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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Automate / 'get file from folder'...
Power Automate
Answered

'get file from folder' won't allow access to folders that aren't on the 'Desktop'

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Posted on by 19

I am only able to access a folder on the desktop and not on a local drive. I originally managed open a different folder, but since creating a test folder on the Desktop I haven't been able to select a different location.

  • momlo Profile Picture
    1,527 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

    Where exactly are those folders?

    Lack of permissions to the file system outside of the user's profile?

    Or perhaps some security software protects your file system, for example, against malware?

  • photech Profile Picture
    19 on at

    Nothing has changed, the folders are on local drives it's like the settings in a previous flow have been set as default for new flows even though I have deleted the one pointing to the desktop. 

  • momlo Profile Picture
    1,527 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

    can you post your code and the exact location of folders?

  • photech Profile Picture
    19 on at

    This is what happens when I run the 'Open a folder' example, as you can see it sets the root folder as the desktop.

    PowerAutomate open folder.png
  • momlo Profile Picture
    1,527 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

    Oh ok, now I understand.

     

    I have tested with these PAD/OS versions:

     

    1. PAD 2.23.114.22217 @ Win Server 2019, Premium license, corporate account - No issues - I was able to browse entire file system

    2. PAD 2.25.00182.22280 @ Win 11 Pro, free license, personal account - No issues - I was able to browse entire file system

    3. PAD @ Win 11 Pro, free license, personal account - No issues - I was able to browse entire file system

     

    In all cases PAD ran as a regular user, no elevated/privileged permissions.

     

     

    I would do test such below:

    • test with different regular user and/if with run as admin to see if this is your user's permission issue.
    • reset PAD entirely for your user, by deleting it's folder from C:\Users\XXXX\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power Automate Desktop

     

  • photech Profile Picture
    19 on at

    Tried deleting the PAD folders as suggested, still no change. 😞

    Tried 'Reset' on the app, no change. 😞

    Tried another user account and got the result I expected. 😀

     

    So somewhere in my profile is a setting for 'initialfolder' set to 'Desktop' but I can't find it.

  • photech Profile Picture
    19 on at

    I've now tried uninstalling the app, deleting any folders I could find then reinstalling and I still get the 'Desktop' folder as my initial folder.

  • VJR Profile Picture
    7,635 on at

    Can you edit the example given by PAD and show what is written in that action?

    Also run from inside the editor and see if you get the same.

     

    It is a default example given by PAD so make sure you save a copy before making any changes to this one.

  • photech Profile Picture
    19 on at

    The example is run without any changes, I have even stepped through the flow and monitored the variables, they show the selectedfolder as 'Documents' but the box still pops up with 'Desktop' as the root level.

  • momlo Profile Picture
    1,527 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

    I didn't notice it was the actual example from within PAD, however I still able to get full list of the folders when I run it directly from examples, both Win 11 and Server OS.

     

    Hmm so I understand you are able to run it without problems on another user.

     

     

     

     

    Tried another user account and got the result I expected. ‌‌

     

     

     

     

    I get the same, but I am able to go to This PC and browse entire file system.

     

     

    they show the selectedfolder as 'Documents' but the box still pops up with 'Desktop' as the root level.

     

     

     

    What comes to my mind is that maybe you are using Windows Defender with Ransomware protection (controlled folder access) ON or equivalent feature with 3rd party software.

    What is does, it prevents applications from accessing certain folders, to prevent encrypting them.

    Perhaps PAD is not whitelisted and is unable to access anything but Desktop folder?

     

    Just guessing though

     

    /edit

    What happens when you copy the example and set root folder to C: and run it?

    Does it give you any errors? Perhaps we will see permissions denied or similar there

     

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