Task: Continuously watch folders from Dropbox for work files. Edit master file with work file details and deliver a copy of customized file to consultants.
Challenges:
- Dropbox compatibility
- Create document by merging Word and Excel
- Integrate with external software (screen capture macro utility)
The biggest challenge, by far, was integrating with a screen recording program. Microsoft Word does not have a programmable method for removing links from a document. A screen recording program can capture the keystrokes and clicks that a user would employ to accomplish this task manually. Once the recorded macro is working, it can be called from within the Watch Folders utility.
Watching folders has four basic requirements:
- Where to Watch – Define the Folders
- What to Watch – Specify Files to Process
- When to Watch – Set Scan Intervals
- What Actions – Define tasks to be Automated
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