Import Watcher (Service)

⚠	This article was migrated from an older version and has not been updated for the current version of Grooper. This tag will be removed upon article review and update.

This article is about the current version of Grooper. Note that some content may still need to be updated.
2025	2024	2023.1

An Import Watcher is a Grooper Service that schedules and runs import jobs. It periodically executes an Import Provider to query or poll for files in a file system or content management system that meet specified criteria. Then, these files are imported into Grooper as documents in a new Batch. Afterward, the imported files can be (and should be) moved, deleted, or modified to prevent repeat imports in the next polling cycle.

About

An Import Watcher is a service that is required for importing digital documents, such as PDFs, into Grooper. The Import Watcher creates "Import Jobs" that bring in files to new Batches in Grooper. It is also required to automate scheduled imports as well as for ad-hoc user directed imports from the Imports Page.

To make use of an Import Watcher, you first will have to install the service via Grooper Command Console. If all you want to do is ad-hoc user directed imports, you're good to go after installing and starting the service. If you would like to set up a polling loop or set specific times to periodically import documents, you will be able to do that from the Grooper Web Client after you have installed the Import Watcher service.

How To

Installing the Import Watcher Service

In order to create Import Jobs to bring digital documents into Grooper, you will need to install an Import Watcher service. To install any service, you will need admin access to Grooper Command Console. Open Grooper Command Console and follow the instructions below:

1. In Grooper Command Console enter the following command:

services install <connectionNo> <typeName> <userName> <password> [threadCount] [queueName]

• <connectionNo> (required):

• Replace this with the integer representing the appropriate connection. Use the connections list command to get a list of your connections.

• <typeName> (required):

• Since we are installing an Import Watcher service, replace this with ImportWatcher.

• <userName> and <password> (required):

• Replace these with the appropriate Active Directory credentials of your Grooper Service User.

• [threadCount] and [queueName] (optional):

• If you want to specify a specific thread count, replace [threadCount] with an appropriate integer.
• If you want to specify a queue name, replace [queueName] with the name of an appropriate Processing Queue object.

Scheduled Imports

If you would like to set Grooper to import documents periodically throughout the day, you will want to set up Scheduled Imports on the Import Watcher you installed. You can do this through the Grooper Web Client following the instructions below:

1. Select the "Machines" folder in the node tree.
2. Select the server with the installed Import Watcher from the Machines List at the top.
3. Select the Import Watcher from the list of services installed on the selected server.
4. Click the ellipsis icon to the right of the Scheduled Imports property in the property grid on the right.

A "Scheduled Imports" window will pop up. Continue to either the #Setting Up a Polling Loop or #Setting Up Specific Times sections and follow the instructions there depending upon what type of Scheduled Import you want to configure.

Setting Up a Polling Loop

There are two different ways to set up a Scheduled Import: A Polling Loop or a Specific Times import schedule. We're going to start with how to set up a Polling Loop.

A Polling Loop will periodically attempt to import files from a repository (based on a Provider you will set up). You can customize the frequency and times in which the polling loop runs.

1. When the "Scheduled Imports" window pops up, click on the + icon at the top of the window.
2. Select Polling Loop from the drop down options.

3. An entry for your Polling Loop should appear in the List of Import Schedules.
4. Enter a Name for your Polling Loop and set up a Provider. For instructions on how to set up your Import Provider, take a look at the CMIS Import article.

5. Scroll down to the "Scheduling" options. Set an Interval. This will be how often Grooper will attempt to import files.
   • You can set the time interval as seconds, minutes, or hours. So, if you set it to 30s, then every 30 seconds, Grooper will attempt to import files from the specified location set by your Provider. If you set to 1h, then it will attempt once every hour. In this example, we have set it to 1m or every one minute.
6. Set the Hours of Operation. This is the times the Polling Loop will run. Here we've put in general working hours of 8AM-5PM.
   • There are many different valid formats you may use for the times. 8am, 8AM, 8:00am, and 8:00AM will all work. If you want to start at a time not set at the top of the hour, simply use the 8:30AM format. Make sure you separate the two times with a hyphen (-) to indicate the range.
7. Set your Days of Week. Grooper will run this polling loop only on the days of the week that are checked.

8. When you are finished configuring your Polling Loop, click "OK" in the top right of the "Scheduled Imports" window.

9. Click the save icon on the property grid to save your changes to your Import Watcher.

Setting Up Specific Times

There are two different ways to set up a Scheduled Import: A Polling Loop or a Specific Times import schedule. In this section, we're going to set up a Specific Times import schedule.

A Specific Times schedule will attempt to import files from a repository (based on a Provider you will set up) only on the days and times that you specify.

1. When the "Scheduled Imports" window pops up, click on the + icon at the top to access the drop down.
2. Click on Specific Times from the drop down.

3. An entry for your Specific Times schedule should appear in the List of Import Schedules.
4. Enter a Name for your Specific Times schedule and set up a Provider. For instructions on how to set up your Import Provider, take a look at the CMIS Import article.

5. Scroll down to the Scheduling section of the property grid and enter in your Run Times. The Run Times dictate when Grooper will attempt to import files from where you set your Provider. In our example we have set Grooper to attempt an import every two hours during business hours (8AM, 10AM, 12PM, 2PM, 4PM).
   • Make sure you separate each time with a comma.
   • Valid time formatting includes: 8am, 8AM, 8:00pm, 8:15PM.
6. Set your Days of Week. Grooper will only attempt to import at your Run Times only on the days of the week that are checked.
7. When you have finished configuring your Specific Times schedule, click "OK" in the top right of the pop up window.

8. Click the save icon in the top right of the property grid to save your changes to your Import Watcher.

Start the Import Watcher

When you have your Import Watcher configured and are ready for the schedule to start importing files, you will need to actually start your Import Watcher. Follow the instructions below:

1. Select the Import Watcher from the Services List.
2. Click the play button icon to the top right of the list of services to start the service.

3. The "Status" of your Import Watcher will change from "Stopped" to "Running" and the dot will change from red to green to indicate it is running.