Understanding > Batch > Watch folder

The batch supports watch folder functionality.

This feature allows to automatically add jobs to the batch list, just by copying/moving files to the watch folder.

The watch folder engine waits 5 seconds before adding the new files to the batch.

This value can be changed in the settings dialog.

Sub-folders inside the watch folder are also scanned.

Specifying a folder

When the batch is launched, the watch folder path is empty by default.

In the settings window you can specify a default location.

Kind of job

The batch supports different kinds of jobs, so when adding new files to the watch folder, the batch must know what kind of job to create and which parameters to use.

The batch looks for settings in the following order:

For example, if the dropped file is C:\Watch\MySubs.xml

•Reads the settings from file C:\Watch\MySubs.xml.kiojob.

•Reads the settings from file C:\Watch\KioJobSettings.xml.kiojob.

•Reads the settings from file C:\Watch\KioJobSettings.kiojob.

•Creates a job using the kind of job specified in the batch window.

•Duplicates the last job in the batch.

Individual setting

The batch will try to find the job settings in a file with the same name as the file, but with extension kiojob.

New file:

C:\Watch\MySubs.xml

Settings file:

C:\Watch\MySubs.xml.kiojob

This feature allows each file to have its own conversion settings.

Setting by extension

The batch will try to read the settings from file inside the watch folder, named KioJobSettings.ext.kiojob., where ext is the extension of the source file.

New file:

C:\Watch\MySubs.xml

Settings file:

C:\Watch\KioJobSettings.xml.kiojob

This feature allows to have different settings according to the file extension. For example, XML files can be converted in some way, SRT files in another way.

Common settings

The batch will try to read the settings from file inside the watch folder, named KioJobSettings.kiojob.

New file:

C:\Watch\MySubs.xml

Settings file:

C:\Watch\KioJobSettings.kiojob

This feature allows to use the same conversion settings for all files dropped into a folder.

Since the watch folder supports sub-folders, you can have different sub-folders that do different kind of conversions.

Default job

The batch will create a job using the job type specified in the batch window, if any.

Last job

The batch will take the settings from the last job in the batch list. This is, duplicate the last job.

If the batch is unable to resolve the settings, the file will be ignored, and a message error will be displayed.

Settings file

The settings file is a standard XML file, with extension kiojob.

The content of the file varies according to the kind of job, but it may look more or less like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>

<Job>

<TypeId>ScriptExport</TypeId>

</Parameters>

</Job>

This kind of file is similar to the XML files created by the batch to store the jobs.

Usually located in C:\ProgramData\Lemony Pro 5\Batch.

Creating settings files

Create settings from last job

In the batch program, use menu Create default settings from last job.

It will create a common settings file (KioJobSettings.kiojob) inside the current watch folder, using the same settings as the last job in the batch.

Copying a job

If you want to create your own settings files, you can use an existing job to learn how the file must look like.

•Optionally, remove all jobs in the batch.

•Add a new job to the batch using the parameters you need.

•Click menu Job list / Open folder to open the folder that contains all the jobs.

•Find the XML file that corresponds to the job you just created.

•Open the file with a text editor software to see its content.

Some values in the file can be ignored, since the batch engine will override them.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>

<Job>

<TypeId>ScriptExport</TypeId>

<Status>Waiting</Status>

</Parameters>

</Job>