Flow to identify existing file and create with different name

[fabtodton40]

Hello friends!

I have a flow created in Power Automate that is connected to a Microsoft Lists database, with a graphical interface in Power Apps and also to Microsoft Sharepoint.

In the last step of the flow, it takes the contents of the attachments that the user inserts when creating a new item in Microsoft Lists and creates a new file within Sharepoint, in a specific library.

As the user puts any type of name on the file, I put some variables to create the file name in a nomenclature that we need for our internal work process. These variables are nothing more than OPTIONS that the user must CHOOSE when they create the new item, whether through Microsoft Lists or through Power Apps.

And this works perfectly when the user creates the new item through Microsoft Lists, regardless of how many attachments the user places there.

However, the same does not work through Power Apps.

If the user attaches two files, he can successfully create the first one. However, when creating the second one, the flow gives an error saying that a file with the same name already exists in the location and stops working.

The only solution I found for this was to create MORE CREATE FILE ACTIONS and, when it fails where it finds a file with the same name, it creates a new file, but I MANUALLY ask it to put a (1) at the end of the file name.

I did this at least 4 times, as I understand that the user can add up to 4 files.
Is there a way I can improve the flow?

The flow is attached in this post, but here they are too:

This was the only way I managed to get it to work, even with an error, it can create the files, but I know it's not the correct method to do it.

[FLMike]

Hi @fabtodton40 

Totally appreciate 🙂 the details, but please leave out anything related to what you tried and didn't work. Only because it causes confusion as to what we are looking at.

Just clarify what is not working:

When you have 1-M attachments in your Canvas App (Assuming its canvas), your flow fails to save the files with different names.

Is this the original flow or the one you are trying? Do you want help with the original flow or help with the attempt you made to make it work?

If I have helped you, I would really appreciate if you please Mark my answer as Resolved/Answered, and give it a thumbs up, so it can help others

Cheers

Thank You
Michael Gernaey MCT | MCSE | MCP | Self-Contractor| Ex-Microsoft
https://gernaeysoftware.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgernaey

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @fabtodton40 

May be you can check the existence of folder before creating , and if present add the count after file name which can present how many such folder with same name are there ?

like if folder ABC already exists, then creating the folder ABC_1 would be desirable ?

Thanks & Regards,

Nived N 🚀

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[fabtodton40]

Yes, that's what I need. Add a count after the file name, some expression that it places AUTOMATICALLY and not MANUALLY as I am doing.

This prevents me from having to create this MULTIPLE ACTIONS.

The folder is always empty!

And it starts being filled with the creation of the first file.

Then, when it creates the second file, it already understands that the same file name already exists.

And for that, I created these multiple actions.

But it would be very interesting to me if there was an expression.

[fabtodton40]

This is my original flow

[fabtodton40 · Accepted solution]

Done!!!

I made it work by putting the Rand() expression at the end of the file name.

For me, it doesn't matter what number it will put, just that it doesn't overwrite the existing file, that's great!

Thanks friends!

[FLMike]

FYI @fabtodton40 

Canvas apps are Power Apps

Power Apps are Canvas or Model Driven Apps

[fabtodton40]

Yes it is true! You are sure!
I'm so sorry for my lack of knowledge.
I recognized my mistake when I saw that up there, in the URL when I go to edit the application, it also says https://make.powerapps.com/( . . .)/canvas/