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Filtering files through 'Get files in folder ' action in PAD

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Posted on by Community Power Pla...

currently I am working on files using power automate desktop, so I have the folder having 3000+ files(all pdfs) and out of it, I need to retrieve only 187 files (all pdfs) by filtering it by only the first 9 characters of the files (for ex: ABC-1234). the full file names is ABC-1234 v4.0.pdf.

This first nine characters will be unique for each file. How can I give the filter option in the get files in folder action. Or is there any options available to retrieve the files by partial names ?

Please suggest me. Your help is much needed.

I want to give it as in screenshot for 187 files in a single field. Looking forward for the solution.

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Power Automate Desktop

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Lipsitz 75 on at

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Loop will do it

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Community Power Pla... on at

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out of the full name, can we filter only by initial some files of the files. Because I tried if loop, that is if the folder contains ABC-1234, then copy that file, but it is not working.
In Get files in folder, we need to give the full file name in order to retrieve, but I cannot give the full file name, because the version may change frequently. So, I should be able to filter the files only by initial nine values of the file.
How do I do that?

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fraenK 2,125 on at

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You first get all files in a folder as a list and then use for each to go through each item in the list and check if the filename contains your filter criteria. If yes, then do whatever you want to do. Really simple.

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fraenK 2,125 on at

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Alternative: if the file names follow a common scheme, then you can convert the list to text and extract the matching file paths using a regular expression. Should be much faster than for each.

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Community Power Pla... on at

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I tried exactly what you mentioned, I have created 100 files in the list and checked each file using 'for each'. If it contains the specific file name, it should move to the specific folder. Likewise, there are 7 folder and subfolders. So according to the file name, it should go to the specific folder. Approximately it takes 1 minute per file to check the entire 100 files list. 100 files it takes 100 mins which is too long I feel.

Is there any solution? or is there any option to search for the file name in the folder generally as a whole(not as a each item) like what we do manually, just go to the folder and search for the file name.

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fraenK 2,125 on at

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See faster alternative above. But I doubt that it takes 1min per file. Don't run it in edit mode!

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Community Power Pla... on at

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It takes 1 min because, I have created nearly 25 separate lists for 25 folders so each file has to check with 25 lists and do the necessary action.

Now, I tried like this, is there any possibility to provide more than one value in the second operand of the 'if' action using AND operator, then my job will be easy.

and how to check whether it is running in edit mode!

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Community Power Pla... on at

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and how to check whether it is running in edit mode!

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fraenK 2,125 on at

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Why 25 lists? Get files in folder works for subfolders as well. Why don't you use a regular expression for checking the filename? Edit mode is when you open the flow for editing

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Community Power Pla... on at

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sure, I will check the regular expression

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