automate flow that counts the number of files with matching metadata

[mar01]

All,

I have a library and I want to build a flow that is activated on uploading a new file.

It has to do the following:

- Check the last available file with identical metadata and collect its number

- Add 1 to the collected number

- Update the metadata 'title' field using the found number.

Required metadata to be filled by user upon uploading > 'Transportation device', 'Brand'

See below example starting with an empty library:

- Upload file (carA.jpg) to the library

- Add metadata 'Transportation device' = 'Car', 'Brand'  = 'Ford' to the item

- Automate triggers when the item is created

- Automate checks all items in the library containing 'Car' and 'Ford'

- No results found > number = 0

- Returned number = 1

- Automate updates item 'Title' to '1-Ford-Car'

See below example starting with an populated library:

file 1:  file = carA.jpg, 'Title' = 1-Ford-Car, 'Transport' = 'Car', 'Brand' = 'Ford'

file 2:  file = frd1.jpg, 'Title' = 2-Ford-Car, 'Transport' = 'Car', 'Brand' = 'Ford'

file 3:  file = Mercedes21_032.jpg, 'Title' = 1-Mercedes-Truck, 'Transport' = 'Truck', 'Brand' = 'Mercedes'

Etc.

- Upload file (test.jpg) to the library

- Add metadata 'Transportation device' = 'Truck', 'Brand'  = 'Mercedes' to the item

- Automate triggers when the item is created

- Automate checks all items in the library containing 'Truck' and 'Mercedes'

- One result found > number = 1

- Returned number = 2

- Automate updates item 'Title' to '2-Mercedes-Truck'

How can this be achieved?

Regards,

Martin

[efialttes]

Hi!

So, taking your example

Automate checks all items in the library containing 'Car' and 'Ford'

I guess you will do first a SP 'Get files (properties only)' right?

Now, you can add a 'Filter array' action block, assign as its input 'Get files (properties only)' value output. 'Filter array' allows you to add a condition, so insted of the original array you will get a shorter one, with just the files matchnig such condition.

Once your 'Filter array' gets the ones with 'Car' and 'Ford', you just need to use an WDL expression to count nr of files matching:

length(body('Filter_array'))

Now, you can increment this value by means of add() WDL function:

add(length(body('Filter_array')),1)

Please take a try and let us know your progress. In case you get blocked, please shar a screenshot of your current flow design for further assistance

Thanx!

[mar01]

@efialttes Thanks for the input. However, I am new to creating work flows so, I have no real idea what to do.

The metadata 'Ford' and 'Car' or any other combination from the choice fields is added to the item when uploading it to SharePoint. But, I do not understand how you get the filter array to look for those values from the library items, count them and add one to it. I got to the below but, get stuck with the filter array. Any help would be much appreciated. 

The test library consists of the following items. So, on changing the metadata and/or adding items, the automate flow should run.

[efialttes · Accepted solution]

Hi!

Are you familiar with dynamic contents menu, right?

If so, you need first to assign 'Get files (properties only)' output value as the input for your Filter Array

Once done, you can concentrate on the condition inside your 'Filter array'. THe one you are about to use has more than one condition rule so you need to edit it in advanced mode, so if you need to check that Title contains both Car and Ford, please type the following:

@And(contains(item()?['Title'], 'Car'),contains(item()?['Title'], 'Ford'))

Now, 'Filter array' output is an array containing those files metadata matching your condition.

If you do not like 'Filter array' approach, you can also make this work by means of an ODATA filter declared inside the 'Get files (properties only)'. GReat stuff here:

https://sharepains.com/2018/11/12/sharepoint-get-items-odata-filter-query/

Please take a try and let us know your progress

Thanx!

[mar01 · Accepted solution]

@efialttes

I know the dynamic contents window. 

But, 

@And(contains(item()?['Title'], 'Car'),contains(item()?['Title'], 'Ford'))

Should not be 'Car' and 'Ford' but are variables based on the metadata the item gets on uploading or changing.

This could also be 'Truck' or 'Mercedes' or every other combination. Hence, with more choices the combinations increase too.

So, how do I get it to look at the metadata of the current uploaded file or changed file and use that to count the number of items that match these criteria and increase the count by 1 to be used to set the title?

Hope this clarifies my issue a bit more.

[efialttes]

Hi!

The concept is the same

I would add a couple of 'Initialize Variable' action blocks, type string, lets call them Vehicle and Brand. You just need to analyze your current Title that is part of trigger outputs, and store relevan values there. If you need further assistance on this area please let us know.

Now, just update the condition rule WDL expression I shared before, replace 'Car' and add variables('Vehicle'); replace 'Ford' and add variables('Brand'):

@and(contains(item()?['Title'], variables('Vehicle')),contains(item()?['Title'], variables('Brand')))

Finally, you can count  nr of elements on Filter Array output, I mean nr of items that matches the criteria (same Vehicle as the one that triggered the flow and same Brand as the one that triggered the flow) by means of another WDL expression:

length(body('Filter_array'))

Hope this makes sense

[efialttes]

Hi again

It looks you always store in Title column following the same pattern, right?

Index-brand-vehicle

If so, since values are delimited by '-' sign, you can Initialize Variable Vehicle by means of the following WDL expression...

last(split(triggerBody()?['Title'],'-'))

...and, you can Initialize vVariable Brand by means of the following WDL expression:

first(skip(split(triggerBody()?['Title'],'-'),1))

Hope this helps

[mar01]

@efialttes 

Sorry, but I do not understand. The title is not there yet as it is to be generated by the flow.

If I use your snippet it fails.

So, that does not work. Even if I change the 'Vehicle' to 'Transportation Device'. 

[efialttes]

Hi again!

So I see I understood totally the opposite

Let me see if I got it now. So, when item is created, only 'Brand' and 'Transportation Device' columns are filled in, right?

And, you need to count nr of items whose 'Transportation DEvice' and 'Brand' Columns matches the ones from your new item/updated element right?

And, those two columns are of type single line of text? or chioce?

If so, let's keep it the double 'Initialize variable' approach. Assuming columns are single line of text, we should assign them the following values:

triggerBody()?['Brand']

triggerBody()?['Transportation device']

You should be able to select them from the dynamic content menu, actually, so no need to type these two expressions. Once added from dynamic content menu, just hover your mouse over them and confirm me if the expressions I wrote before are correct or if there is something different

AS soon as you confirm the expressions above, we will work with Filter Array stuff

Thanx!

[mar01]

@efialttes 

No worries, I had difficulties explaining 😊.

I managed the following, hope this makes sense. It collects the item 'brand' and 'transportation device'.

But not sure what to do with the boolean. String seems logical to me though.

Thanks, 

Martin

TestingBefore testingHover over

[efialttes]

GReat job! They are of type choice, and as you used a space on one of the names, you can see some special characters to represent it. Give me some minutes to update the expressions accordingly.

[efialttes]

Hi!

So, I would try with the following expression inside Filter array

@and(equals(item()?['Transportation_x0020_device']?['Value'], variables('TransportDevice')),equals(item()?['Brand']?['Value'], variables('Brand')))

 Then I would add a dummy Compose action block after Filter Array, just for troubleshooting purposes, and assign it the expression to calculate nr of List items matching the condition :

length(body('Filter_array'))

Please let us know your progress

[mar01 · Accepted solution]

@efialttes 

I managed to create the working Automate flow 😅.

Finished flow

Thanks for your support/advise @efialttes 

[efialttes]

Thanx for your sharing your final design and for your kindness, @mar01 !

Thankx for making this community great!

[mar01]

@efialttes 

No problem :). 

Perhaps I need to open a new thread for this but.... how does this work for items in a list? It seems that it does not work the same when looking through a list instead of a library). 

[efialttes]

---

@mar01 wrote:

@efialttes 

No problem :). 

Perhaps I need to open a new thread for this but.... how does this work for items in a list? It seems that it does not work the same when looking through a list instead of a library). 

---

You mean setting ODATA filter in 'Get items' vs 'Get files (properties only)'? THe approach should be the same. Anyway, I believe opening a new topic will be the best approach, since most superusers are continously seeking for unanswered topics and this one already got too many

Hope this helps