Autoarchiving is an Information Console file management capability that supports file and folder archiving and deletion based on the age of the item. You specify the age for an item by specifying a date and time in the future. When the item reaches that age, the item expires and Information Console can delete the item from the volume. You can also specify whether Information Console should archive the item before deleting it or that the item not be deleted.
To enable autoarchiving, you must specify an archive driver. For information about performing this task, see Chapter 14, "Aging and archiving volume items," in Integrating Applications into BIRT iHub.
You can assign an age to an item by specifying an age for the item itself, for the file type of the item, for the folder containing the item, or for the entire volume.
Set autoarchive properties by selecting the icon next to a file or folder and choosing Auto Archive. Auto Archive displays different options for a file and for a folder.
Specifying autoarchiving options
When you use advanced scheduling to schedule a job, the Output tab provides options to specify the autoarchive policy, as shown in Figure 3‑10.
Figure 3‑10 Setting autoarchiving options
Figure 3‑11 displays the autoarchive options you can specify for a file.
Figure 3‑11 Specifying autoarchiving properties for a file
Figure 3‑12 displays the autoarchive options you can specify for a folder.
Figure 3‑12 Specifying autoarchiving properties for a folder
Figure 3‑13 shows Auto Archive Properties for multiple items.
Figure 3‑13 Viewing Auto Archive Properties for multiple items
Table 3‑11 lists the configurable properties on Auto Archive Properties for a file or folder. These properties support setting and changing the archiving policy for the following volume items:
A file
A folder
The contents of a folder
The contents of a folder and the folder
Table 3‑11 Autoarchive properties
Field
Description
File Type (folder only)
Provides a list of known file types to configure the autoarchive policy for a folder and its contents
Enable expiration for this file (file only)
Enables setting deletion options for the item
Delete after date M/d/yyyy time h:mm a
Specifies the date and time after which the autoarchive process can delete the item
Archive files before deletion
Archives the item before deletion
Expire Dependent Files (folder, file only)
Deletes files dependent on this file
Use the default/inherited policy from the document’s file type (folder only)
Inherits the parent folder or volume policy
Use the default/inherited policy from this file’s file type (multiple items only)
Inherits the parent folder or volume policy
Do not automatically delete files (folder, multiple items only)
Prevents deletion by the autoarchive process
Delete when older than n days n hours (folder, multiple items only)
Deletes items automatically after being on the system for the number of days and hours you specify
View Policy (folder only)
Displays the autoarchive policy for the selected folder or for the file type you select in File Type
Reset (multiple items only)
Choose to deselect all options on Auto Archive Properties.
Using the File Type list
When working with a folder, the File Type list enables you to set the autoarchive policy by file type, for the folder and the contents of the folder, as shown in Figure 3‑14.
Figure 3‑14 Selecting a file type for which to set autoarchive policy
When defining the autoarchive policy for a folder, the options you specify apply to all subfolders and files that inherit the archive policy from the selected folder.
A file or folder for which you set an archive policy retains the policy you set. For example, if you first deselect Enable expiration for this file, for a specific BIRT design (.rptdesign) file, then specify an archive policy on the parent folder to delete all BIRT design (.rptdesign) file types at a specified date and time, the autoarchive process does not delete the BIRT design file for which you deselected Enable expiration for this file. This behavior also occurs when setting the archive policy for a group of files or folders.
File Type enables you to specify the following options:
<Default>
Determines the default autoarchive policy for the selected folder and its contents.
Folder (Directory)
Determines the default autoarchive policy for subfolders of the selected folder. The policy does not apply to files in subfolders of the selected folder. If you set a policy to delete the folder after a specific date and time, the autoarchive process deletes a subfolder only under the following conditions:
The subfolder is empty.
The subfolder contains only the following:
Files whose autoarchive policy indicates that the files have expired
Empty subfolders
All file types known to Information Console
Determines the default autoarchive policy for the file type you select. When you select an option in File Type, property settings on Auto Archive display the current settings for the selected file type.
You can set the archive option value for one file type after another. When done setting all the options, choose OK.
Understanding the inherited and default archiving policy
A file or folder at the root level inherits the autoarchive policy set by the administrator when performing volume management tasks. The autoarchive settings you specify for a folder and its contents function as the default autoarchive settings for all subfolders and their contents. For example, if the autoarchive policy for a BIRT design file in a folder named Sales is Delete after 12/31, the same policy applies to BIRT design files residing in any subfolder of Sales.
By default, expiration is disabled for all file types and folders. If you run autoarchive without changing this policy for an item in the volume, Information Console does not delete any files or folders in the volume.
About setting the autoarchive policy for multiple items
You can set the autoarchive policy for multiple items at the same time. The archive option values you choose for selected folders apply to all subfolders. The archive option values you choose for selected files apply only to the selected files. You cannot set the autoarchive policy for a particular file type when setting the autoarchive policy for multiple folders.
Viewing the existing archive policy
To view the autoarchive policy for a folder, choose Auto Archive from the folder menu. Then in Auto archive policy for this folder, choose View Policy. Figure 3‑15 shows an example of the archive policy for a folder.
Figure 3‑15 Viewing the autoarchive policy
Enabling expiration of a file
To allow Information Console to delete a file after a period of time, select Enable expiration for this file.
Preventing automatic deletion of files and folders
To prevent the autoarchive process from removing a selected folder and its contents select Do not automatically delete files.
Deleting a file by specifying a time or date
To specify a date and time after which the autoarchive process can remove an item, select Delete after date M/d/yyyy time h:mm a. When you select this option, Information Console inserts the current date + 2 days for the date and the current time + 2 hours for the time. The language the administrator specifies for a user determines the date and time format available to that user. For example, when the locale is English (United States), the following formats apply:
M/d/yyyy
A date expression that translates to, for example, 12/1/2014 or 1/6/2015
h:mm a
A time expression that translates to, for example, 1:59 p.m.
To select a date from a calendar when using the Delete after date M/d/yyyy time h:mm a option, choose the calendar icon.
If you define an archive driver for the volume, selecting one of the Delete options supports specifying whether iHub archives the selected file, folder, or selected multiple files before the autoarchive process deletes the selected file, folder, or multiple files. Depending on the following conditions, the name of the option appears differently on Auto Archive Properties:
If setting the archive policy for a folder, the option name is Archive files before deletion.
If setting the archive policy for a file, the option name is Archive this file before deletion.
If setting the archive policy for multiple files, the option name is Archive the files before deletion.
Archiving files before deletion
Selecting a delete option when setting the autoarchive policy for a file enables the Archive this file before deletion option.
Selecting a delete option when setting the autoarchive policy for a folder enables the Archive files before deletion option.
Expiring dependent files
Selecting Expire Dependent Files supports an autoarchive cycle deleting a file on which a parameter values file (.rov) depends when the cycle deletes the ROV file. For example, if a user creates an ROV file from an Actuate BIRT design file (.rptdesign) named Sales by Customer.rptdesign, the autoarchive cycle deletes Sales by Customer.rptdesign when the autoarchive cycle deletes the ROV file.
How to set or modify the archive policy for a folder
1 Select the menu icon next to a folder. Choose Auto Archive.
2 In Auto archive policy for this folder, accept the selection of File Type set to <Default> to set the policy for the selected folder and its contents, or select a file type from File Type to set the policy only for files of that type within the selected folder.
3 Select one of the following options:
Use the default/inherited policy from the document’s file type
Do not automatically delete files
Delete when older than n days n hours
Delete after date M/d/yyyy time h:mm a
If you select one of the Delete options, you can also select Archive files before deletion and Expire Dependent Files.
4 To set values for multiple file types, set archiving option values for each selection you make from File Type.
Choose OK.
How to set or modify the archive policy for a single file
1 Select the menu icon next to a file. Choose Auto Archive.
2 On Auto Archive, select Enable expiration for this file to enable the following options:
Delete after date M/d/yyyy time h:mm a
Archive this file before deletion
Expire Dependent Files
Choose OK.
How to set archive policy for multiple items simultaneously
1 In the files and folder display pane, select the items for which you want to set the archive policy. To select all items, left-click the arrowhead icon in the box to the left of Action and choose Select All, as shown in Figure 3‑16. To deselect all items, choose Select None.
Figure 3‑16 Selecting all items
Left-click the arrowhead icon to the right of Action and choose Auto Archive, as shown in Figure 3‑17.
Figure 3‑17 Choosing Auto Archive
2 On Auto Archive Properties, specify or modify the following options:
Use the default/inherited policy from this file’s file type.
Do not automatically delete the files.
Delete when older than n days n hours.
Delete after date M/d/yyyy time h:mm a.
If you define an archive driver for the volume and you select one of the Delete options, you can also select Archive the files before deletion.
3 Optionally, choose Reset to deselect all selections you make on Auto Archive Properties.
A file
