BLOB files to SharePoint - how to avoid error for file already saved?

[PhilBruton]

Hi everyone, and thank you if you have taken time to read this !

I have files coming into a BLOB storage.

The files are named the same as the folders, with additional details relating to the data and file type e.g.

(folder) 12345-Phil-Bruton

(file within) 12345-Phil-Bruton-file1.html

(file within) 12345-Phil-Bruton-file2.html

(file within) 12345-Phil-Bruton-file3.html

I've built a flow to create folders in SharePoint based on the BLOB folder names, and to save the relevant BLOB files into those folders.

Here's my flow...

And expanded...

This creates new folders and saving out files into these

..but when it runs it creates an error when it finds a file already exists in SharePoint. (so I rolled it back to this initial flow which saves files)

I've tried numerous different conditions to check if the file already exists and then pass on to create the files if they don't, but this fails to create the new files.

I think I need to use a variable or filter array somewhere to get around this error but I'm a novice and can't figure this out.

If anyone has advice on how to pass a condition (or other..) to filter out files already saved, and still retain the folder name checks, it would be greatly appreciated.

Phil

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @PhilBruton,

You can also try and create a unique file name by using an expression. That might be a workaround for this.

Try for example an expression like below (which appends a hyphen and a date time stamp just before the file extension) in your File Name field of the Create File action.

This example assumes the internal name of the Name property is called Name. If that is not the case you will need to update that.

concat(first(split(item()['Name'], '.')), '-', utcNow('yyyyMMddHHmmss'), '.', last(split(item()['Name'], '.')))

[PhilBruton]

Thanks @Expiscornovus 

Unfortunately I have to keep the file names exactly as they come into the BLOB, as this is what the HR team requires them to be in SharePoint

[Expiscornovus · Accepted solution]

Hi @PhilBruton,

Just to double check. What does the flow need to do if it already finds an existing file? Just skip the Create file action for those instances?

If that is the case you can probably fix this easily by adding a Compose action directly after this Create File action (with some random text) and configure that action to only run on the has failed status (configure run after setting in the compose action).

[PhilBruton]

@Expiscornovus - great thought I'll try this

[PhilBruton]

@Expiscornovus  - thanks for this, seems so simply now but just couldn't see it 😊