Some additional info from doing some further testing.

- First of all, before registering the file set, I made sure there were some files and sub-folders in the folder I used as a File Set. After registering the file set, and setting it as the File Root of a Files web part, I could see the files in the folder in the Files web part, but could NOT see the sub-folders in the Files web part.
- I tried to upload some files using the "Single file" upload feature of the Files web part. Some files would not upload - I tried several times. There was no error reported to the user, but the log file reported the attached stack trace.
- I tried uploading some other files, and they seemed to upload fine, but each time I uploaded one, I got a stack trace in the log file again.
- The "Created By" for all files displays as "Guest" - both those that were already in the folder before I registered it as a file set, and those I uploaded through the Files web part - even though I was logged in when I did the uploads. Note that when I upload the same files via a Files web part that's using the default File Root, they upload with no problems, and their "Created By" is properly displaying my user's display name.

File sets seem to be pretty unusable - or am I doing something wrong?

Andy Straw
University of Rochester

Andy,

File sets are a legacy feature. They should not be used for any new applications like yours. I recommend either

- setting a non-default file root for the folder or
- configuring a pipeline override for the folder.

See https://www.labkey.org/wiki/home/Documentation/page.view?name=fileTerminology for a background on the terminology LabKey uses. And https://www.labkey.org/wiki/home/Documentation/page.view?name=adminFiles for documentation on working with files.

In this situation, I recommend configuring a pipeline override for your project or folder. When using the pipeline override instead of a fileset, the Files webpart will be able to see all files and directories in the pipeline override directory and all sub-directories and their files. In addition, the "Created By" and other file properties will be supported (if the files are uploaded via the File webpart or Data Pipeline webparts).

Instructions for setting up a pipeline override are at https://www.labkey.org/wiki/home/Documentation/page.view?name=pipelineSetup Once you have configured your pipeline, you can access the pipeline override directory from a Files webpart. You will need to customize the Files webpart:

1. click on the down arrow next to the word "Files" in the webpart header
2. in the file root dropdown select "Pipeline Files"


With respect to the behavior you experienced when using the FileSet. This was not a bug, this behavior is by design. Filesets can only see the files at the root of the Fileset directory and cannot see any sub-directories, etc. As I said above, FileSets are a legacy feature and have been replaced by File Roots and Pipeline Overrides (https://www.labkey.org/wiki/home/Documentation/page.view?name=fileTerminology). Filesets are still documented and supported as some of our oldest customers are still using them.


- Brian

Hi Andy,

File Sets are intended to show a single directory, without exposing subdirectories. This is why you're unable to create or view subdirectories. As Brian says, they're essentially a legacy feature that some installations use to expose files, but aren't in active use for accepting uploads.

I'll open a bug on the NullPointerException you're getting when uploading new files.

Thanks,
Josh