.

• Internet Explorer from 7 and later.

• Chrome

Installation and Configuration

• Import the Simple Reporting plug-in on the ADMIN tab.
• Enabled the Plug-in.

Creating a FTP Monitor Connection

Once the plug-in is enabled, go to ADMIN > Plugins and the icon will available; click on it and all the available connections will show:

To create a new connection, click on icon, and a new window will display:

Connection Type will be FTP or SHARED.

FTP Connection

Create cases from an specific folder.

Characteristics:

- Host: host on which files will be transfered to create cases.

- Port: server port, include this only if it's necessary. It might be blank.

- User: user of the server, include this if the server needs authentication. It might be blank.

- Password: password of the server, this password is associated with the user name. This information is not required, so it might be blank.

- Path: specify the directory name where the files are located.

- Search Pattern:indicates what type of files will use. It accepts Regular Expressions.

- Pass Variables in an XML file: Check this if variables of a XML file need to be passed data into the case created.

- Process: it lists all the process.

- Task: It lists only initial tasks.

- User: it list all the available users.

- Input Document: list all input documents created for the process chosen. On this input document the XML file will attach.

- Active: check this option if the connection will use, otherwise un-check it.

Shared Connection

Folder shared with Samba. It doesn't need to specify data authentication.

FTP Monitor Settings

On the main connection list, there will be a menu with some options explained as follows:

• New: Create a new FTP or SHARED connection by clicking on .

• Edit: Edit a created connection, by choosing one of the list and clicking on .

• Disable: Disable a created connection, by choosing one of the list and clicking on .

• Enable: Enable a created connection, by choosing one of the list and clicking on .

Creating a Case

As soon as the connection was created, cron will execute automatically, according to the user's configuration. Once the cron is executed, it will look for new files on the server configured. If it finds new files, the number of cases will be created according to the number of files existing. If a file was created before with its respective case, it won't be created again. For example, accessing to the server where the files are located:

On the example above, on the server there are 221 files and one XML file, it means that 221 cases must have been created in the process:

And one file uploaded in an Input Document.

FTP Monitor Log

For each cron executed a log is created. I will display a registry which will have all the characteristics of the cron executed:

Characteristics:

• Execution Date Time: it displays the cron execution time.

• Connection Type: it displays if the connection is FTP or SHARED.

• Path: it shows the path where the files are located.

• Failed: it shows if some cases weren't created.

• Succeeded: it shows how many cases were created.

• Processed: it shows how many files were processed.

FTP Monitor Log Details

It is possible to check the details of the FTP Monitor Log. Go to ADMIN > Plugins and click on icon:

Choose one option of the list and click on the icon:

It will display the following details:

Characteristics

• Execution Date Time: it shows the execution date time of the cron.

• Path: it shows the txt file uploaded from the directory to ProcessMaker.

• Have XML: if the option Pass variables in an XML file: was enable this field will display TRUE, otherwise will display FALSE.

• Variables: it displays the variables passed on the XML file.

• Status: if the case or cases were created, the status will be OK.

• Description: it displays some error that might occur during the cases creation.