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The File Catalog (available for package-based projects only) represents an inventory of files, which may be assembled into packages, built, and deployed to one or more environments. 
On Windows, folders and files cannot begin or end with spaces. If this occurs, Windows endpoints will be unable to function properly, and FlexDeploy on Windows may encounter similar issues. While most special characters are supported on Linux, they can cause failures on Windows. Additionally, Windows reserves certain file and folder names (e.g., COM2, CON). Using one of these protected names as a folder name will result in failure on Windows.Starting with FlexDeploy 9.0.0.3, the colon (:) character is handled differently in folder or file names. If your files contain a colon in Oracle BI, OAC, or OTBI projects, you should rediscover them with the “Inactivate Missing Files” checkbox selected. For other projects, files and packages will function as they did previously.
The items in the catalog contain metadata, differing for each project type.  If using source control for the project, the items are automatically discovered into the catalog. For some project types, the items are discoverable from the underlying source system (e.g. a development repository).  The files represent metadata only, as the referenced source file is pulled from source control or the source system during the build. For project types where the catalog files are not discoverable, you can create the metadata manually.  This provides FlexDeploy with the information necessary to pull the source file during the build.  For some project types (such as Oracle EBS), you can have a combination of files discovered from source control and files whose metadata is provided manually. Image

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Discovering Project Files

When you first create a Package-based project, the File Catalog will be empty. Before discovering Files, make sure you have updated the Project Properties. You can discover files from within a package, or in the File Catalog. Image

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Using the Discover Button

When you click the Discover button, the following screen will pop up. Image Click Discover once the form is filled out correctly. Depending on how many files you have, this operation can take several minutes. The discover operation will iterate through each of the SCM Projects Sources you have configured. Based on your properties, the discover operation will complete the configuration required for each file based on its object type. Once it is complete, you will see the files listed by object type with all the default configuration.
FlexDeploy allows for custom sorting of all files when performing Populate from SCM action. This allows for sorting files as per FD_ORDER.seq file in root of your project. Just add full file as it shows on screen File Name (with Path) in this file in custom order. You just need to add the files that need to be ordered and not all files.Also, in case of EBS (DB Objects) / JDBC plugins sorting is based on project properties for extension based ordering. For example, if new .tbl file is discovered from SCM, then this helps you arrange it appropriately in DB Objects for EBS project.For example, FD_ORDER.seq may look like this.

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Adding Files Using the Create Button

Some project types allow creating files manually. When you click the Create button, the following screen will pop up. image-20241023-135500.png Enter the File Name (with Path) as indicated above, then click the Evaluate button. Based on the rules for that object type and configured project properties, the remaining fields will populate. These fields will vary based on the plugin and object type. Optionally, you can adjust the configuration based on you requirements. In the example above, if you adjust the Target Location and click the Evaluate button again, all fields except Target Location will be reevaluated and Deploy Command will reflect manual change done on Target Location.

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Updating Project Files

You can modify the files in your project in the Package Files tab of a package, or in the File Catalog. Click on a file path to edit the file. Each type of file will have different options. Image When you modify a field on this screen, the lock icon on the left will be checked. When you select the Evaluate button it will evaluate all the unlocked fields. If the lock is selected, the value is retained as entered. Once you are finished, click the Save button to accept your changes or the Cancel button to cancel them.

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Editing Multiple Files

You can select one or more files in order to either Inactivate, Activate, Move to a different Object Type, or Evaluate the file attributes. Image If you are evaluating multiple files and at least one of them is setup with SCM as Source, you may see a popup asking to select a branch to use during evaluation. FlexDeploy may use file content during evaluation process to default various attributes, so this can be crucial if the file is only present in a specific branch. If inactive files are selected, the Evaluate and Update Type operations will be unavailable.

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Building Selected Files Directly

You can select one or more files to directly add them to a new package and have options to build right away. Image When clicking the Build button after selecting files, a package will be created in the background using the Package Name Script configured on the Project Configuration screen. Image When this script is left blank, the Package Name Script will that will be used by default will be:
After a package is created in the background, a build request popup will open in order then build the files with the normal options. Image Selecting options and then clicking “Submit” will build the selected files and navigate you to the project execution screen.

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Mass Editing Files

The file catalog lets you edit all the files that match the current filters in one operation. These operations are found in the table options menu in the top right corner above the create button. This is the best way to modify more than 50 files in a single operation. You can use this menu to quickly activate or inactivate all the files that you have filtered in the table, or clear all the filters to modify all files. Image

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Manual Files

Project files can be marked Manual @Since 11.2.0.0. Manual files do not support automated deployment and are used with manual packages.
  • On the File Catalog list, manual files show a person/user icon (tooltip Manual File).
  • When creating a file, select Manual if the file should only belong to manual packages. After create, the Manual flag is not editable on the edit popup.
  • For Configuration Management projects, Discover sets or refreshes the file’s Manual flag from the migration’s manual mode.
  • When adding files to a package, only files whose Manual flag matches the package are available.