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title: Read from Text File
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product: RPA Builder
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# Read from Text File

> For the full documentation index, see: https://docs.mulesoft.com/llms.txt

The _Read from Text File_ Action Step allows you to read from a text file and you use the _Read_
_Mode_ to specify which part of the file is to be read. The button in the Workflow shows the _Read
Mode_ that is presently active in brackets after the name of the Action Step (in the example above:
WholeFile). There is an option to determine whether the text should be deleted after reading.

To achieve a correct result, the text file to be read has to be UTF-8 encoded.

## Properties

**File Operation Settings:**

- **Delete line(s) after read** Specify whether the text should be deleted after it is read.

- **Directory path** Enter the path to the directory where the file to be read is stored. You can
  specify an absolute or relative path. If a relative path is used, then the path relates to the
  _Base Path_ variable.

- **File name** Enter the name here of the file that is to be read.

- **Line count** Enter the number of lines to be read. This option can be used if you have specified
  that more than one line (_Range of lines_) should be read in _Read file check mode_.

- **Number of first or Single Line** Specify the number of lines that are to be read here. If you
  have selected more than one line to be read in _Read file check mode_, i.e. a _Range of lines_,
  this is where you select the line number at which to start reading.

The first line in a text file is line number 1!

- **Read file check mode** Use _Read file_ _check mode_ to specify which part of the file is to be
  read:

  - **Read whole file** The whole file will be read.

  - **Last line** Only the last, most recent line of the file will be read.

  - **Single line** Only a single line will be read (please also note the setting **Number of first
    or single line**).

  - **Range of lines** A set of lines will be read (please also note the setting **Number of first
    or single line**).

- **Read to end** Specify whether to read to the end of the file. This option can be used if you
  have specified that more than one line (_Range of lines_) should be read in _Read file check
  mode_. The advantage of this option compared to the _Line count_ option is that you do not have to
  define how many lines are to be read when in _Range of lines_ mode.

Other Properties that are the same in all Action Steps are described in the section on **Common
Properties**. For reasons of clarity they are not shown here.

## Inbound Variables

**Directory path** Enter the path to the directory where the file to be read is stored. You can
specify an absolute or relative path. If a relative path is used, then the path relates to the _Base
Path_ variable.

**Directory path** Enter the path to the directory where the file to be read is stored. You can
specify an absolute or relative path. If a relative path is used, then the path relates to the _Base
Path_ variable.

## Outbound Variables

**Read text** The _Read from Text File.Read text_ variable provides the selected read mode (_Read
file check mode_).

**IsRead** The _Read from Text File.IsRead_ variable indicates whether the file could be read or not
(True/False).

**Line Count**  The _Read from Text File.Line Count_ variable provides the number of lines that are
to be read.

**File name** The _Read from Text File.File Name_ variable provides the name of the file that is to
be read.

**Directory path** The _Read from Text File.Directory Path_ variable provides the path that is used.

## Wizard

- **Directory path** Specify the path to the file that is to be read. You can create an absolute
  path or a path relative to the _Base Path_. The initial value is %STWS\_BASEPATH%. Select an
  existing path. You can also insert variables from the _Workflow_ in order to construct the path.
  To do so, click on the pin and select one of the available variables.

- **File name** Enter the name here of the file that is to be read. You can also insert a variable
  from the Workflow as the _File Name_. To do so, click on the pin and select one of the available
  variables.

- **Read mode** Use _Read_ _mode_ to specify which part of the file is to be read. Other fields will
  be shown depending on the chosen setting:

  - **Entire file** The whole file will be read.

  - **Last line** Only the last, most recent line of the file will be read.

  - **Single line** Only a single line will be read. Enter the line number of the line that is to be
    read in the **Line Number** field.

  - **Range of lines** A range of lines will be read. Enter the line number of the first line that
    is to be read in the **First line to read** field. Enter the number of lines that is to be read
    in the **Line count** field. Use the option **Read to end of file** to specify that reading is
    to occur until the end of the file. The advantage of this option compared to the _Line count_
    detail is that you do not have to define the number of lines that is to be read.

The first line in a text file is line number 1!

- **Remove line(s) after read** Specify here whether the text should be deleted after it is read.

- **Encoding** The encoding of the file to read. Includes Shift-JIS and EUC-JP for Japanese support.
  Specify a valid encoding type if the one you need is not in the list.