csvbot

CSVBot is an utility to move, copy and rename columns in a *.csv file by defining a FileStrategy and Directives.

Table of content

• Configurations
• Defining a Source
• File Strategies
  • Accepted overwrite values
  • Moving and copying a group of iles
• Directive
  • Accepted directive attributes
• Separator
• Logs

Configurations

All configurations can be specified in config.xml via xml Elements and attributes inside the <Config></Config> root node.

Here's a config.xml example:

<Config>
  <Source path="C:\mycsv" />
  <FileStrategy>
    <Move path="\\151.92.85.30\shared" overwrite="skip" />
    <Copy path="D:\processed" with="txt" />
  </FileStrategy>
  <GroupedWith>txt,tif</GroupedWith>
  <Directives>
    <Directive position="12" action="copy" to="1" rename="Custom ID" />
    <Directive position="3" rename="Image Name" />
    <Directive position="7" action="move" to="4" />
  </Directive>
  <Separator>;</Separator>
</Config>

Defining a source

A source can be a file or directory and is a required parameter in order for the application to work.

When a directory is specified, csvbot will process all *.csv files found in that directory by applying all FileStrategy and Directives to each file.

To specify a source use a Source element inside the Config root node:

<Config>
  <Source path="C:\path\to\source" />
</Config>

File Strategies

A FileStrategy tells csvbot what to do with the file once all Directives has been applied. If no FileStrategy is specified, csvbot will overwrite the processed file directly in the source.

You can specify how many FileStrategy you want; so you can, for example, move the file to a location and copy it to another.

To specify a FileStrategy use a Move or a Copy element inside a FileStrategy container in a Config root node. Each FileStrategy requires a path and optional overwrite attribute. Additionally you can specify a with attribute to define a set of comma separated extesions that will match the source filename and, if found, copied along.

<Config>
  <FileStrategy>
    <Copy path="D:\processed_files" overwrite="false" />
    <Move path="\\my-host\shared" />
  </FileStrategy>
</Config>

Accepted overwrite attribute values

Here's a list of every accepted overwrite attribute values. When an overwrite attribute is not specified, csvbot will assume the default value of true.

Value	Description
true	Default value. Overwrites existing files
false	Do not overwrite existing files and halt the program with an error
skip	Do not overwrite existing files and continue without notice

Moving and Copying a group of files

You can use a GroupedWith container or a FileStrategy's with attribute to move or copy a group of additinal files besides your csv.

<Config>
  <FileStrategy>
    <Copy path="D:\processed_files" />
    <Move path="\\my-host\shared" with="txt,tiff" />
  </FileStrategy>
  <GroupedWith>txt</GroupedWith>
</Config>

Csvbot will search the source directory for files with identical name but of specified extensions and it will move or copy those files along. Use a GroupedWith container to apply this behavior to every FileStrategy or a FileStrategy's with attribute to apply the behavior to selected strategies.

Directives

Use Directives to instruct csvbot on how to manipulate your *.csv files, by giving the column position and an optional action of move or copy with related to position. You can also specify an optional rename attribute to rename your column.

List your directives as child of a Directives element inside the Config root node:

<Config>
  <Directives>
    <Directive position="12" action="copy" to="1" rename="Custom ID" />
    <Directive position="3" action="move" to="4" />
    <Directive position="7" rename="Image Name" />
  </Directives>
</Config>

Directive attributes

Here's the accepted directive attributes

Parameter	Type	Description
position	integer	Required column position
action	string	Optional action name. Can be: move or copy
to	integer	Define new position if move or copy action are specified.
rename	string	Optional column header new name

Separator

You can specify a custom csv separator in a Separator element inside the Config root node:

<Config>
  <Sperator>;</Separator>
</Config>

Logs

A log.txt file is written for debugging purposes in the csvbot directory. The log file is automatically rolled when the file size is over 1MB.