Extract File Name From Flow Variable

(0) Share

Report

Posted on by Hender

New to PAD, so I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but...

I'm trying to create a flow that removes a specific piece of text from a file name for 1,200+ unique files in a folder.

I created:

(1) a flow that uses the 'Get files in folder' to pull all the files within the folder (with the path included) and create a variable (%Files%) with the full list of each file path as its own line #.

(2) a 'For each' loop that will go through each file in the folder, and within the loop:

(2a) a 'Get file path part' action from the first item in the %Files% list that pulls the file name (%FileName%)

(2b) a 'Rename file(s)' action with the file path and %FileName% that removes the text from the file name.

However, when I run the flow, it pulls the first file from the first path on the %Files% list and then errors out because it searches for the same file (that it has already renamed) on the second iteration of the loop. How do I get it to move to the next item/file path in the list for the %Files% variable?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Categories:

Power Automate Desktop

I have the same question (0)

All responses (3)

Answers (1)

Sort by

MichaelAnnis 5,727 Moderator on at

Like
a
(1)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

I would try replace text:

For each CurrentItem in %Files%
Set Variable %filename% to %CurrentItem%
Replace Text %WhatToFind% with %""% in %filename% to %newfilename%
Rename %filename% to %newfilename%
End

%""% is the format for "Replace with nothing". So, this would say, give me the filename, replacing that with nothing gives me a new file name. Rename my file from old file name to new file name.

Best of luck!

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Henrik_M 2,021 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

It sounds strange that it handles the same file twice.
Can you share your code? 🧐

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Verified answer

Hender 10 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Thanks for the answers @MichaelAnnis and @Henrik_M . I figured it out last night after trying @MichaelAnnis's code and a bit more internet searching. I was definitely overthinking the code on this one. Turns out the loop does move to the next list item on each iteration naturally, but it does it in the %CurrentItem% variable produced by the loop rather than the %Files% list variable created in the 'Get files in folder' action. If I tell it to rename the file for %CurrentItem% it will cycle through each file in the folder and rename it. I've attached the code I ended up with.

@MichaelAnnis: Your code essentially does the same thing, but it took me a while to realize it. You set me on the path to figuring out why it worked though, so thanks again for that.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No