eFORMz supports a number of third-party archiving providers, such as the iSeries Integrated File System (IFS) and SharePoint. eFORMz also has a built-in archiving functionality. This post demonstrates how to use this feature. To follow along, download the following sample: AbsoluteDirectoryArchiving

Send eFORMz output to an archive (eDIRECT)

To send eFORMz output to an archive, switch to the eDIRECT tab from the Project window. Right click and select Add Output > Archive.

The Archive Output dialog box will display. From the Archive drop-down menu, select a provider.

From the Project window, right click Archive and select Add Folder. For the folder name, enter a constant value or select a variable.

From the Project window, right click Folder and select Add Content > Generated. Select a format and switch to the File tab. For the file name, enter a constant value or select a variable.

The result will display in the Project window.

To test the archive, select Run > Process w/eDIRECT PLUS from the eFORMz Main Menu.

Configure an archive provider (Director Toolkit/Configuration)

To add an archive to eFORMz, navigate to the eFORMz Main Menu from the eFORMz Composer and select one of the following:

Host Tools > Local Director Toolkit (Windows)
Host Tools > AS400 > Director Toolkit (iSeries)
Host Tools > Unix > Director Toolkit (Unix/Linux)

NOTE: Alternatively, archives can be configured with Director_Configure, located in the Minisoft > eFORMz_6 folder.

Once the Director Toolkit displays, switch to the Archives tab and select Add.

The Archive Configuration dialog box will display. Enter a name in the Archive Name field and select Add from the Properties field. The Archive Property dialog box will display. Use the Value field to name the content within the archive (the folder name). Select OK when complete.

Select Save before exiting.

NOTE: Configuring the archive with the Director Toolkit or Director Configuration makes the specified archive global, that is, it is usable by multiple projects. An archive configured within the eFORMz Composer is only accessible by the project it has been configured with. This method of configuration should not be used in production environments.

Configuration Details

All archive configurations are stored in the Archives.xml file. By default, this is located in the Minisoft > eFORMz_6 folder. For reference purposes, the Name attribute of the Archive tag changes the name of the archive. The Value attribute of the Operand tag names the content within the archive.

iSeries (AS/400)

Note that in Archives.xml, the Value="/ uses a single slash /.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Archives>
  <Archive Name="Input" Provider="File System">
    <Content Active="true" Expanded="true" Type="Constant" Format="Text" ID="BaseDirectory">
      <Operand Type="Constant" InputEnabled="false" Value="/Archive_Input/sample/enterprise" Encrypted="false" />
    </Content>
  </Archive>
  <Archive Name="Output" Provider="File System">
    <Content Active="true" Expanded="true" Type="Constant" Format="Text" ID="BaseDirectory">
      <Operand Type="Constant" InputEnabled="false" Value="/Archive_Output/testing/falcon" Encrypted="false" />
    </Content>
  </Archive>
</Archives>

The Director Toolkit file [LocalPM.cfg] is shown below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ToolkitConfiguration Active="true" Expanded="true" Target="iSeries" ToolkitVersion="11.03.13" LogToStdout="true" LogToFile="true" LogFile="log/LocalPM.txt" AppendToLogFile="false" LogFileSizeLimit="10000000" LogFileResetTimeInterval="Days" LogFileResetTimeValue="1" LogPriorityFence="0" LogRollCount="31" AlertQueue="" AlertFence="15">
  <TimedQueue Active="true" Expanded="true" Name="ArchiveTest" Interval="15" Priority="-1" ProcessSerially="false">
    <TimedQueueSelector Active="true" Expanded="true" AllowHoldFiles="false" IgnoreDisposition="false" Disposition="Delete">
      <ProjectProcessor Active="true" Expanded="true" Project="/minisoft/projects/Archives/Project.efz" Intermediate="false">
        <eDirectProcess Active="true" Expanded="true" Directory="/minisoft/scratch" NoSubs="false" />
        <ConditionTerms Active="true" Expanded="true" />
      </ProjectProcessor>
    </TimedQueueSelector>
  </TimedQueue>
</ToolkitConfiguration>

Unix

Note that in Archives.xml, the Value="/ uses a single slash /.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Archives>
  <Archive Name="Input" Provider="File System">
    <Content Active="true" Expanded="true" Type="Constant" Format="Text" ID="BaseDirectory">
      <Operand Type="Constant" InputEnabled="false" Value="/Archive_Input/sample/enterprise" Encrypted="false" />
    </Content>
  </Archive>
  <Archive Name="Output" Provider="File System">
    <Content Active="true" Expanded="true" Type="Constant" Format="Text" ID="BaseDirectory">
      <Operand Type="Constant" InputEnabled="false" Value="/Archive_Output/testing/falcon" Encrypted="false" />
    </Content>
  </Archive>
</Archives>

The Director Toolkit file [LocalPM.cfg] is shown below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ToolkitConfiguration Active="true" Expanded="true" Target="Open" ToolkitVersion="11.03.13" LogToStdout="true" LogToFile="true" LogFile="log/LocalPM.txt" AppendToLogFile="false" LogFileSizeLimit="10000000" LogFileResetTimeInterval="Days" LogFileResetTimeValue="1" LogPriorityFence="0" LogRollCount="100" AlertQueue="Alerts" AlertFence="4" AlertSpinControl="5,7,0,600,0">
  <TimedQueue Active="true" Expanded="true" Name="Archives" Interval="15" Priority="-1" ProcessSerially="false">
    <TimedQueueSelector Active="true" Expanded="true" AllowHoldFiles="false" IgnoreDisposition="false" Disposition="Delete">
      <ProjectProcessor Active="true" Expanded="true" Project="projects/Archives/Project.efz" Intermediate="false">
        <eDirectProcess Active="true" Expanded="true" Directory="scratch" NoSubs="false" />
        <ConditionTerms Active="true" Expanded="true" />
      </ProjectProcessor>
    </TimedQueueSelector>
  </TimedQueue>
</ToolkitConfiguration>

Windows

Note that in Archives.xml, the Value="C:\\ uses two backslashes \\.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Archives>
  <Archive Name="Input" Provider="File System">
    <Content Active="true" Expanded="true" Type="Constant" Format="Text" ID="BaseDirectory">
      <Operand Type="Constant" InputEnabled="false" Value="C:\\Minisoft\\eFORMz_6\\Archives\\input" Encrypted="false" />
    </Content>
  </Archive>
  <Archive Name="Output" Provider="File System">
    <Content Active="true" Expanded="true" Type="Constant" Format="Text" ID="BaseDirectory">
      <Operand Type="Constant" InputEnabled="false" Value="e:\\clue\\drawing_room\\candle_stick" Encrypted="false" />
    </Content>
  </Archive>
</Archives>

The Director Toolkit file [LocalPM.cfg] is shown below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ToolkitConfiguration Active="true" Expanded="true" Target="Open" ToolkitVersion="11.03.13" LogToStdout="true" LogToFile="true" LogFile="log/LocalPM.txt" AppendToLogFile="false" LogFileSizeLimit="10000000" LogFileResetTimeInterval="Days" LogFileResetTimeValue="1" LogPriorityFence="0" LogRollCount="100" AlertQueue="Alerts" AlertFence="4" AlertSpinControl="5,7,0,600,0">
  <TimedQueue Active="true" Expanded="true" Name="Archives" Interval="15" Priority="-1" ProcessSerially="false">
    <TimedQueueSelector Active="true" Expanded="true" AllowHoldFiles="false" IgnoreDisposition="false" Disposition="Delete">
      <ProjectProcessor Active="true" Expanded="true" Project="C:\Minisoft\eFORMz_6\projects\Archives\Project.efz" Intermediate="false">
        <eDirectProcess Active="true" Expanded="true" Directory="C:\Minisoft\eFORMz_6\scratch" NoSubs="false" />
        <ConditionTerms Active="true" Expanded="true" />
      </ProjectProcessor>
    </TimedQueueSelector>
  </TimedQueue>
</ToolkitConfiguration>