# Importing the latest file(s) from a file folder into Node-RED
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307
**Category:** General
**Created:** [19 June 2023 19:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307 "2023-06-19T19:00:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@gettmad](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gettmad)
#### Post date: [19 June 2023 19:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307/1 "2023-06-19T19:00:27Z")
I am currently working with only one file where I am using the 'Read File' node to access it however the application I am dealing with requires me to automatically update the file every 6 hours. The file will have an alternative name each time and therefore I do not believe I can use the 'Read File' node. Both the CSV File as well as the TXT File will be located in the same directory and I will require both for my flow.
Can anyone provide any insight into this type of issue?
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [19 June 2023 19:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307/2 "2023-06-19T19:22:28Z")
Welcome to the forum.
Could you use a Watch node to watch the folder for new files?
---
### Author:  [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)
#### Post date: [19 June 2023 20:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307/3 "2023-06-19T20:33:44Z")
If you leave the Filename in the node config blank then you can (must) set it with msg.filename property on the input message.
---
### Author:  [@gettmad](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gettmad)
#### Post date: [19 June 2023 21:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307/4 "2023-06-19T21:02:31Z")
Thanks! I was considering using this Node however I wasn’t sure of its full capabilities. The documentation felt vague to me. Is it a Boolean flag which turns true upon any changes to the folder?
Appreciate the help in advance.
---
### Author:  [@gettmad](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gettmad)
#### Post date: [19 June 2023 21:03 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307/5 "2023-06-19T21:03:03Z")
I will look into this! Thanks for your reply.
---
### Author:  [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)
#### Post date: [19 June 2023 21:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307/6 "2023-06-19T21:48:33Z")
I can’t recall exactly but just try it with a debug node attached and set to show complete msg.. I think it returns the changed file names and some other useful info. The sidebar help should tell you.
---
### Author:  [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)
#### Post date: [20 June 2023 07:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307/7 "2023-06-20T07:09:57Z")
The watch node just outputs the name of any file that changes in the watched folder
---
### Author:  [@gettmad](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gettmad)
#### Post date: [20 June 2023 14:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307/9 "2023-06-20T14:41:11Z")
Thank you all for the input. Below I will post the solution to the problem in my post.
**Solution**
As mentioned by various commenters, the 'Watch' node can be used to a specific file directory for any changes. If you would like the functionality mentioned in my post you can import the flow which I will attach at the bottom of this comment.
This flow will monitor a file directory for changes and when any 2 new files are added it will join them into a 'msg.payload' array. For my case I wanted the csv file which was stored in 'msg.payload[0]' to go to the above stream and then .txt file which was stored in the 'msg.payload[1]' to go to the below stream.
This flow is flexible and in the case you need to handle more files you can change the 'After a number of message parts' setting in the 'Join' node to your desired number of files.
Please note that for whichever reason in the 'Switch' node I could not define multiple outputs and direct the 'msg.filename' to their respective output so instead I added a 'Switch' node for each file I was trying to read.
```auto
[
{
"id": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"type": "tab",
"label": "Flow 6",
"disabled": false,
"info": "",
"env": []
},
{
"id": "5e24854f53bf1b74",
"type": "watch",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "watch",
"files": "",
"recursive": "",
"x": 130,
"y": 240,
"wires": [
[
"49d9727cf0c331fc"
]
]
},
{
"id": "6b3cf284cad2620e",
"type": "debug",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "debug 34",
"active": true,
"tosidebar": true,
"console": false,
"tostatus": false,
"complete": "false",
"statusVal": "",
"statusType": "auto",
"x": 1220,
"y": 360,
"wires": []
},
{
"id": "ae753ec17e7ac25e",
"type": "file in",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "txt",
"filename": "payload[1]",
"filenameType": "msg",
"format": "utf8",
"chunk": false,
"sendError": false,
"encoding": "none",
"allProps": false,
"x": 830,
"y": 360,
"wires": [
[
"6b3cf284cad2620e"
]
]
},
{
"id": "f1167323c41b2a5e",
"type": "file in",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "csv",
"filename": "payload[0]",
"filenameType": "msg",
"format": "utf8",
"chunk": false,
"sendError": false,
"encoding": "none",
"allProps": false,
"x": 830,
"y": 180,
"wires": [
[
"6dcb09327f7aa3d0"
]
]
},
{
"id": "6dcb09327f7aa3d0",
"type": "debug",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "debug 38",
"active": true,
"tosidebar": true,
"console": false,
"tostatus": false,
"complete": "false",
"statusVal": "",
"statusType": "auto",
"x": 1220,
"y": 180,
"wires": []
},
{
"id": "03b9bb99a97ebab9",
"type": "join",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "",
"mode": "custom",
"build": "array",
"property": "payload",
"propertyType": "msg",
"key": "topic",
"joiner": "\\n",
"joinerType": "str",
"accumulate": false,
"timeout": "",
"count": "2",
"reduceRight": false,
"reduceExp": "",
"reduceInit": "",
"reduceInitType": "num",
"reduceFixup": "",
"x": 450,
"y": 240,
"wires": [
[
"0631ee86439ddd12",
"9a1172a406afe598"
]
]
},
{
"id": "49d9727cf0c331fc",
"type": "split",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "",
"splt": "\\n",
"spltType": "str",
"arraySplt": "1",
"arraySpltType": "len",
"stream": false,
"addname": "",
"x": 290,
"y": 240,
"wires": [
[
"03b9bb99a97ebab9"
]
]
},
{
"id": "330d60dd6a512ca3",
"type": "comment",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "Test File Upload Func.",
"info": "",
"x": 180,
"y": 280,
"wires": []
},
{
"id": "0631ee86439ddd12",
"type": "switch",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "",
"property": "filename",
"propertyType": "msg",
"rules": [
{
"t": "eq",
"v": "payload[1]",
"vt": "msg"
}
],
"checkall": "true",
"repair": false,
"outputs": 1,
"x": 630,
"y": 240,
"wires": [
[
"f1167323c41b2a5e"
]
]
},
{
"id": "5450ed817fab47fa",
"type": "debug",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "debug 43",
"active": true,
"tosidebar": true,
"console": false,
"tostatus": false,
"complete": "false",
"statusVal": "",
"statusType": "auto",
"x": 1220,
"y": 440,
"wires": []
},
{
"id": "c1dfb7a8753f4abe",
"type": "file in",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "txt",
"filename": "payload[1]",
"filenameType": "msg",
"format": "utf8",
"chunk": false,
"sendError": false,
"encoding": "none",
"allProps": false,
"x": 830,
"y": 440,
"wires": [
[
"5450ed817fab47fa"
]
]
},
{
"id": "9a1172a406afe598",
"type": "switch",
"z": "f99455d03588f4ae",
"name": "",
"property": "filename",
"propertyType": "msg",
"rules": [
{
"t": "eq",
"v": "payload[1]",
"vt": "msg"
}
],
"checkall": "true",
"repair": false,
"outputs": 1,
"x": 630,
"y": 300,
"wires": [
[
"ae753ec17e7ac25e",
"c1dfb7a8753f4abe"
]
]
}
]
```
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [4 July 2023 14:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/importing-the-latest-file-s-from-a-file-folder-into-node-red/79307/10 "2023-07-04T14:41:43Z")
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