Accesses the Azure Blob Storage file storage service to upload, download, or delete files and folders or list file/folder information from an Azure account.
Typical Uses
- Manage datasets on Blob Storage by uploading, downloading, and deleting files and folders
- Transfer a file's contents (such as XML or raster) into or out of an attribute in FME
- Read downloaded Blob Storage data using the FeatureReader, or upload data written by the FeatureWriter to Blob Storage
- Retrieve file and folder names, paths, links and other information from Blob Storage to use elsewhere in a workspace.
How does it work?
The AzureBlobStorageConnector uses your Azure Storage account credentials (either via a previously defined FME web connection, or by setting up a new FME web connection right from the transformer) to access the file storage service.
Depending on your choice of actions, it will upload or download files, folders, and attributes; list information from the service; or delete items from the service. On uploads, link attributes can be added to the output features. On List actions, file/folder information are added as attributes.
Usage Notes
- This transformer cannot be used to directly move or copy files between different Azure Storage locations. However, multiple AzureBlobStorageConnectors can be used to accomplish these tasks.
- The FeatureReader can access Azure Blob Storage directly, without using the AzureBlobStorageConnector. In this case, a permanent local copy of the dataset will not be created.
Configuration
Input Ports
Input
This transformer accepts any feature.
Output Ports
Output
The output of this transformer will vary depending on the action performed.
- After an Upload action, selected information about the file will be available as attributes.
- A Download action will output the incoming feature and can save to either a file, folder or attribute.
- A Delete action will output the incoming feature.
- A List action will output a new feature for each file/folder found in the path specified. Each of these new features will have attributes listing various pieces of information about the object.
Initiator
The incoming feature is output through this port.
<Rejected>
Features that cause the operation to fail are output through this port. An fme_rejection_code attribute, having the value ERROR_DURING_PROCESSING, will be added, along with a more descriptive fme_rejection_message attribute which contains more specific details as to the reason for the failure.
Rejected Feature Handling: can be set to either terminate the translation or continue running when it encounters a rejected feature. This setting is available both as a default FME option and as a workspace parameter.
Parameters
Authentication
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Credential Source |
The AzureBlobStorageConnector can use credentials from different sources. Using a web connection integrates best with FME, but in some cases, you may wish to use one of the other sources.
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Account |
Available when the credential source is Web Connection. To create an Azure Storage connection, click the 'Account' drop-down box and select 'Add Web Connection...'. The connection can then be managed via Tools -> FME Options... -> Web Connections. |
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Account Name and Account Key |
Available when the credential source is Embedded. An account name and access key can be specified directly in the transformer instead of in a web connection. |
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Account Name and Shared Access Signature Token |
Available when the credential source is SAS. An account name and shared access signature can be specified directly in the transformer. |
Request
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Action |
The type of operation to perform. Choices include:
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The remaining parameters available depend on the value of the Request > Action parameter. Parameters for each Action are detailed below.
Parameters - Delete Action
Delete Options
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Container |
The container the file or folder is in. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a container. |
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Path |
The full path of a file or folder on Blob Storage to delete. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a location. |
Parameters - Download Action
Download Options
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Container |
The container the file or folder is in. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a container. |
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Path |
The full path of a file or folder on Blob Storage to download. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a location. |
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Start of Byte Range |
Start of byte range to use for downloading a section of the blob. If no end_range is given, all bytes after the start_range will be downloaded. The start_range and end_range params are inclusive. Ex: start_range=0, end_range=511 will download first 512 bytes of blob |
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End of Byte Range |
End of byte range to use for downloading a section of the blob. If end_range is given, start_range must be provided. The start_range and end_range params are inclusive. Ex: start_range=0, end_range=511 will download first 512 bytes of blob. |
Destination
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Download as |
Select whether to store the downloaded data in a File, Folder or Attribute.
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Download to Attribute |
Specify the attribute that will store the contents of the downloaded file. Valid for Download as Attribute only. |
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Response Body Encoding |
For Download as Attribute, you can specify a character set encoding to ensure the output is in a human-readable form. If Auto Detect from HTTP Header is specified but there is no encoding in the Content-Type metadata associated with the data, the output will be returned as raw bytes. |
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Download to Folder |
Specify the path to the folder that will store the downloaded file. Valid for Download as File or Folder. |
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If File Exists |
Specify what to do if the file already exists locally. Valid for Download as File or Folder.
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Include Subfolders |
Choose whether to download subfolders of the Blob Storage source or not. Valid for Download as Folder only. |
Output Attributes
The selected attributes will be added to the output feature.
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_download_path |
Path of the downloaded object on the local file system. This attribute will not be added for Download as Attribute. |
Parameters - List Action
List Options
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Container |
The container the folder is in. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a container. |
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Path |
The full path to the folder on Blob Storage to list. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a location. |
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Include Subfolders |
If set to Yes, then subfolders are recursively traversed, and their contents are included in the result. |
Output Attributes
The selected attributes will be added to the output feature.
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_name |
Name of the file or folder |
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_full_path |
Full path of the file or folder |
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_url |
URL to the file or folder. |
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_file_or_folder |
Whether the item is a file or a folder |
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_file_size |
File size (not present for folders) |
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_created |
Date and time when the file was created |
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_last_modified |
Date and time when the file was last modified |
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_relative_path |
Path to the item relative to the list path |
Parameters - Upload Action
Data Source
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Upload |
The type of data to be uploaded.
When working with large objects, File is a better choice than Attribute, as the data will be streamed directly from disk and not require that the object be stored entirely in memory on a feature. When wanting to upload content from a folder, it is better to upload as a folder instead of setting a fixed path and sending multiple features into the connector to upload as a file. |
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File to Upload |
The file to be uploaded to Blob Storage if Upload is set to File. |
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Folder to Upload |
The folder to be uploaded to Blob Storage if Upload is set to Folder. |
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Include Subfolders |
Choose whether or not to upload subfolders of the Folder to Upload. |
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Contents Only |
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Attribute to Upload as File |
The data to be uploaded, supplied from an attribute if Upload is set to Attribute. |
Upload Options
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Container |
The container the folder is in. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a container. |
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Path |
The full path to the folder on Blob Storage to upload to. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a location. |
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Upload with File Name |
The name of the file created from the data supplied in Attribute to Upload as File. The name must include a filename extension (for example, .txt, .jpg, .doc). |
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If File Exists |
Specify what to do if the file already exists on Blob Storage.
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Maximum Block Size (MB) |
The size of the blocks to create when uploading (provided the file is larger than 4MB). The maximum block size Azure Blob Storage supports is 100MB. For more information about block size, see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/storageservices/understanding-block-blobs--append-blobs--and-page-blobs |
Metadata
It is possible to specify custom name-value pairs that are associated with the uploaded features.
Generate Shared Access Signature
If checked, a Shared Access Signature (SAS) will be generated for the uploaded file. The attributes _sas_url and _sas_token will be added to the output feature. This option is only available for file and attribute upload. For more information about SAS, please see the Microsoft Azure documentation.
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SAS Token Expiry Time |
When the token should expire. |
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IP Address or Range |
If provided, restrict access to an IP address or range of IP addresses. Ranges are given in the format “203.0.113.0–203.0.113.255”. |
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Restrict to HTTPS |
If Yes, the token can only be used via HTTPS. |
Output Attributes
The selected attributes will be added to the output feature. Only available for file and folder uploads.
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_name |
Name of the file or folder. |
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_full_path |
Full path of the file or folder. |
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_url |
URL to the file or folder. |
Editing Transformer Parameters
Using a set of menu options, transformer parameters can be assigned by referencing other elements in the workspace. More advanced functions, such as an advanced editor and an arithmetic editor, are also available in some transformers. To access a menu of these options, click 
beside the applicable parameter. For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.
Defining Values
There are several ways to define a value for use in a Transformer. The simplest is to simply type in a value or string, which can include functions of various types such as attribute references, math and string functions, and workspace parameters. There are a number of tools and shortcuts that can assist in constructing values, generally available from the drop-down context menu adjacent to the value field.
How to Set Parameter Values
Using the Text Editor
The Text Editor provides a convenient way to construct text strings (including regular expressions) from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and constants, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.
Using the Arithmetic Editor
The Arithmetic Editor provides a convenient way to construct math expressions from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and feature functions, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.
Conditional Values
Set values depending on one or more test conditions that either pass or fail.
Parameter Condition Definition Dialog
Content
Expressions and strings can include a number of functions, characters, parameters, and more.
When setting values - whether entered directly in a parameter or constructed using one of the editors - strings and expressions containing String, Math, Date/Time or FME Feature Functions will have those functions evaluated. Therefore, the names of these functions (in the form @<function_name>) should not be used as literal string values.
Content Types
| These functions manipulate and format strings. | |
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Special Characters |
A set of control characters is available in the Text Editor. |
| Math functions are available in both editors. | |
| Date/Time Functions | Date and time functions are available in the Text Editor. |
| These operators are available in the Arithmetic Editor. | |
| These return primarily feature-specific values. | |
| FME and workspace-specific parameters may be used. | |
| Creating and Modifying User Parameters | Create your own editable parameters. |
Dialog Options - Tables
Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.
Table Tools
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Row Reordering
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Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:
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Cut, Copy, and Paste
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Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:
Cut, copy, and paste may be used within a transformer, or between transformers. |
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Filter
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Start typing a string, and the matrix will only display rows matching those characters. Searches all columns. This only affects the display of attributes within the transformer - it does not alter which attributes are output. |
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Import
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Import populates the table with a set of new attributes read from a dataset. Specific application varies between transformers. |
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Reset/Refresh
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Generally resets the table to its initial state, and may provide additional options to remove invalid entries. Behavior varies between transformers. |
Note: Not all tools are available in all transformers.
Reference
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Processing Behavior |
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Feature Holding |
No |
| Dependencies | Azure Storage Account |
| Aliases | |
| History | Released FME 2019.0 |
FME Community
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Search for all results about the AzureBlobStorageConnector on the FME Community.
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