Is it possible to create download links to download pdf files by PAD?

[Fazlul_Haque]

Hi,

I am a new user of PAD and I wonder if it is possible to create download links to download pdf files from user inputs and list variables.

Let me explain.

I have a sample download link ie

https://www.nu.ac.bd/admit/desc_all/2201_3001_10_2021.pdf 

The fixed part of this link is https://www.nu.ac.bd/admit/desc_all/  

Of the last part, 2201 is a single value user input (here it is Exam_Code), 3001 which is a College_Code can be single or multiple user inputs, 10 is list item ranging from 10 to 50 (here it is Subject_Code), and 2021 is year user input.

The challenge here is to create download links from the user inputs and list from above, and check whether the link is active and download the required pdf files.

Is it possible?

Regards,

F. Haque

[momlo]

Yes, this is easily doable.

You can use built in actions (I would go with custom form) to obtain values from user then create URL variable:

1. Get user input into variables:

• %ExamCode%
• %CollegeCode% - can be single or multiple user inputs. Do you still need to create one link for this multiple college code or several links? If several - you would need to add loop in the code to manage it accordingly
•  %SubjectCode%
• %Year%

Then set the variable:

%URL% = https://www.nu.ac.bd/admit/desc_all/%ExamCode%_%CollegeCode%_%SubjectCode%_%Year%.pdf

Then user %URL% variable to open link (you could even skip creating the url variable and use above directly, but since you are learning pad i would use dedicated for readability).

You can go through this on this topic:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/desktop-flows/variable-manipulation

And this for creating custom form for collecting inputs:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/desktop-flows/custom-forms

[Fazlul]

@momlo thank you very much for your kind reply. I will try your advice of custom form creation, but I have a question: how can you check the created links and start downloading PDF one after another?

If my exam_code is 2201, college_code is 3001 and year is 2021, what would the flow look like?

Thanks in advance

[momlo]

Hi, you would need to use loop if you allow the user to select multiple college codes.

If you allow user to select only one value you can use this code, see this, copy paste into your pad.

Tip - it is faster to edit the code in text if you need to add many value options.

@@statistics_Input_ChoiceSet: '4'
@@statistics_Action_Submit: '2'
Display.ShowCustomDialog CardTemplateJson: '''{
  \"type\": \"AdaptiveCard\",
  \"version\": \"1.4\",
  \"id\": \"AdaptiveCard\",
  \"body\": [
    {
      \"type\": \"Input.ChoiceSet\",
      \"id\": \"ExamCode\",
      \"style\": \"compact\",
      \"isMultiSelect\": false,
      \"choices\": [
        {
          \"title\": \"2201\",
          \"value\": \"2201\"
        },
        {
          \"title\": \"9999\",
          \"value\": \"9999\"
        }
      ],
      \"label\": \"${ExamCode_Label}\"
    },
    {
      \"type\": \"Input.ChoiceSet\",
      \"id\": \"CollegeCode\",
      \"style\": \"compact\",
      \"isMultiSelect\": false,
      \"choices\": [
        {
          \"title\": \"3001\",
          \"value\": \"3001\"
        },
        {
          \"title\": \"3003\",
          \"value\": \"3003\"
        }
      ],
      \"label\": \"${CollegeCode_Label}\"
    },
    {
      \"type\": \"Input.ChoiceSet\",
      \"id\": \"SubjectCode\",
      \"style\": \"compact\",
      \"isMultiSelect\": false,
      \"choices\": [
        {
          \"title\": \"1\",
          \"value\": \"1\"
        },
        {
          \"title\": \"2\",
          \"value\": \"2\"
        }
      ],
      \"label\": \"${SubjectCode_Label}\"
    },
    {
      \"type\": \"Input.ChoiceSet\",
      \"id\": \"Year\",
      \"style\": \"compact\",
      \"isMultiSelect\": false,
      \"choices\": [
        {
          \"title\": \"2022\",
          \"value\": \"2022\"
        },
        {
          \"title\": \"2021\",
          \"value\": \"2021\"
        }
      ],
      \"label\": \"${Year_Label}\"
    }
  ],
  \"actions\": [
    {
      \"type\": \"Action.Submit\",
      \"id\": \"Submit\",
      \"title\": \"${Submit_Title}\"
    },
    {
      \"type\": \"Action.Submit\",
      \"id\": \"Cancel\",
      \"associatedInputs\": \"none\",
      \"title\": \"${Cancel_Title}\",
      \"IsCancel\": true
    }
  ]
}''' CustomFormData=> UserInput ButtonPressed=> ButtonPressed @ExamCode_Label: $'''ExamCode''' @CollegeCode_Label: $'''CollegeCode''' @SubjectCode_Label: $'''SubjectCode''' @Year_Label: $'''Year''' @Submit_Title: $'''Submit''' @Cancel_Title: $'''Cancel'''
IF ButtonPressed = $'''Submit''' THEN
    SET URL TO $'''https://www.nu.ac.bd/admit/desc_all/%UserInput['ExamCode']%_%UserInput['CollegeCode']%_%UserInput['SubjectCode']%_%UserInput['Year']%.pdf'''
    # do something with url here
ELSE
    EXIT Code: 0
END

[VJR]

Hi @Fazlul_Haque 

I agree with the entire solution suggested by @momlo including the usage of Custom Form.

Regarding what you are asking:

 I have a question: how can you check the created links and start downloading PDF one after another?

- When you open the link manually how does it work in both cases - ie Success or Failure?

In case of success, the file would directly get downloaded in the Downloads folder

If failure, does it show a webpage something like "page not found", "page does not exist", etc

Identify what that is and then design your Flow accordingly.

Add a UI element of that text "page does not exist".

When the Flow runs, if this element is found along with this text then it is a failure scenario.

[Fazlul_Haque]

Hi @momlo What a fantastic solution you have given!

I have been able to apply your solution by adding New Chrome instance and adding your URL variable. I could download only one file because I was not sure which loop i should run so far as multiple user inputs are concerned (in my case multiple college_code and subject_code). I think I need more time and practice to master the technique.

Your advice to edit the code as text was awesome.

[momlo]

I'm glad you found this useful @Fazlul_Haque 

For the multiple choices and loops - edit the respective fields in custom form and observe how output variable changes. Then read about loops and custom objects. Don't want to write more to not to take fun from you 😉