Item category assignment rule based on Primary File (extension)

[sbrandsen]

Hello,

We are switching to Items based management instead of files.

Is there any way to automatically assign an ITEM category based on the Primary file extension?

I know this is possible in File categories:

It's not there in Item rules: 

Other things I've tried:

• Using the Item Name Property. It does not include the extension in Items
• Assigning a Category to the File and then using this value, it chooses the assigned item category, not the files.
• Creating a Custom Item property "IsSoftwareCategory", and then choosing Provider other items, my extension is zap, so doesn't fit the standard providers, hoping it would have a file property "Filename". But it doesn't: 

FYI: Assembly, Part, Purchase and DWG files seem to have a not very well documented built in type for assigment based on primary file type, thats how these automatically get assigned properly. I don't know if its possible to add types to this:

• Assembly: Property Type is assembly
• Part: Property Type is part
• DWG: Property Type is document
• Purchase: Property Type is purchase (This comes from the BOM structure type in Inventor, also Content Center items seem to have this automatically)

Am I missing something or is it just not possible?

 

[CGBenner]

@ihayesjr 

This feels like it should be possible in two steps.
 

1. Change the File category to (ex) Part (or set it on creation using a rule)

2. Create an Item Rule based on Category Name to set Item Category to (ex) Parts

But Item Category doesn't seem to change based on a Rule upon Assigning the Item, is this correct?  It's been a long time since I've done this, I'm sure I missed a step somewhere!  😂

 

[sbrandsen]

Thanks for the reply,

Unfortunately it seems like it does not look at the FILE category at all:

I've set the file category to Software. Then with the rule read the Category name Software.

But I think when assigning it looks at the Item Category Name, not the FILE one...

This results it my default category, which is Part Item

[ihayesjr]

@sbrandsen 

You will not be able to perform what you are asking for files which Vault cannot read file properties.

I will try to explain.

Vault has what are called Property Providers. These providers enable Vault to ready standard and custom properties inside of the file. For your Zap file, there is no property provider and therefore it can't ready any of its properties. 

As you have already tried, the Item rule is only going to look at Item properties to set the category.

You would have to push a file property into the Item property for it to run the rule and set the category you want. 

For example, Vault now has a property provider for PDF files. You have the ability to push the PDF file property into an Item property. Then create a rule which looks at the Item property and set the category. 

In my example below, I am extracting the Title property from the PDF into the Item Title property.

Then I created a rule that looks at the Item Title property for containing "pdf."

I make sure that the Title in the PDF contains PDF and assign the Item. 

The assignment then sets the proper category. 

I cannot do this for a JPG, because there isn't a JPG property provider.

Hope this helps.

[sbrandsen]

Ah ok thats too bad. Thanks for the explanation

Seems like it should be possible. Item based management without this is not viable for files other than the provided ones.

It would be perfect if they added the option to just bind to the source filename, as this data is already available (even in the same screen)

If I ever find a workaround I will post it