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Configuring automatic purging
This topic deals with how to configure the purging of old files to avoid filling your drives with old, unusable content.
04. March 2025
Table of Contents
In Color Factory, you can configure automati file purging preferences to help automate the purging of outdated files in the output folders. You can set up a purging schedule and choose to delete the files or move them to a location for backup. You can configure a purging schedule can be configured and file filtering to manage which files are purged.
Creating a purging channel
Where: Color Factory | Purging Channels
- In Color Factory Settings, select New Channel to create a new purging channel.
- Select the folder to purge.
- Select OK and name the channel. The purging channel will appear in the console tree under Purging Channels.
- Select the channel you just created to display its settings.
Setting basic purging properties
- In Color Factory Settings, expand the relevant purging channel and select Channel.
- Open the Main options tab. The following dialog appears.
- To enable the purging channel, select Channel is enabled. You can change the channel name and the path to the purging folder. By default, only the selected folder is purged, but you can also enable the purging of subfolders and optionally choose to delete the empty subfolders after purging.
- In the Purge limits group, you can set the rules governing when a folder will be purged. You can purge a folder when the number of files exceeds a preset amount and/or when files in the folder are older than a preset number of days or minutes – whichever comes first. Furthermore, you can choose between deleting the files or moving them to a new location, for instance for backup purposes.
Setting a purging run schedule
Where: Color Factory | Purging Channels | Channel | Run schedule tab
Here you may set up a run schedule for the purging channel so Color Factory can check for files matching the purging criteria at a predefined time. The poll may be run at a time interval, or at a specified time every hour, day week, or month.
Configuring a purging channel file filter
- In Color Factory Settings, expand the relevant purging channel and select Channel.
- Open the Name filters tab. The following dialog appears.
Although basic purging criteria are set on the Main options tab of the purging channel, you can also configure a filename filter that has priority over the basic criteria. Color Factory will first scan the purging folder (optionally including subfolders) for files matching the name filter and then apply the basic criteria to the files found.
Use filename patterns when scanning for files - When enabled, you can enter file name patterns such as *.jpg, spo*.tif, feature.jp? etc. All special wildcards accepted by Windows can be used to scan for files.
Use filetype/extension when scanning for files -Here you have the option of, for example, excluding certain files found using the filename pattern scanning above. Add file extensions starting with the dot (i.e. .tif)