Considerations for the Connector for File System

Consider the following information when using the Connector for File System.

• The Directory Path field in the File System connection document corresponds to the Database field in other connection documents. The Subdirectory field in an activity document corresponds to the Table or Form name. In the Selection statement, you can use a file specification that includes wild cards such as "*.txt". See the example below.

• Timestamps on the Windows™ FAT file system are precise to two seconds only and are always even. This may cause replication mismatches with more precise systems.
• The metadata returned from the Connector for File System is file name, timestamp, size, and contents.
• Any file name, timestamp, or size can be used as a key, and can be used in combination. Contents cannot be used as a key.
• Results can be ordered by file name, timestamp, or size, although only one order field is permitted, resulting in only one key field for replication.
• The Select Metadata action button gives a list of subdirectories in the directory path.
• If the Source or Target Connection of a Direct Transfer is a File Connection and Automatic Field Mapping by Position is selected, the positional order of the File's fields is as follows:

  Filename

  Contents

  Timestamp

  Size

• If the Source Connection of a Direct Transfer is a File Connection, you can leave the select statement blank. The activity will proceed without an error as though the select statement had read as follows:

  select *.*

• For any activity in which you use the Field Mapping by Position option, the field display and the internal field order are not identical for this Connector. The fields listed for the Text Connector connection appear onscreen in alphabetical order. However, internally, HCL Enterprise Integrator (HEI) and Domino® Enterprise Connection Services (DECS) read and map the fields in the following order to the external system.

  Filename (VARCHAR)

  Contents (BLOB or TEXT)

  Timestamp (TIMESTAMP)

  Size (INTEGER)

• There is a limitation on how Connectors interpret a Notes® NUMBER field. When you use the "Create Target Metadata" option from an Notes® source, heavy precision loss may occur with Notes® NUMBER fields.

For Microsoft™ Windows™ users, the following example identifies all text files beginning with the letters "nab" in the directory path D:\files\somefiles\myfiles.

Field	Value	Note
Directory Path (in Connection Document)	D:\FILES\SOMEFILES	Equivalent to Database in other connections
Subdirectory (in Activity Document)	MYFILES	Equivalent to Table or Form in other connections
Select Statement	nab*.txt