How to get or change file names, create or open folders with UiPath

In UiPath Studio development, we often manipulate files and folders.

However, it can be difficult to know which activity to use for what you want to achieve.

This article explains how to get a list of files in a folder, rename or move files and open files, and create or open folders.

 

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Get the file name

Get the list of files in the specified folder.

System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(“<folder path>”) is used to get a list of files in a specific folder.

 

Sample Process
Get the list of files in the specified folder and output the full path, file name only, and file name without extension to the log.

・Code for the parts that are not fully displayed

The [Assign File List] activity will
arrFileFullPath = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles("C:\work\50_system\UiPath\ENG\FileList")

The [Assign FileName] activity will
strFile = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(strFilePath)

The [Assign FIleName No Extension] activity will
strFilewithout = System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(strFilePath)

 

Each function has a

• [System.IO.Directory.GetFiles] gets the full path to the files in the first argument, the target folder path.
• [System.IO.Path.GetFileName] gets the file name with extension from the full path file name of the first argument.
• [System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension] gets the file name without extension from the full path file name of the first argument

 

・Variables

・target folder

・Execution result

 

Retrieve only specific file names in a specified folder.

System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(“<FolderPath>”, “<search string>”) is used to get the specific file name in the list of files in a specific folder.

 

Sample Process
Acquire only file names that contain the specified string in the file list of the specified folder, and output the full path, file name only, and file name without extension to the log.

・Code for the parts that are not fully displayed

The [Assign FIleList] activity will
arrFileFullPath = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles("C:\work\50_system\UiPath\ENG\FileList","*.xlsx")

The [Assign FileName] activity will
strFile = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(strFilePath)

The [Assign FileName No extention] activity will
strFilewithout = System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(strFilePath)

 

Each function has a

• [System.IO.Directory.GetFiles] searches for files in the first argument’s target folder path with the second argument and gets the full path.
  * The second argument, *, represents an arbitrary string.
• [System.IO.Path.GetFileName] gets the file name with extension from the full path file name of the first argument.
• [System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension] gets the file name without extension from the full path file name of the first argument

 

・Variables

・target folder

・Execution result

 

File operation

Move files(Move File)

To move a file, use “Move File”.

“Move File” is located in System > File.

Move File  Setting item

Setting location		Setting item	Setting contents
Body		From	The path of the file to be moved.
		To	The destination path where the file is to be moved.
		Overwrite	When checked, overwrites the files in the destination folder with the file that is to be copied.
Properties	Common	DisplayName	The display name of the activity.
		ContinueOnError	Specifies if the automation should continue even when the activity throws an error.
	Misc	Private	If selected, the values of variables and arguments are no longer logged at Verbose level.
	To	Destination	The destination path where the file is to be moved.
	From	Path	The path of the file to be moved.
	Options	Overwrite	When checked, overwrites the files in the destination folder with the file that is to be copied.

 

Sample Process
Move the file.

・Move File  Properties

・Folder before process execution

・Folder after executing the process

 

Rename the file(Move File)

To rename a file, use “Move File”.

“Move File” is located in [System > File].

 

Move File  Setting item

Setting location		Setting item	Setting contents
Body		From	The path of the file to be moved.
		To	The destination path where the file is to be moved.
		Overwrite	When checked, overwrites the files in the destination folder with the file that is to be copied.
Properties	Common	DisplayName	The display name of the activity.
		ContinueOnError	Specifies if the automation should continue even when the activity throws an error.
	Misc	Private	If selected, the values of variables and arguments are no longer logged at Verbose level.
	To	Destination	The destination path where the file is to be moved.
	From	Path	The path of the file to be moved.
	Options	Overwrite	When checked, overwrites the files in the destination folder with the file that is to be copied.

 

 

Sample Process
Rename the file.

・Move File  Properties

 

・The target folder before the process is executed

・The target folder after the process is executed

 

open a file(Start Process)

Use “Start Process” to open the specified file.

The “Start Process” is located in [System > Application].

 

Start Process  Setting item

設定場所		設定項目	設定内容
Body		FileName	The full file path where you can find the executable file of the application to be opened.
		Arguments	The parameters that can be passed to the application at startup.
Properties	Common	DisplayName	The display name of the activity.
		ContinueOnError	Specifies if the automation should continue even when the activity throws an error.
	Misc	Private	If selected, the values of variables and arguments are no longer logged at Verbose level.
	Input	FileName	The full file path where you can find the executable file of the application to be opened.
		WorkingDirectory	Path of the current working directory.
		Arguments	The parameters that can be passed to the application at startup.

 

 

Sample Process
Open the specified file.

・Start Process  Properties

・Target file

・Execution result

 

Folder Operations

Create a folder(Create Folder)

To create a new folder, use “Create Folder”.

“Create Folder” is located in [System > File].

 

Create Folder  Setting item

設定場所		設定項目	設定内容
Body		Folder name	The full path of the directory to be created.
Properties	Common	DisplayName	The display name of the activity.
		ContinueOnError	Specifies if the automation should continue even when the activity throws an error.
	Misc	Private	If selected, the values of variables and arguments are no longer logged at Verbose level.
	In folder	Path	The full path of the directory to be created.

 

Sample Process
Create a new folder.

・Create Folder  Properties

・Target folder before process execution

・Target folder after executing the process

 

Open the folder(Start Process)

Use “Start Process” to open the folder.

The “Start Process” can be found under [System > Application].

 

Start Process  Setting item

設定場所		設定項目	設定内容
Body		FileName	The full file path where you can find the executable file of the application to be opened.
		Arguments	The parameters that can be passed to the application at startup.
Properties	Common	DisplayName	The display name of the activity.
		ContinueOnError	Specifies if the automation should continue even when the activity throws an error.
	Misc	Private	If selected, the values of variables and arguments are no longer logged at Verbose level.
	Input	FileName	The full file path where you can find the executable file of the application to be opened.
		WorkingDirectory	Path of the current working directory.
		Arguments	The parameters that can be passed to the application at startup.

 

 

Sample Process
Open the specified folder.

・Start Process  Properties

 

・Execution result
The folder path specified in Arguments will be opened.

 

summary

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