Output File Path Generation

In several nodes (for example, the CONVERSION nodes), CLOUDFLOW needs to generate an output file. This chapter describes the rules how the output file is generated.

Take a look at this example. The Image to PDF node has access to an input file and contains a parameter to specify an output path:

In this case, the generation of the output file follows the standard input-output file name combination rules. These are the following:

If Then
The output is left blank The output file will be written in the same folder as the input. Depending on the type of conversion, the result can be:
  • A file name that has a suffix appended, with the original extension.
  • The original file name with a different extension.
The output is set to an extension The output file will be written in the same folder as the input. Depending on the type of conversion, the result can be:
  • A file name that has a suffix appended, with the extension you specified.
  • The original file name with a different extension.
The output is set to a file name without extension The output file will be written in the same folder as the input. Depending on the type of conversion, the result can be:
  • The specified file name with the original extension.
  • The specified file name with a different extension.
The output is set to a file name with extension The output file will be written in the same folder as the input, with the specified file name and the specified extension.
The output is set to an absolute path The output file will be written in the same folder as the input. Depending on the type of conversion, the result can be:
  • A file name that has a suffix appended, with the original extension.
  • The original file name with a different extension.
The output is set to a relative path The output file will be written in a folder based on the original input folder, appended with the specified relative path. Depending on the type of conversion, the result can be:
  • A file name that has a suffix appended, with the original extension.
  • The original file name, but with a different extension.
The output is set to an absolute or relative path, in combination with file name and/or extension The combination rules for the folders, file name and extension as described above will all be applied to generate an output file name.
Note:
  • If you do specify a full absolute path, the output file path will be exactly that path in all cases.
  • If you only specify a path (relative or absolute), it must end with a slash.

Example

The input is cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/file.txt. In case of both a conversion from txt to pdf and an update that will write an alternative text file, the results are the following:

Output Parameter resulting Output Path (for conversion) resulting Output Path (for update)
cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/file.pdf cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/file_alt.txt
.pdfa cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/file.pdfa cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/file_alt.pdfa
written cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/written.pdf cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/written.txt
written.pdfa cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/written.pdfa cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/written.pdfa
cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder3/ cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder3/file.pdfa cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder3/file_alt.txt
Folder4/ cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/Folder4/file.pdfa cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder2/Folder4/file_alt.txt
../Folder4/ cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder4/file.pdfa cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder1/Folder4/file_alt.txt
cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder3/written.pdfa cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder3/written.pdfa cloudflow://PP_FILE_STORE/Folder3/written.pdfa