FlowHeater Server - Exit CodesFlowHeater Server is enhanced with some powerful new functions by this version. Not only is it possible to monitor folders for the appearance of new files, but also now for modified files. Processing starts as soon as the file is no longer open in any other process.

In addition, it is now possible to check “Exit Codes” to determine if tasks executed were “Successful” or terminated with “Warnings” or with “Errors”. Formerly, only a fixed value of “0” could be checked, indicating success. Particular exit codes can be specified, as well as ranges like “0-10” or combinations such as “0, 5-10, 200”. Also new is that exit codes are given for warnings. The most recent run of a task is now highlighted in color in the task list. Yellow indicating the task ended with warnings and red when the task last ended with an error.

Notification options have also been extended. Email notifications can now be sent for warnings as well. Previously emails were only possible for successful runs or fatal errors.

Increment only every X recordsAs of this version of FlowHeater you are able to establish a counter using the AutoID Heater that only increments when a specified number of records/rows have been processed. This makes it relatively straightforward to handle very large exports, for example, where the output must be split into multiple CSV files (every X records start a new export file). Naturally this option supports the use of FlowHeater Parameters. This way the maximum number of rows in a CSV export file can be dynamically set by a runtime parameter in Batch Mode.

e.g. FHBatch.exe /SetParameter MAX-REC=10000 export-csv.fhd

In order for this to function properly the counter generated must of course be saved in another FlowHeater Parameter and this Parameter is then used as a placeholder in the output filename of the TextFile Adapter.

e.g. export$FILEID$.csv

This will trigger the Textfile Adapter to output a new file automatically each time the AutoID counter value is incremented.

There is a short video example of this included in the AutoID Heater documentation.

This version adds another powerful function (Heater) to FlowHeater. With the new CMD Heater it is possible to not only dynamically execute external programs, but also run scripts (Perl, PHP, PowerShell, etc.) while an import/export is being run. The actual FlowHeater process will pause until the external processing is complete. Possible output from the external process can be redirected via FlowHeater Parameters for subsequent use by the FlowHeater Definition. If execution of the external program/script aborts with an error then the exit code of the task can be checked by an IF-THEN-ELSE Heater and if necessary the FlowHeater run also aborted using the Stop Heater.

The Excel Adapter has undergone a complete overhaul for this version and now sports a host of new features. For instance it is now possible to perform updates of Excel rows/records in a similar way to the database Adapters and you can choose whether data is inserted, updated or both options used in combination. According to key fields you define, the Excel Adapter checks whether the record exists for updating or else will insert it into the sheet. The target area of the sheet for imported data can optionally be cleared before the import starts. This makes sure that when the imported amount of data is shorter than a previous import, no redundant data is left behind in the Excel sheet.

XML Adapter - Export with groupingThis version includes an enhancement to the XML Adapter with a further powerful feature. It is now possible with an XML export to group XML data across XML nodes. This feature now enables much more complex XML files to be generated than was previously possible during an export run. Moreover, the Configurator popup of the Designer has improved creation and moving of nodes and subnodes.