We need a simple way to migrate a large number of documents from our Appian-based APS application to a non-Appian application. To do so, we need a way to attach metadata to the physical files that reside on the application server, under accdocs.
We can obtain the following information regarding a document in Appian:
Document Name: sf1449
Document ID: 59834
File Type: TXT
Parent Folder: All Objects > APS Community > Contract Documents > Contract CORFD-21-C-0001 > Attachments
Parent Knowledge Center: All Objects > APS Community > Contract Documents > Contract CORFD-21-C-0001
Parent Knowledge Center ID: 59680
Using the Parent Knowledge Center ID, 59680, we can find the folder on the application server where the document is stored.
Folder on Application Server: /app/APS/_admin/accdocs1/59680
By going to the application server and visually inspecting and/or downloading and inspecting the folder contents, we can obtain the full qualified filename of the Appian Document, including path:
Full Filename on Application Server: /app/APS/_admin/accdocs1/59680/10023478.txt
However, there are well over 100,000 documents in our APS application and performing these steps on a file-by-file basis would be incredibly time-consuming. How can we go directly from the Appian Document to the Full Filename on the Application Server?
As an alternative, is there an easy way to download Knowledge Centers as zip files? We are on Appian 18.2, and the Appian designer interface allows us to download the contents of as many as 25 KCs at a time. However, due to the very large number of KCs in our application, this is not very efficient.
Discussion posts and replies are publicly visible
You can use the Appian Collab/file system utilities to move Appian files into any filesystem directory accessible by the App server.
If you build a process using this plug-in, the Appian documents can be moved to New Filesystem directory with the expected sub-directory structure.
But please be aware that this plug-in opens a very big security loop hole as it exposes all the files in the file system to anyone in the environment with designer access.
Plugin:
Thank you, Raghuvaran! Preliminary testing indicates that this plugin will be very useful to us in addressing our document migration challenge.