How to troubleshoot directory listings in MOVEit Automation(Central)? - Progress Community

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How to troubleshoot directory listings in MOVEit Automation(Central)?

Directory Listing functions can lead to some strange behaviors in how Automation identifies and collects files from the source. THis guide will assit in troubleshooting these issues.

Apr 14, 2023
Knowledge

Title

How to troubleshoot directory listings in MOVEit Automation(Central)?

URL Name

How-to-troubleshoot-directory-listings-in-MOVEit-Automation-Central

Article Number

000145865

Environment

Product: MOVEit Automation(Central) Version: All supported versions Platform: All supported platforms

Question/Problem Description

How to troubleshoot MOVEit Automation(Central) directory listings?

Steps to Reproduce

1) Login to Automation with a user that can edit tasks. 2) Navigate to a task and open the Source or Destination. 3) Click browse to browse the folder structures. 4) The directory list parsing function shows files and folders, and if there is an issue, it would present here.

Clarifying Information

The automatic and standard Directory Listing script changed in 11.2 and may present some changes for how directory parsing works for some servers.

An example of how the directory parsing issue presents is below:

Error Message

The Browse function displays information that is not the Filenames. Tasks may run with No Xfers if they cannot match the filenames appropriately with the directory listing.

Defect Number

Enhancement Number

Cause

The cause of this is the Directory List Parsing settings in the Host configuration available in the Advanced section.

Resolution

Some of these methods no longer apply as the SFTP options have changed in version 13.1 (2021.1). If the current version of the software is installed then the option to use the previous SFTP library may assist with a parsing issue. MOVEit support should be contacted for information on how to make this change to the system.

We will want to create a raw directory listing follow these steps to generate the directory listing.

1. Download the script dirlist_out.vbs attached to this article. (Scroll down to the bottom of the article)
2. Load that into MOVEit Automation(Central) by opening the MOVEit Automation(Central) admin and opening the scripts tab and clicking 'Add Script'.
3. Go to the hosts tab, select the host -> advanced options -> dir list parsing -> use directory parsing script select dirlist_out and click ok.
4. Test here on the host tab
5. Using windows explorer browse to c:\dirdumps

This will generate us our raw directory listing. Now we can attempt a column-based directory listing.

With column-based directory parsing, directory listings are assumed to contain one file per line, with optional header and trailer information that is ignored. The following parameters are configured for the host:

Filename start column. This is the column number (with 1 being the first column) in which the filename starts. The filename ends at the first space, or end-of-line.
Date start column. If non-zero, this specifies the column at which the file's date stamp starts. The date/time format must match one of the formats described in Date and Time Formats below. It is permissible to leave this field zero, but then the "Only New Files" option will not be available.
Skip Lines Top. Specifies the number of lines of header information that should be skipped at the beginning of the listing. Typically this is 0.
Skip Lines Bottom. Specifies the number of lines of trailer information that should be skipped at the end of the listing. Typically this is 0.

For the following fictitious 5-line FTP directory listing:

XYZZY FTP Server Directory Listing, prepared at 14:10:55
267 2006-02-15 15:27:39 trnreport.txt
537401 2005-11-29 21:12:47 xyz2005.rpt
*** END OF FILE LIST.

The settings would be:
Filename column 34
Date column 14
Skip Lines Top 2
Skip Lines Bottom 1

If we are unable to get a column-based parsing to work the last option would be to create a directory parsing script. We have more information about those in the Customer Directory List Parsing documentation. This option is not available for 13.1 and newer.

Workaround

Set the "Blind Downloads" setting in the Host Configuration to download files from the host regardless of whether they match the intended filenames indicated in the Source step.

Notes

Starting in MOVEit Automation V 2021.1 (13.1) there were improvements made in directory parsing processing.
Try upgrading to 2021.1 or above to see whether upgrading fixes the issue.
MIA 2021.1 Release Notes

Keyword Phrase

Last Modified Date

4/14/2023 3:42 PM

Drop Files

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kA036000000FRz3CAG_en_US_1.vbs
kA036000000FRz3CAG_en_US_1.vbs
Apr 14, 2023
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Any sample code provided on this site is not supported under any Progress support program or service. The sample code is provided on an "AS IS" basis. Progress makes no warranties, express or implied, and disclaims all implied warranties including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability or of fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk arising out of the use or performance of the sample code is borne by the user. In no event shall Progress, its employees, or anyone else involved in the creation, production, or delivery of the code be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use the sample code, even if Progress has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

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How to troubleshoot directory listings in MOVEit Automation(Central)? - Progress Community