Configuring a file channel

When you configure a file channel, specify the directory that will be monitored for files and set parameters for the monitoring process. In a multi-tenant environment, the process and error directory contents will be stored in the database.

Sometimes, a file might be accessed while it is being used by another process.

For example, in the first step of the process, information is written to the file. In the succeeding step or in another process, the same file is transferred. If the file write involves a large amount of content, the write may not be complete by the time the transfer begins. Consequently, the file channel will error out, but the file channel will still transfer the file in the next scan. In such scenarios, you can create the file with a different name, such as filename_temp, and then change back to the filename that the file channel scans. This method avoids the file channel error.

Note: If you plan to use SFTP in a private/public key pair configuration to connect, the key pair setup must already be performed before you create the file transfer connection. The public key must be stored in this location on the remote server:

HOMEDIR/.ssh/authorized_keys

where HOMEDIR is the home directory of the user making the file transfer connection.

  1. Access the Process Server Administrator and select Administration > Channels Administrator.
  2. Click the File Channels List tab.
  3. Select Actions > Create File Channel.
  4. Specify this information:
    Channel Name
    Specify a name for the channel. The name can include numbers and special characters. We recommend that you use a name that reflects the purpose of the channel.
    Description

    Optionally, provide a description for the channel. For example, provide details on what the channel is used for or what it is about.

    Enabled
    Select this option to enable this channel.

    If the channel is enabled, it can be activated automatically, when Infor Process Automation is started, or manually. The channel is enabled by default.

    If a channel is disabled, none of its receivers can be activated.

    File Channel Type
    Select the location of the directory that is being monitored from these options:
    • Local (default): The directory is located on the machine you are configuring. In this case, the directory location is sufficient. Mapped drives are not supported.
    • Remote: The directory is located on a different machine than the one you are configuring.
    • Amazon S3: The directory is located on Amazon S3 than the one you are configuring.
    Host
    This field is displayed if you select Remote in the File Channel Type field.

    Specify the host name of the remote machine. If you do not specify a port in the host address, the default FTP port is used. Append a colon and the port number (:port#) to the address to configure a specific port number.

    Protocol
    This field is displayed if you select Remote or Amazon S3 in the File Channel Type field.

    Select Sftp.

    Optionally, you can enable host key checking.
    Note: You may refer to KB2157314 for implementing host key checking on an SFTP connection in Infor Process Automation. Enabling host key checking allows Infor Process Automation to verify the correct server using the cryptographic key.
    Authentication Type
    This field is displayed if you select Remote or Amazon S3 in the File Channel field and SFTP in the Protocol field.

    Select User and Password, User and Privatekey, or User, Password And Private Key.

    User
    This field is displayed if any one of these conditions is met:
    • FTP is selected in the Protocol field.
    • User and Password is selected in the Authentication Type field.
    • User and Privatekey is selected in the Authentication Type field.
    • User, Password And Private Key is selected in the Authentication Type field.

    For SFTP, specify the user who will run the SFTP connection.

    Sftp Password
    This field is displayed if any one of these conditions is met:
    • SFTP is selected in the Protocol field.
    • User and Password is selected in the Authentication Type field.
    • User, Password And Private Key is selected in the Authentication Type field.

    Specify the password for the user.

    Private key
    This field is displayed if you select User and Privatekey or User, Password And Private Key in the Authentication Type field.

    Browse to the location where the private key is located.

    The private key file must be on the system that is running the Landmark user interface, or, if it is on a remote server, the server must be mapped to the system that is running the Landmark user interface.

    Note: 
    • In some versions of Infor Process Automation, the "PrivatekeyPath" phrase is displayed instead of the file name and location.
    • When using username/password authentication, Infor Process Automation does not support keyboard interactive authentication.
    • When using username/private key, Infor Process Automation requires the key in OpenSSH format, with support for RSA keys in that format. Refer to KB2040849 for steps on generating an RSA key pair and converting it to OpenSSH format using a key generator tool.
    Passphrase
    This field is displayed if you select User and Privatekey or User, Password And Private Key in the Authentication Type field.

    If the private/public key pair requires a passphrase for the user running the connection, specify the passphrase.

    Source File Directory
    Specify the directory to monitor for location of target files.

    If the File Channel Type is Local, the directory should refer to a local directory that exists on the system running Process Automation. Specify a fully qualified path. Mapped drives are not supported.

    For example:

    • Windows: C:\ftp\incoming
    • UNIX: /ftp/incoming

    If the File Channel Type is Remote, the directory should refer to a remote directory that exists on the system running the FTP server. Specify a directory relative to the home directory configured on the FTP server.

    For example:

    • If the FTP server is running Windows:
      • Home directory (configured on the FTP sever): C:\ftp
      • Directory (configured in Process Automation): \incoming
      • Result (the scanned directory): C:\ftp\incoming
    • If the FTP server is running UNIX:
      • Home directory (configured on the FTP sever): /ftp
      • Directory (configured in Process Automation): /incoming
      • Result (the scanned directory): /ftp/incoming
    File Match Case Sensitivity
    Select one of these options for case in file names:
    • Enforce Case: Select this option to enforce letter case when selecting of files.
    • Ignore Case: Select this option to ignore letter case when selecting files.

    For more information, see Wild cards.

    Error File Directory
    Specify a location in the local directory to where files that are not successfully processed are moved. The location must be on the local machine, which is the system running Process Automation. Specify a fully qualified path.

    For example:

    • Windows: C:\channels\errors
    • UNIX: /channels/errors
    In-Progress File Directory
    Optionally, specify a location in the local directory to where processed files, which are files that processed successfully, are moved. This must be on the local machine, which is the system running Process Automation. Specify a fully qualified path.

    For example:

    • Windows: C:\channels\processed
    • UNIX: /channels/processed

    Optionally, you can enable to accept an empty directory.

    File Scan Interval Time in Minutes

    Specify the number of minutes between each scan of the monitored directory for files to process.

    The System Configuration property, fileChannelsMonitorLoopInterval, might override this setting.

    For more information, see "Error and processed directories" in File channels.

    Last File Scan Time

    This is a display field that shows the time stamp of the most recent scan for files.

    Notify By Email
    Select None, On Loss, or On Error
    Test File (Works Only With Test Connection With Trace Log)
    Specify the location of the test file to be created during the test connection.
    Test Connection

    After saving your configuration, click this button to test the new or updated connection. Alternatively, select Actions > Test Connection.

    If the properties are set up correctly, a success message is displayed. If not, an error message is displayed.

    Note: 

    The success message looks like this:

    Disregard the "Test Connection Error" text.

    Test Connection With Trace Log
    Click this button to capture the debug logs for the specified connection.
  5. Select Actions > Save.
    Note: 
    • The file channel will only be automatically deactivated if connection failures occur continuously at least 10 times within a 1-hour period since the first failure. If there was a successful connection in between, the failure count and time are reset.
    • Only the file channels experiencing this issue will be deactivated.
    • Deactivated file channels can be manually reactivated once the issue with the SFTP server is resolved.