tbm0115 / Path-Structure

A Windows folder/file formatting/audit tool

#Description

The Path Structure Maintenance application can be used to ensure a specific folder/file structure is implemented and maintained. Functions include:

• Auditing the default path, specified path, and a specified file for a valid Path Structure
• Formatting a specified file per the Path Structure
• Creating a clipboard entry of the proper filename syntax for a specified Path Structure file type
• Moving files by file type to a specified Path Structure folder.

#How to use

##Creating the Format Structure

First, create a Path Structure format file in XML using the following rules:

1. The root node must be <PathStructure> with sub nodes of <Structure>

• <Structure> must contain a defaultPath attribute specifying the default root path that the Path Structure should focus on.
• <Structure> must contain a path attribute specifying the syntax of the direct descendant folder names of defaultPath

1. Optionally, <Variables> may be added to the root.

• <Variable> nodes can be added to <Variables> to allow the application to parse the folder/file path to extract the specified index (pathindex attribute) and use the value.
• <Variable> must contain a name attribute specifying the replacement reference of the variable. Note that the reference name must be enclosed in {}.
  • <Variable> must contain an erp attribute specifying the database table that an ERP Check can reference.
  • <Variable> must contain a pathindex attribute specifying the index of the path to extract the variable value.
• For example: <Variable name='{CustomerName}' erp='dbo_SomeTable' pathindex='2'></Variable> will set the variable {CustomerName} to tbm0115 with the given path of \\server\Customers\tbm0115.
  • <ERPCommand> nodes can be added to <Variable> to specify a low-logic command to send to an ERP Database during an ERP Check.
  • <ERPCommand> is constructed like an INI file with VariableName=VariableValue. Where VariableName will reference the field in the respective table (from <Variable>) and VariableValue either equals a static value or a Path Structure variable.
  • <ERPCommand> VariableName can generate an OR statement by delimiting the field names with ||. So, FirstName||LastName=Joe will check if the {CustomerName} of Joe is found in either FirstName or LastName and return true if this is the case.
  • Multiple <ERPCommand>'s in a <Variable> will result in an AND query, requiring at least 1 (one) record to be returned where all of the <ERPCommand> conditions have been met.

1. <Folder> may be added to both the <Structure> and other <Folder> nodes

• <Folder> must contain a name attribute specifying the short description of the folder.
• name may reference a <Variable> by its name.
• <Folder> must contain a description attribute specifying the long description of the folder.

1. <File> may be added to both the <Structure> and <Folder> nodes

• <File> must contain a name attribute specifying the short description of the file.
• name may reference a <Variable> by its name.
• <File> must contain a description attribute specifying the long description of the file.
• Optionally, <Option> may be added to a <File> to provide optional format(s) for the <File>.
• An <Option> node requires the same format as a <File> node.
• If no <Option>'s are necessary, then the inner text of <File> must provide the expected file name format of the <File>.
• For example: <File name='Purchase Order' description='Details of a Purchase Order are maintained in this document'>{CustomerName}_PO</File> in the folder \\server\Customers\tbm0115 will require the Purchase Order type file to have the filename of tbm0115_PO with whichever file extension is necessary.

For example:

<PathStructure>
	<Structure defaultPath="\\server\Customers" path="{CustomerName}">
		<Variables>
			<Variable name="{CustomerName}" erp='dbo_Customers' pathindex='2'>
				<ERPCommand>Active=Yes</ERPCommand>
				<ERPCommand>CustomerName||UserField1={CustomerName}</ERPCommand>
			</Variable>
		</Variables>
		<Folder name="{CustomerName}" description="Contains pertinent customer information.">
			<File name="Purchase Order" description="A Purchase Order template">{CustomerName}_PO</File>
			<File name="Customer Requirements" description="A document containing the customers requirements">
				<Option name="Master" description="The master (or active) version of the customers requirements">{CustomerName}_Master Requirements</Option>
				<Option name="Revision" description="A deprecated version of the customer requirements">{CustomerName}_Rev-{RevNo}_Requirements</Option>
			</File>
		</Folder>
	</Structure>
</PathStructure>

##Setting the application

In order to use the application properly

1. Open the EXE in Administrator Mode

• From the main form, navigate to the Settings menu item.

1. Click **Browse. ** to specify the location of the Path Structure XML file.
2. The program will require to restart to save the changes

##Windows Context Menu

The Path Structure application has the option to add specific functions to the Windows Explorer context menu. To do so:

1. Open the EXE in Administrator Mode

• From the main form, navigate to the Settings menu item.

1. Check/Uncheck the context items you wish to use/not use on the current machine.
2. If a context menu exists already, it is recommended to click the Remove Windows Context Menu button to ensure unwanted items are no longer available
3. Click the Add/Update Windows Context Menu button to add all checked context items

With the above steps completed, the context menu should be immediately available under the context menu item of Path Structure.

Note that most commands from the context menu and the application itself will only work within a Path Structure as defined in <Structure> defaultPath.