Managing working data stored in a robot

Each robot has a central data storage area where you can permanently save Analytics data tables, and files such as Excel or delimited, for use as input in future tasks, or for storing historical records. The data in the storage area can be produced by either an ACL script or a Python/HCL script, or it can be manually uploaded.

For each robot, the data storage areas in development mode and production mode are completely separate with no sharing of data across modes. For more information, see Development mode and production mode in Robots.

Working data versus results data

The data in the storage area is working data, not results data. Results data is not stored in the central data storage area. Instead, it is stored in the Task runs tab, with the individual task run that produced the data. By contrast, the working data in the central storage area can be produced by a variety of different tasks, or manually uploaded from a variety of different locations. Working data can also be overwritten, whereas results data is a fixed end product that cannot be overwritten.

Data storage capability by robot type and Robots Agent type

Data storage differs somewhat based on robot type and Robots Agent type. The differences are summarized below.

Data storage characteristic	ACL robot On-premise Robots Agent	ACL robot Cloud-based Robots Agent	HighBond robot Workflow robot Cloud-based Python engine
Data storage area	Input/Output tab		Working data tab
Supported data types	Analytics tables files	files	files
Methods for adding working data to the storage area	output of Analytics table by ACL script logic + //DATA tag in analytic header manual upload of file	manual upload of file	output of file by Python/HCL script logic + save_working_file() method manual upload of file
Sharing/linking of working data between robots	Yes	No	No

Using working data as input for a script

The method for using working data as input for a script depends on the type of script and the type of data.

Script type	Data storage area	Analytics data table as script input	File as script input
ACL script	Input/Output tab	Use the OPEN <table name> command in the script. (On-premise Robots Agent only)	Do both: Include a //FILE analytic tag in the script's analytic header. For more information, see FILE tag. Use an IMPORT command in the script. For more information, see Import and export data.
Python/HCL script	Working data tab	not supported	Do both: Use the HCL load_working_file() method in the script. For more information, see load_working_file() method. Use Python/HCL script logic for subsequent file processing.

Manually upload a file to the data storage area in a robot

1. Open the Robots app.
2. From the dashboard in Robots, select the tab for the appropriate robot type.
3. Click the robot that you want to upload a file or files to.

4. In the upper-right corner of the robot, click Production or Development to select the mode to use.

   For more information, see Development mode and production mode in Robots.

5. On the Input/Output tab or the Working data tab, do one of the following:
   • Drag and drop Select one or more files from your local file system and drag them onto the upload area under Files or Robot files.
   • Choose files Click choose from your computer, navigate to the files that you want to upload from your local file system, select them, and click Open.

   If the Overwrite existing files dialog box appears, select the file or files that you want to overwrite and click Overwrite.

   Result The file or files are uploaded and appear under Files in the Input/Output tab, or under Robot files in the Working data tab.

View details for an Analytics data table or a file

1. Open the Robots app.
2. From the dashboard in Robots, select the tab for the appropriate robot type.
3. Click the robot that contains the Analytics data table or the file.

4. In the upper-right corner of the robot, click Production or Development to select the mode to use.

   For more information, see Development mode and production mode in Robots.

5. On the Input/Output tab or the Working data tab, select the table or file to view.

   The Table details panel or the File details panel opens and displays information about the table or file that you selected.

Download an Analytics data table or a file

1. Open the Robots app.
2. From the dashboard in Robots, select the tab for the appropriate robot type.
3. Click the robot that contains the Analytics data table or the file that you want to download.

4. In the upper-right corner of the robot, click Production or Development to select the mode to use.

   For more information, see Development mode and production mode in Robots.

5. On the Input/Output tab or the Working data tab, select the table or file to download.
6. Do one of the following:
   • In the Table details panel, click View Table in AN.

     Result An Analytics project named <robot_name>.acl is downloaded to your local computer. The project contains all the Analytics data tables from the Input/Output tab, not just the table you selected.

     You can open the project in Analytics and view the table.

   • In the File details panel, click Download.

     Result The file is downloaded to your local file system and can be opened in its native application.

Delete an Analytics data table or a file

1. Open the Robots app.
2. From the dashboard in Robots, select the tab for the appropriate robot type.
3. Click the robot that contains the Analytics data table or the file that you want to delete.

4. In the upper-right corner of the robot, click Production or Development to select the mode to use.

   For more information, see Development mode and production mode in Robots.

5. Do one of the following:

   Delete a table or a file from an ACL robot

   1. On the Input/Output tab, select one or more tables or files to delete.

      The Delete selected items button updates with the currently selected number of tables or files. Select the checkbox at the top of the Other tables section, or the Files section, to delete all the tables or files in the section.

   2. Click Delete n selected items, and then Delete in the deletion confirmation.

      Result The selected tables or files are deleted.

   You can also select a single table or file and delete it from the Table details panel or the File details panel.

   Note

   You cannot use either table deletion method to remove linked tables from the Input/Output tab. For more information, see Sharing and linking data tables in ACL robots.

   Delete a file from a HighBond robot or a Workflow robot

   1. On the Working data tab, select one or more files to delete.

      The Delete selected items button updates with the currently selected number of files. Select the checkbox at the top of the Robot files section to delete all the files in the section.

   2. Click Delete n selected items, and then Delete in the deletion confirmation.

      Result The selected files are deleted.

   You can also select a single file and delete it from the File details panel.