Finding a solution.

[Atlantis1]

Hi.

I have a new challenge and need some help. I have a folder and inside there is another subfolder

My goal is to extract these numbers 17503481 and the second capture is A3-18 from the subfolder and store those as variables to use for other task.

I´ve tested with this.

I used capture UI element with this operation and it capture the hold window and i don´t know a way to trim away other number or I wonder if it captures as a text instead. I need it to capture as a number. Thanks

[MichaelAnnis]

Get Subfolders in Folder to %Folders%

For Each %CurrentItem% in %Folders%

#assuming all subfolders have the same alphanumeric coding

Get Subtext %CurrentItem.Name% from 0-8 to %FolderNumber%

ReverseText %CurrentItem.Name% to %ReversedText%

Get Subtext %ReversedText% from 0-5 to %FolderCode%

Do something with %FolderNumber% and %FolderCode%  #if you need them all after exiting For Each, then create two lists before the for each and add them to the lists before End (for each).

End (For Each)

[VJR]

Hi @Atlantis1 

Please use the in-built actions related to folders and subfolders.

That will make it easier for you to read the names.

Regarding the extraction of text, (17503481 and the second capture is A3-18)

- Is there a unique pattern to these names?

- Do you want to always get the 8 characters from the left and 5 characters from the right?

- Is it always going to be of this format? -> xxxxxxxx-xx-xx-xx

[Atlantis1]

Hi @VJR 

Thanks again for your support. It seems like there is a pattern to these digit names. Pls see picture below.

As you can see sometimes it is 7 digits sometimes 8 if you count until M word. I need to extract all those numbers start from the left side but without M word. Then as you see on the picture i need also A4-18 and C2-14.

It would be great if you can take a screenshot of your test flow so it´s more easier for me to follow . Thanks again.

[Atlantis1]

Hi @MichaelAnnis 

Thank you very much for looking at my challenges. I tried to follow your steps but got stuck at step 3 (Get Subtext) due to my lack of PAD knowleges.

It would be great if you can post some screenshot for me to follow. As i mention to @VJR there is a pattern to these name. Plz see pic below.

I need all those numbers from left side but without M word. And A4-18, C2-14 in the middle.

[MichaelAnnis · Accepted solution]

You can split text using M as the custom delimiter to get the first value.

As for the remaining, do another split by a hyphen delimiter and pull the 3rd and 4th values, then string them back together.

[VJR · Accepted solution]

Hi @Atlantis1 

There are multiple ways to achieve this.

Copy/paste the below code into a blank PAD window, run and check the outputs shown in display box.

SET InputStr TO $'''6759186M-21a-A4-18-3.6-CRC'''
Text.SplitWithDelimiter Text: InputStr CustomDelimiter: $'''-''' IsRegEx: False Result=> TextList
Text.Replace Text: TextList[0] TextToFind: $'''M''' IsRegEx: False IgnoreCase: False ReplaceWith: $'''%''%''' ActivateEscapeSequences: False Result=> var1
Display.ShowMessage Message: var1 Icon: Display.Icon.None Buttons: Display.Buttons.OK DefaultButton: Display.DefaultButton.Button1 IsTopMost: False ButtonPressed=> ButtonPressed
Display.ShowMessage Message: $'''%TextList[2]%-%TextList[3]%''' Icon: Display.Icon.None Buttons: Display.Buttons.OK DefaultButton: Display.DefaultButton.Button1 IsTopMost: False ButtonPressed=> ButtonPressed

[Atlantis1]

Hi @VJR 

Almost there. Both the result is exactly what i need. The thing that needs to refine a little is instead of  manually 'set variable with case number' at the start of your flow i would like to find a way  to capture those digits itself  when i hit the run button.

The reason is because a new case (folder) will appear and the old case will be manually deleted after processing so i when i hit run, the flow will automatically capture those number when the new one appears. This folder is a subfolder in a folder by the way. Hope i can make it clearer.

I try to learn by understand the actions. But i have difficult to understand the defination of %TextList[2]%-%TextList[3]% in your flow. Can you clarify a little more.

[MichaelAnnis · Accepted solution]

Inside of each CurrentItem loop, you want to Add the separate variables to a list, so it looks like this:

Create List %FolderNumbers%

Create List %FolderCodes%

Get Subfolders in Folder to %Folders%

For Each %CurrentItem% in %Folders%

• Take VJRs actions to get the values
• Add %Var1% to list %FolderNumbers%
• Add %Var2% to list %FolderCodes%

End (For Each)

Now you have two text lists, one of the numbers and one of the code.

[VJR · Accepted solution]

Hi @Atlantis1 ,

Regarding your question - i have difficult to understand the defination of %TextList[2]%-%TextList[3]% in your flow. Can you clarify a little more.

- TextList is an array variable returned after using split

- Because arrays start with index 0, to access the 3rd element of the array you write %TextList[2]%

- to access the 4th element of the array you write %TextList[3]%

- So this (%TextList[2]%-%TextList[3]%) is written to add a hyphen between those two values as you wanted.

- Refer below image for above points

This is how Array TextList looks like after running the process

Secondly, Manually "set variable" was just to demonstrate.

You have to read the folder names in a loop using the inbuilt action in PAD.

@MichaelAnnis has shared a Pseudo logic. Please take a look.

[Atlantis1]

Hi @VJR and @MichaelAnnis 

I now totally understand your flow @VJR . @MichaelAnnis flow is a little bit challenging for me cause it is a little more advance for me. I am still trying to recreate @MichaelAnnis suggestions and then combine with your solution. I think with both of these 2 ideas are what i am looking for. I am trying my best 😀 to put together a working flow. I certainly will reply and post more questions here. Thanks both of you.

[Atlantis1]

Hi @MichaelAnnis 

Now I´ve managed to create a flow with your and @VJR suggestion. It work well. My only wish is that i would like to have the results separatly. Not all in 1 list. Would you mind to take a look at the flow below since i have also prepare 2 %FolderNumber% and 2 %FolderCode%.

and the last Display message show both C2-14, A4-18 togehter. As you can see i have to subfolders.

Thanks.

[MichaelAnnis · Accepted solution]

Forget about FolderNumbers2 and FolderCodes2. You don’t need them. At the end of your “for each”, you will have all Var1s in FolderNumbers and all Var2s in FolderCodes. When you need to reference them later, whether it’s write to excel or whatever, you can reference them. They (Files, FolderNumbers, and FolderCodes) will all be in the same order, so you can get whatever you need. 

for example, if you want to write the folder code for the 3rd folder to Excel, you can “Write to Excel” %FolderCodes[2]%.  Remember, all lists start at 0, so [0] is the first folder, [1] is the second folder and so on. 

[Atlantis1]

Oh. I see. I think i get it. I haven´t thought that with "for each" action it will create a list with indexing and i can refer to that specific folder by index in parentheses. Thanks for explanation. I learn 1 more thing today.

[VJR]

Please share what and where you have come up with. Let's get your process to a successful completion :).

[Atlantis1]

Hi @VJR 

You mean i have to post my solution with help of the flow?.

[VJR]

Hi @Atlantis1

Only if you are still looking for a solution you can post details.

If you have found what you were looking for then you can close this thread by marking any of the posts as a solution. 

You can even mark multiple posts as a solution if those helped you in any way.

Good day! 

[Atlantis1]

Hi @MichaelAnnis and  @VJR 

Now that i have successfully extract the relevant data i need and put those in respective folder as suggested. I have one more challenge to take care of. Those extractions are just part of the goal that i want to get.

Let´s take a look at the data (see pic below) again.

The first digits until M are case numbers that will be stored in %FolderNumbers%. A4-18 and C2-14 indicate what materials i need and will be stored in %FolderCodes%. Now that i know what material to use, i need to pick the matching material from a list that contains a lot of other materials in an other application. See pic below (the list contains more materials in reallity)

No need to pay attention at the last 4 digits in pic obove. In daily basics the way i pick the material in that list is to scroll the whole list and find the matching material. I then either dubble click on that material or 1 click on that material and then click 'OPEN' button. The application will load that material that i have clicked.

Now i have no clues  what function in power automate desktop is suitable to carry out that action. I mean i need PAD to pick the material on the list using the extracted data that store in %FolderCodes%. Any idea?. There is no 'Search' window that i can use. I have to find the matching material on the list manually.

[MichaelAnnis]

Should open up a different chat for this one, but Mouse Click to Text (OCR) is the only one that I think will work.  As for scrolling, is there a Control F feature to help with that?

[Atlantis1]

Hi @MichaelAnnis 

I found out lite more infomation that i´d like to tell you so that we hopefully can find a solution. But do you want me to close this thread because the first part has already got a solution. And i will repost a new chat for the new challenge.