Precisely Enterworks

I have two Digital Asset file name questions - one is a problem we're trying to solve and the other is just a curiosity.

First the curiosity - we use the custom uploader for suppliers to add their assets to their records that adds the datetime stamp to the file name.  I noticed the date is a month off and digging into it, realized that it codes January as 00 instead of 01, which causes all months to be one less than it should be.  Has anyone else noticed this discrepancy in the datetime added to file names?  I have not found anywhere else in EnterWorks that codes the dates this way.
Example - the date in the filename and the create date are highlighted.

Second - the problem.  Is there a way to prevent files from uploading and display an error message if the files contain certain characters?  I've found the callout "No Invalid Characters" that I can use that will show an error on the file name, but it doesn't prevent the file from uploading or a DamLink record from being created. We're trying to prevent suppliers from uploading files that we can't use without completely renaming the file.  We're specifically trying to prevent inclusion of spaces, commas and hashtags/number signs, and non-English letters.  We're trying to educate suppliers, but enforcing naming conventions is an uphill battle.  Does anyone have a work-around?  I've also been experimenting with other bulk callout rules that would cause an Severe Error on our Digital Assets tab, preventing the supplier from sending a new record to workflow, but that's a bit more out of my depth at the moment. 

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Lindsey Hoffman
Gourmet Foods International
GA
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Lindsey,

Are you referring to the custom action that allows for files to be uploaded and linked to the record being edited?  I have not seen a date format resulting in a zero-based month being specified.  I suggest you attach the JSP file that is configured for this upload to a support ticket with the details so it can be reviewed.

If suppliers are uploading files using the same method, the JSP can be modified to reject a selected file as having an invalid name or it could strip out the invalid characters.  This would be preferred over having some validation rule flag file names with those characters as the latter doesn't prevent the files from being submitted whereas the validation on upload would provide immediate feedback to the supplier that they need to change the name of the file.  This approach has a much better chance of getting the suppliers to change their behavior.

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Brian Zupke
Precisely Software Inc.
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Thank you!  I will get the file and submit ticket.

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Lindsey Hoffman
Gourmet Foods International
GA
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2023 03:24
From: Brian Zupke
Subject: Digital Asset Custom Uploader Questions

Lindsey,

Are you referring to the custom action that allows for files to be uploaded and linked to the record being edited?  I have not seen a date format resulting in a zero-based month being specified.  I suggest you attach the JSP file that is configured for this upload to a support ticket with the details so it can be reviewed.

If suppliers are uploading files using the same method, the JSP can be modified to reject a selected file as having an invalid name or it could strip out the invalid characters.  This would be preferred over having some validation rule flag file names with those characters as the latter doesn't prevent the files from being submitted whereas the validation on upload would provide immediate feedback to the supplier that they need to change the name of the file.  This approach has a much better chance of getting the suppliers to change their behavior.

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Brian Zupke
Precisely Software Inc.
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Hi Lindsey,

To handle the second issue, we created a custom JAVA class that strips any illegal characters (spaces, commas, etc.) prior to dropping the file in the DAM Drop to be processed.  We also included the feature to add the Vendor ID to the file name to avoid scenarios where Vendor A submits abc.jpg and Vendor B submits abc.jpg and the two assets overwrite each other.  By creating the JAVA process and applying it to a homepage widget in the New UI, we effectively allowed vendors to submit any file and have PIM correct invalid file conventions before uploading.  

You could also create a JAVA process that would reject any invalid characters found in a file name and then trigger an action (email to vendor, on screen notification, etc.) to give them direction on how to resolve it.  

Let me know if you have any questions about the process and we can demo an example of how we built it.

Thanks,

Eric Gilboe
Amplifi
Practice Director - EnterWorks

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Eric Gilboe
Practice Director - EnterWorks
eric.gilboe@goamplifi.com
Atlanta | Chicago | Dallas | Los Angeles | London
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