Where are label files stored within BarTender Cloud?
Question
Where are the files stored in the Cloud? What is the storage structure?
Applicable to
- BarTender Cloud
- Automation subscriptions
Answer
A modified version of Librarian handles all the file storage on the Cloud. Each tenant space has its own Librarian space, and the size is determined by the subscription.
Librarian Space can be broken up into two main spaces:
- Main - what is visible to the user and seen in the File Manager
- $temp - temporary storage, invisible, and generally used by the REST API (usually the Action API)
Here's a basic rundown of the two spaces
| Main space | $temp space |
|---|---|
|
|
Files and Folders
Files are the main occupants of both Librarian spaces. In addition to containing all the BarTender information, they also have their own attachments. Attachments are information and details connected to a certain label and stored with it. Attachments can include (but are not limited to):
- Metadata - who made the file, when, etc
- Tags - category tags like the ones you see in the Document Assistant
- Preview of the label
Folders can be added to both spaces and can contain files, folders, or both. Folders are not required in Librarian space but are good for organizing files.
Files and folders have additional attachments to them that include permissions and restrictions. Both have the following restrictions which can be set:
- Read
- Write
- Delete
- Purge
In addition to those 4 permissions, folders have a "List" permission, which lists the contents of a folder.
Main space
Main space is the primary storage space and the only one you can see. When you open the File Manager, all the files and folders here are stored in the Main space. This space is generally managed by the File Manager via the web interface but can also be managed using the Librarian API.
Main space is versioned, so each revision of a file is stored in this space as well, much like on-prem Librarian has. These versions can be referenced via the API.
$temp space
$temp space behaves very similarly to how $temp on a PC or the Temporary Storage on an Integration would work. This space is invisible and is only accessible using an API call. The primary user of the $temp space is the Action API and any files and folders within $temp can be accessed using the Librarian API.
Unlike the Main space, $temp space is versionless, and files and folders simply exist as they are.
At the moment, there is no garbage collector in $temp space. This means that files in $temp space stay there until they are manually deleted. A garbage collector is planned for the future, but at the moment, users must clean up their own $temp litter.