how to combine pdf files from folder A and folder B and put them into folder C

[lagibingung]

because of the workload and I found automation using PAD, here I want to combine the pdf files from folder A and folder B then put them into folder C. in the order of pdf files from folder A above and pdf files from folder B below
The following is an illustration of the contents of folder, folder B, and folder C

Folder A
1234_SEP.pdf
1235_SEP.pdf
etc

folder B
1234.pdf
1235.pdf
etc

C folder
with the new file name 1234.pdf (1234_SEP.pdf above and 1234.pdf below)

I hope that makes sense, Thanks in advance for your help

[VishnuReddy1997]

Hi @lagibingung ,

Please find the below solution.

Dynamically If you want to loop for multiple files. Please find the below solution.

Code:

Folder.GetFiles Folder: $'''C:\\Users\\OneDrive\\Desktop\\Power Automate Desktop\\Practice\\Combine PDFS\\Folder A''' FileFilter: $'''*''' IncludeSubfolders: False FailOnAccessDenied: True SortBy1: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending1: False SortBy2: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending2: False SortBy3: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending3: False Files=> FolderA_Files
Folder.GetFiles Folder: $'''C:\\Users\\OneDrive\\Desktop\\Power Automate Desktop\\Practice\\Combine PDFS\\Folder B''' FileFilter: $'''*''' IncludeSubfolders: False FailOnAccessDenied: True SortBy1: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending1: False SortBy2: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending2: False SortBy3: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending3: False Files=> FolderB_Files
SET Counter TO 0
LOOP FOREACH CurrentItem IN FolderA_Files
Pdf.MergeFiles PDFFiles: $'''{ \"%FolderA_Files[Counter].FullName%\", \"%FolderB_Files[Counter].FullName%\" }''' MergedPDFPath: $'''C:\\Users\\OneDrive \\Desktop\\Power Automate Desktop\\Practice\\Combine PDFS\\Folder C\\MergedPDF.pdf''' IfFileExists: Pdf.IfFileExists.AddSequentialSuffix PasswordDelimiter: $''',''' MergedPDF=> MergedPDF
Variables.IncreaseVariable Value: Counter IncrementValue: 1
END

(Note:- if you got your solution you can mark as solution and gives kudos)

Thanks & Regards

Vishnu Reddy

[Deenuji]

@lagibingung 

So, if I understand correctly, you're looking to find files with similar names in different folders. For instance, in the first folder, you have a file named "1234_Sep.pdf", and in another folder, say folder B, there's a file named "1234.pdf" (without "Sep").

If such files exist, do you want to combine them? Am I getting it right?

Thanks,
Deenuji Loganathan 👩‍💻
Automation Evangelist 🤖
Follow me on LinkedIn 👥

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[Deenuji]

@lagibingung 

Please find the below step by step guide to achieve your goal.

1. **Get Files from Folder A**:
- Configure your folder A. For an instance I am choosing my folder name as "C:\User\Folder A".
- Set the variable `AFolderFiles` to store the list of files.

2. **Get Files from Folder B**:
- Configure your folder B. For an instance I am choosing my folder name as "C:\Deenu\Folder B".
- Set the variable `BFolderFiles` to store the list of files.

3. **Count Files in Each Folder**:
- Count the number of files in folder A and store the count in the variable `FileCountAFolder`.
- Count the number of files in folder B and store the count in the variable `FileCountBFolder`.

4. **Check File Counts**:
- Compare the file counts of folder A and folder B.
- If the counts are equal, proceed; otherwise, the process stops here.

5. **Merge Files with Similar Names**:
- Initialize a counter variable `Counter` to 0.
- Start a loop iterating from 0 to `FileCountAFolder - 1`.
- Split the names of files in folder A and folder B by underscores and periods respectively to extract the base file names.
- Compare the base file names from folder A and folder B.
- If the base file names match, merge the corresponding PDF files from both folders into a single PDF file.
- Save the merged PDF file in "C:\Deenu\Folder C" with the base file name.
- If a merged PDF file with the same name already exists, add a sequential suffix.
- Increment the counter variable by 1 after each iteration.
- Continue the loop until all files in folder A are processed.

Flow Screenshot:

Code:

Folder.GetFiles Folder: $'''C:\\Deenu\\Folder A''' FileFilter: $'''*''' IncludeSubfolders: False FailOnAccessDenied: True SortBy1: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending1: False SortBy2: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending2: False SortBy3: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending3: False Files=> AFolderFiles
Folder.GetFiles Folder: $'''C:\\Deenu\\Folder B''' FileFilter: $'''*''' IncludeSubfolders: False FailOnAccessDenied: True SortBy1: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending1: False SortBy2: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending2: False SortBy3: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending3: False Files=> BFolderFiles
SET FileCountAFolder TO AFolderFiles.Count
SET FileCountBFolder TO BFolderFiles.Count
IF FileCountAFolder = FileCountBFolder THEN
    SET Counter TO 0
    LOOP LoopIndex FROM Counter TO FileCountAFolder - 1 STEP 1
        Text.SplitText.SplitWithDelimiter Text: AFolderFiles[Counter].Name CustomDelimiter: $'''_''' IsRegEx: False Result=> FileNameAList
        Text.SplitText.SplitWithDelimiter Text: BFolderFiles[Counter].Name CustomDelimiter: $'''.''' IsRegEx: False Result=> FileNameBList
        IF FileNameAList[0] = FileNameBList[0] THEN
            Pdf.MergeFiles PDFFiles: $'''{ \"%AFolderFiles[Counter].FullName%\", \"%BFolderFiles[Counter].FullName%\" }''' MergedPDFPath: $'''C:\\Deenu\\Folder C\\%FileNameAList[0]%.pdf''' IfFileExists: Pdf.IfFileExists.AddSequentialSuffix PasswordDelimiter: $''',''' MergedPDF=> MergedPDF
        END
        Variables.IncreaseVariable Value: Counter IncrementValue: 1
    END
END

How to copy and paste the above code into your desktop flows?

Thanks,
Deenuji Loganathan 👩‍💻
Automation Evangelist 🤖
Follow me on LinkedIn 👥

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If I've helped solve your query, kindly mark my response as the solution ✔ and give it a thumbs up!👍 Your feedback supports future seekers 🚀. If you'd like to appreciate me, please write a LinkedIn recommendation 🙏

[lagibingung]

i have problem

[lagibingung]

yess, that right

[Deenuji]

@lagibingung 

Ok please try the above suggested approach. I have explained step by step process also. Please check

[VishnuReddy1997]

Hi @lagibingung ,

In Get files in Folder action,you have given wrongly in Filter criteria.

Please give as below shown in image.It will solve the issue or copy the below code mentioned from first reply of mine and paste it in your flow and just change the folder paths.

(Note:- if you got your solution you can mark as solution and gives kudos)

Thanks & Regards

Vishnu Reddy

[lagibingung]

I have copied your script, and there is no error there, but in the output folder the merged PDF does not appear

[lagibingung]

[VishnuReddy1997]

Hi @lagibingung ,

Did you copied my code or  @Deenuji  code.

If you have copied @Deenuji  code ,Please try my code once and let me know.

(Note:- if you got your solution you can mark as solution and gives kudos)

Thanks & Regards

Vishnu Reddy

[Deenuji]

@lagibingung 

I hope you can understand the logic behind it. Please refer the below details once again: 

1. Firstly, it will check if both folder A and folder B contain the same count of files.
2. If they match, it will proceed to the next step, where it splits the filenames of files in folder A and folder B. Assuming the filenames in folder A are in the format "xyz_SEP.pdf", it will remove the any suffixes after "_" and return "xyz" as the filename of the first file in folder A.

For folder B, it will extract only the filename. For example, if the filename is "xyz.pdf", it will extract only the filename "xyz" and compare it with the filename of the corresponding file in folder A. If both filenames match, then it will merge both files.

I have framed those logic with my assumption so pls fine tune it as required 

Thanks,
Deenuji Loganathan 👩‍💻
Automation Evangelist 🤖
Follow me on LinkedIn 👥

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If I've helped solve your query, kindly mark my response as the solution ✔ and give it a thumbs up!👍 Your feedback supports future seekers 🚀. If you'd like to appreciate me, please write a LinkedIn recommendation 🙏

[lagibingung]

This script works fine, but the final file name is still listed
mergepdf
mergedpdf(1)
etc

can it be changed if 1234.pdf and 1234_SEP.pdf become the final name 1234.pdf?
Thank you in advance

[VishnuReddy1997]

yes it can be made.

[lagibingung]

OK, thanks for the explanation, here I start to understand how your script works

Here there is a problem with the output folder after merging files, there are no merged PDF files there

[lagibingung]

can the script be made from the script @Deenuji  described?

[VishnuReddy1997]

Hi @lagibingung ,

Please find the solution for naming the file after merging.

Please copy the updated below code to your flow.

Code:

Folder.GetFiles Folder: $'''C:\\Users\\vr79540\\OneDrive - Cyient Ltd\\Desktop\\Power Automate Desktop\\Practice\\Combine PDFS\\Folder A''' FileFilter: $'''*''' IncludeSubfolders: False FailOnAccessDenied: True SortBy1: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending1: False SortBy2: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending2: False SortBy3: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending3: False Files=> FolderA_Files
Folder.GetFiles Folder: $'''C:\\Users\\vr79540\\OneDrive - Cyient Ltd\\Desktop\\Power Automate Desktop\\Practice\\Combine PDFS\\Folder B''' FileFilter: $'''*''' IncludeSubfolders: False FailOnAccessDenied: True SortBy1: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending1: False SortBy2: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending2: False SortBy3: Folder.SortBy.NoSort SortDescending3: False Files=> FolderB_Files
SET Counter TO 0
LOOP FOREACH CurrentItem IN FolderA_Files
Text.SplitText.SplitWithDelimiter Text: FolderA_Files[0].Name CustomDelimiter: $'''_''' IsRegEx: False Result=> TextList
Pdf.MergeFiles PDFFiles: $'''{ \"%FolderA_Files[Counter].FullName%\", \"%FolderB_Files[Counter].FullName%\" }''' MergedPDFPath: $'''C:\\Users\\vr79540\\OneDrive - Cyient Ltd\\Desktop\\Power Automate Desktop\\Practice\\Combine PDFS\\Folder C\\%TextList[0]%.pdf''' IfFileExists: Pdf.IfFileExists.AddSequentialSuffix PasswordDelimiter: $''',''' MergedPDF=> MergedPDF
Variables.IncreaseVariable Value: Counter IncrementValue: 1
END

(Note:- if you got your solution you can mark as solution and gives kudos)

Thanks & Regards

Vishnu Reddy

[VishnuReddy1997]

Hi @lagibingung ,

Both works bit similar. Just try my new updated solution.

If it doesn't work, we will see.

Let me know whether it worked or not.

(Note:- if you got your solution you can mark as solution and gives kudos)

Thanks & Regards

Vishnu Reddy

[Deenuji]

@lagibingung 
Pls share screenshot of folder A and B if possible? I can assist you in more appropriate way by finetune my above code.

[lagibingung]

I'm sorry, in folder A I forgot to change 1234SEP.pdf to 1234_SEP.pdf, maybe that's why there are no merged files in the output folder

now the pdf has been combined and named accordingly

The problem this time is, the pdf in folder A is located on page 2 while the pdf in folder B is located on the first page, can the mergedpdf feature on PAD make the pdf file in folder A located on the first page?