Media Folder Watcher App

Owned by Frank Chan
Last updated: Jan 09, 2023
6 min read

The Media Folder Watcher app is a Windows tool that allows the user to import media from Windows folders by simply dropping media files into the watched folder. You can watch as many folders as you like so long as each folder is unique and is watched in a separate instance (tab) of the application.

Connecting to Chameleon Flow

When the application is first launched, the Preference dialog will first be shown prompting for the Flow URL, the User Id and Password information. If the Flow instance has API Keys enabled, an API Key will also be needed for the application to function properly.

 

Flow URL

Enter the URL of the Flow instance that you intend to use.

Flow User Id and Password

Enter valid Flow User Id and Password. If these credentials are valid, you will be able to successfully launch the app.

Based on the Flow credentials entered, all Content Groups and Media Bins that can be accessed by the User Id will be shown in the application controls.

Test Connection

It is advisable to use the ‘Test Connection’ button once the Flow URL, User Id and Password have been entered for the initial launch of the application. You can ignore it on subsequent application launches once it has been proven that the connection is successful using the given Flow URL and credentials.

API Key

If the Flow instance has API Keys enabled, you will also need to supply an API Key for the application to function. To get the API Key, please talk to the administrator of the Flow instance. The API Key must be specifically assigned for ‘MediaService’.

Using the Folder Watcher application

The goal of this app is to watch for new files with specific file extensions being added to the Watch Folder. Note that you can watch multiple folders by using multiple Folder Watcher Instances (tabs).

To start Watching a Folder

In order to start watching a folder for files, you must setup the following items (for each instance):

  • Select a Content Group: When you signed-in with the Flow User Id and password, the Content Groups that the Flow User has access to will be listed in the Content Group drop-down list. Click on the drop-down list to select the desired Content Group.

  • Select a Media Bin to import media into: Click on the Media Bin drop-down list to select the desired Media Bin.

  • Set the list of allowed media file extensions to watch for: Click on the setup button (…) to the right of the Allowed Files textbox.

    • To set the allowed file extensions, click (or ctrl-click) on the file extensions in the Available File Extensions panel (on the left side).

    • The >> button will become enabled.

    • Click on the >> button to move the selected file extensions from the Available File Extensions panel into the Selected File Extensions panel on the right.

    • If there are undesired file extensions in the Selected File Extensions panel, you can select the items in there and the << button will be enabled.

    • Click on the << button to remove the undesired file extensions from the Selected File Extensions panel.

    • Click on the OK button to accept the changes.

    • The Allowed Files textbox will now show the selected file extensions as a list separated by the ';' character.

  • Set the Watch Folder: You can type in the folder path or use the Browse Button (…) on the right end of the Watch Folder textbox and pick a folder using the browser dialog.

  • Click on the Start Watching button.

Options for Importing Media

You can control how files are imported and deleted using the File Action Preferences menu item.

This will open up the File Action Preferences dialog as show below.

  • Delete File after it has been processed:

    • If the desire is to simply import media files into a media bin and not maintain a copy of the file in the Watch Folder, check this option.

    • If checked, once the media file has been successfully imported into the media bin, the file will be deleted.

    • If unchecked, all media files in the Watch Folder will be left in the folder.

  • On File Deleted:

    • If the Delete File after it has been processed option is checked, the On File Deleted option will be disabled and the associated action is Ignore Event which means that the file deleted event will be ignored.

    • If the Delete File after it has been processed option is not checked, the following options are available for the On File Deleted actions:

      • Delete associated Media in Bin: if the media file is deleted and a matching media item is found in the media bin, the media item will be removed.

      • Ignore Event: Choosing this option means that files deleted in the Watch Folder does nothing.

  • On File Renamed:

    • Treat like new Media file: Naturally, this option only works if the Delete File after it has been processed option is unchecked. If you rename an existing file, the app will import the file into a new media item based on the filename and extension. The extension of the renamed file must still be one of the extensions in the Allowed Files list.

    • Ignore Event: Choosing this options means that renamed files in the Watch Folder are ignored.

Creating another Instance

You can create another instance by using the Create a New Instance menu option in the Instances menu. When you select this, a new tab will be created with a header indicating the instance #. So, if you created a second instance, a new tab with ‘Instance #2’ will appear.

Just like in the original instance, in order to activate the Start Watching button, you must choose the Content Group, the Media Bin, set the Allowed File extensions and finally set the Watch Folder. Be aware that you are not allowed to have the same Watch Folder in a different instance.

Instance Options

Once you have created another instance, you have a number of options that you can control all the instances with using the Instances menu options.

  • Start Watching All on App Launch option: By default, this option is checked. This means that when you launch the app, any instance that is setup properly (i.e., the Start Watching button is enabled) will be started and the watching of their individual folders will be started.

    • You can click on this option to disable it (the option will be unchecked the next time you show the Instances menu).

  • Start Watching All Instances: select this menu option to start watching on all validly setup instances.

  • Stop Watch All Instances: select this menu option to stop watching any instance that is actively watching their associated watch folders.

Relabeling an Instance Header

You can change the tab label for an instance to make it more meaningful, if you like. In order to change the label, double-click on the label and you will be allowed to edit it. Hit the ENTER key to end the editing. Note that you can’t have an empty label.