FME Transformers: 2024.1

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AzureComputerVisionConnector
AzureFileStorageConnector
AzureQueueStorageConnector
AzureTextAnalyticsConnector
BoxConnector
CesiumIonConnector
DropboxConnector
FMEFlowResourceConnector
GoogleCloudStorageConnector
GoogleDriveConnector
HDFSConnector
OneDriveConnector
ProjectWiseWSGConnector
S3Connector
Categories
Integrations

Integrations

Web

Web

Workflows

Workflows

Related Transformers
AzureComputerVisionConnector
AzureFileStorageConnector
AzureQueueStorageConnector
AzureTextAnalyticsConnector
BoxConnector
CesiumIonConnector
DropboxConnector
FMEFlowResourceConnector
GoogleCloudStorageConnector
GoogleDriveConnector
HDFSConnector
OneDriveConnector
ProjectWiseWSGConnector
S3Connector

AzureBlobStorageConnector

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.

Jump to Configuration

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

This transformer accepts any feature.

Output Ports

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.

The incoming feature is output through this port.

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.

Note  If a feature comes in to the AzureBlobStorageConnector already having a value for fme_rejection_code, this value will be removed.

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

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.

  • Web Connection: - use an Azure Storage web connection stored in the FME web connections database
  • SAS: - use a Shared Account Signature instead of an access key
  • Embedded: - embed an account name and access key as parameters in the transformer

  • Default Azure Credential - Obtain credentials from Microsoft Entra ID, Managed Identity, or Azure CLI.

  • Environment Variables: - use credentials already configured on the system, in the environment variables AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT and AZURE_STORAGE_ACCESS_KEY
  • Anonymous: - access public Blob Storage containers without authenticating

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.

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.

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.

Custom Domain

If the blob storage service is not located at <account>.blob.core.windows.net, this parameter can be used to override the host.

Action

The type of operation to perform. Choices include:

  • Delete
  • Download
  • List
  • Upload

The remaining parameters available depend on the value of the Request > Action parameter. Parameters for each Action are detailed below.

Delete Options

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.

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.

Download Options

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.

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.

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

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

Download as

Select whether to store the downloaded data in a File, Folder or Attribute.

  • File: The downloaded object will be stored in the specified folder.
  • Folder: The downloaded folder object will be stored in the specified folder.
  • Attribute: The downloaded object will be stored in the specified attribute.

Download to Attribute

Specify the attribute that will store the contents of the downloaded file. Valid for Download as Attribute only.

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.

Download to Folder

Specify the path to the folder that will store the downloaded file. Valid for Download as File or Folder.

If File Exists

Specify what to do if the file already exists locally. Valid for Download as File or Folder.

  • Reject: If downloading a file, the input feature will be rejected. If downloading a folder, a rejected feature will be output for each rejected file.
  • Overwrite: Any existing local files or folders will be overwritten with the remote copy.

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.

_download_path

Path of the downloaded object on the local file system. This attribute will not be added for Download as Attribute.

List Options

Container

The container the folder is in. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a container.

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.

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.

_name

Name of the file or folder

_full_path

Full path of the file or folder

_url

URL to the file or folder.

_file_or_folder

Whether the item is a file or a folder

_file_size

File size (not present for folders)

_created

Date and time when the file was created

_last_modified

Date and time when the file was last modified

_relative_path

Path to the item relative to the list path

Data Source

Upload

The type of data to be uploaded.

  • File: The specified file will be uploaded.
  • Folder: The specified folder and its contents will be uploaded.
  • Attribute: The contents of the specified attribute will 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.

File to Upload

The file to be uploaded to Blob Storage if Upload is set to File.

Folder to Upload

The folder to be uploaded to Blob Storage if Upload is set to Folder.

Include Subfolders

Choose whether or not to upload subfolders of the Folder to Upload.

Contents Only

  • Yes: Upload only the contents of the folder to the remote destination.
  • No: Upload the folder to the remote destination.

Attribute to Upload as File

The data to be uploaded, supplied from an attribute if Upload is set to Attribute.

Upload Options

Container

The container the folder is in. If valid credentials have been provided as a web connection, you may browse for a container.

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.

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).

If File Exists

Specify what to do if the file already exists on Blob Storage.

  • Reject: If uploading a file, the input feature will be rejected. If uploading a folder, rejected files will be listed in the Rejected Files attribute.
  • Overwrite: Any existing files or folders on Blob Storage will be overwritten with the local copy.

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

Use this section to specify custom Name and Value pairs of metadata to associate with each uploaded file.

If the name matches a recognized HTTP header value, it will be set such that HTTP requests for the uploaded file will return those headers.

If Content-Type is not specified, then it will be set based on the extension of the uploaded file if possible.

If Content-Encoding is also unset, then a value will also be determined if applicable.

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.

SAS generation requires authenticating using an Account Key. For more information about SAS, please see the Microsoft Azure documentation.

SAS Token Expiry Time

When the token should expire.

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”.

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.

_name

Name of the file or folder.

_full_path

Full path of the file or folder.

_url

URL to the file or folder.

Editing Transformer Parameters

Transformer parameters can be set by directly entering values, using expressions, or referencing other elements in the workspace such as attribute values or user parameters. Various editors and context menus are available to assist. To see what is available, click beside the applicable parameter.

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.

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.

Text Editor

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.

Arithmetic Editor

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.

String Functions

These functions manipulate and format strings.

Special Characters

 A set of control characters is available in the Text Editor.

Math Functions

Math functions are available in both editors.
Date/Time Functions Date and time functions are available in the Text Editor.

Math Operators

These operators are available in the Arithmetic Editor.

FME Feature Functions

These return primarily feature-specific values.

FME Parameters

FME and workspace-specific parameters may be used.
Creating and Modifying User Parameters Create your own editable parameters.

Table Tools

Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.

Row Reordering

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

  • Add a row
  • Remove a row
  • Move current row up one
  • Move current row down one
  • Move current row to top
  • Move current row to bottom

Cut, Copy, and Paste

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

  • Cut a row - delete and copy to clipboard
  • Copy a row to the clipboard
  • Paste a row from the clipboard

Cut, copy, and paste may be used within a transformer, or between transformers.

Filter

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.

Import

Import populates the table with a set of new attributes read from a dataset. Specific application varies between transformers.

Reset/Refresh

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.

For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.

Reference

Processing Behavior

Feature-Based

Feature Holding

No
Dependencies Azure Storage Account
Aliases  
History Released FME 2019.0

FME Community

The FME Community is the place for demos, how-tos, articles, FAQs, and more. Get answers to your questions, learn from other users, and suggest, vote, and comment on new features.

Search for all results about the AzureBlobStorageConnector on the FME Community.

 

Examples may contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver, Open Government Licence - British Columbia, and/or Open Government Licence – Canada.