Alternative to Nested Loop

[amjwh99]

Hi,

I have a process where I add an excel spreadsheet to a collection (C1). The spreadsheet contains a list of file names. I then create another collection (C2) that contains all file data from a specific directory.

Then, I have a nested loop that loops through both collections on the file name. If a file name from C2 matches a file name from C1 that file is moved to another directory. Everything works brilliantly. However, recently I encountered a situation where I had 200 file names in C1 and 600 files in C2. The loop took forever to run.

Any suggestions on a more efficient way to handle this?

View attachment bp-example.png

 

[Stephen Jones]

You could try

Business Object Utility - Collection Manipulation
Action Collection Contains Value

 

[Sukesh Kumaru]

Hello,
By using VBO called utility file management and Action: Get files to fetch all filenames from a folder and do collection comparison operation between 2 collections and which ever matches copy that to 3rd collection and finally perform file move operation.

 

[amjwh99]

Hello,
By using VBO called utility file management and Action: Get files to fetch all filenames from a folder and do collection comparison operation between 2 collections and which ever matches copy that to 3rd collection and finally perform file move operation.

Understood. That's essentially what I'm doing already. When you say collection comparison, do you mean to use a loop?

 

[amjwh99]

You could try

Business Object Utility - Collection Manipulation
Action Collection Contains Value

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried using it but it doesn't work. The match is found, but there is no way to output the file path to prepare to move the file.

 

[VJR]

Hi amjwh99,

The action that @Stephen Jones has suggested is a perfect one based on the requirements in the original post.

"The match is found, but there is no way to output the file path to prepare to move the file. "
What does this exactly mean? Are you having a file path in some other column (of which collection C1 or C2?) and you need that file path to move the file. You are unable to get this path without looping? Is that the case?

 

[Sukesh Kumaru]

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried using it but it doesn't work. The match is found, but there is no way to output the file path to prepare to move the file.

Try to extract the column value which has full filepath in the collection where you got all the file details from a folder.

 

[amjwh99]

Hi amjwh99,

The action that @Stephen Jones has suggested is a perfect one based on the requirements in the original post.

"The match is found, but there is no way to output the file path to prepare to move the file. "
What does this exactly mean? Are you having a file path in some other column (of which collection C1 or C2?) and you need that file path to move the file. You are unable to get this path without looping? Is that the case?

Correct. To create collection C2, I'm using the following action Business Object: Utility - File Management, Action: Get Files. The collection that's created contains the file path.

The issue I'm experiencing with Business Object Utility - Collection Manipulation, Action Collection Contains Value is that I need to figure out how to output all the data (essentially, I just need the file path) from C2 when a match is found.

There is a "Groups" Collection output, but nothing is outputted when a match is found.

 

[VJR]

Hi amjwh99,

If 'Collection Contains Value' is not giving the expected results then you can filter the value and then the result (if match found) will be returned to another collection from which you can read the file path (without a loop).
Your diagram will almost be the same as in Post #4 here.
Post back if you are facing any issues in applying the same logic.

 

[Stephen Jones]

I'm thinking you could use it like this

View attachment 1530190814946.pngView attachment 1530190852675.png
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[amjwh99]

I'm thinking you could use it like this

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Thanks for the reply! Yes, this works and might be the option I go with. The problem is that C2 (Get all Files) will always have more rows than C1. At the end of the day, it will be much faster than what I originally had.