Type 'File' isn't acceptable as an input argument type - Error, when running flow from Web

[rolign]

Hi,

Could anyone explain what the error means:

Type 'File' isn't acceptable as an input argument type

This error appears when the desktop flow is run from another desktop flow. I tried to run it separately and it works, created another desktop flow that only runs this desktop flow within it, setting variables manually, and it works too. Fails also in debug mode etc. Cannot find any mention of this error on the web.

[rolign · Accepted solution]

Seems that PAD thinks I am passing a File, but it is only a string of the filepath. I added "" to the filepath and was able to pass the string that way, so that's sort of a solution. Weird that it worked before, but today stopped.

[Etignor1]

I am having this issue as well!  After putting the quotes around my variable name, I was able to get rid of the File type error but now the flow I was triggering stops working after it calls the file path location.  Since it's a flow being ran from the flow I'm working on, I'm not able to see the error code (Am I?), so I'm not sure what the error is.

I've attached pics of the flow action and the variables' information being passed.

 

 

 

[momlo]

 Since it's a flow being ran from the flow I'm working on, I'm not able to see the error code (Am I?)

If you run the flow from the console (not designer/debugging), then from the www portal/logs, there is no difference if you run the flow directly or via another flow.

Logs of the Desktop flows run from other desktop flows appear in the Power Automate web portal under "Monitor" -> Desktop flow runs. You can go there and look for failed flow to see errors.

I am having this issue as well!  After putting the quotes around my variable name, I was able to get rid of the File type error but now the flow I was triggering stops working after it calls the file path location.

I don't know if I understand correctly what you are doing in both flows without seeing the code:

1. In the first flow, you use "File" actions to do some logic that produces a "file" object variable, and you pass that variable as an output variable.

2. In the second flow, you intend to take the Input variable holding the "file" object from flow one and use another "File" action to work on the file.

So if my understanding of the above is correct:

- Input variable error makes sense - You take the "file" object as an output variable from flow one as a "string" input variable in flow 2 - no go here

- After you added "to the output variable, you converted the output variable to a string, so flow 2 accepts it. But it is no longer a "file" object in flow two but a simple string. So you cannot do any "File" actions.

So, you would need to convert that "string" object into a "file" object again in flow 2 to be able to use "File" actions.

For example:

Flow 1:

Output variable 1: String with the folder where the file sits

Output variable 2: filename

Flow 2:

Get files in a folder and use path and filename to filter files, this will give you a variable of a "file" type, and you can use "files" actions.

Is that what you are looking for?

[Etignor1]

Thanks for the info on finding the errors!

I fixed my issue.  The folder name was being generated by two other variables (borrower first name and borrower last name).  Therefore the child flow couldn't get the name because it didn't know what the value was for those two variables that made up the folder name (I guess).  What confused me was that the actual folder path was displayed as the output for the variable so I thought that the value would pass to the child flow. 

I tried to create output/input variables for the two variables (borrower first name and borrower last name), that made up the folder name in order to pass these values on to the child flow but still couldn't get it to work.... I was probably going too fast and didn't type something correctly.

I'm using an Excel sheet to work with so I ended up telling the flow to write the result of the folder path to one of my unused cells.  Then I had the flow grab that text as the folder name.  That way there were no variable names included when it passed the value on to the child flow.