PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME() function is not working as documented

Products

• CA Automic Workload Automation - Automation Engine

Issue/Introduction

Steps to reproduce

Create a folder structure
C:\Fehler\temp\test and copy a file MAIL_META_DATEN.TXT inside the test folder

Scenario 1:
Create a script
:SET &hnd# = PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME ("WIN01", 'C:\Fehler\temp\test\*AIL_META_DETEN.TXT','N', 'Y',,,, 'UC_LOGIN=LOGIN.WIN01')
:PROCESS &hnd#
:  PRINT "SCENARIO-1  'Uses wildcard when it is turned off with  file name with *"
:  TERM_PROCESS
:ENDPROCESS
:CLOSE_PROCESS &hnd#

Execute the script

The report is as follows 

Logging
2025-11-14 09:15:24 - U00010039 'C:\Fehler\temp\test\MAIL_META_DETEN.TXT'

Activation
2025-11-14 09:15:24 - U00020408 SCENARIO-1  'Uses wildcard when it is turned off

Expectation: When Wildcard set "N". wildcard Function should not apply in the search. 
Error:      It is searching for the file.

The behavior is the same for v21 and v24

Scenario 2
Create a script
:SET &hnd# = PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME ("WIN01", 'C:\Fehler\temp\*.TXT','N','Y',,,, 'UC_LOGIN=LOGIN.WIN01')
:PROCESS &hnd#
:  PRINT "SCENARIO-2  'Uses wildcard when it is turned off with  file name with  path given only till temp"
:  TERM_PROCESS
:ENDPROCESS
:CLOSE_PROCESS &hnd#

Logging
2025-11-14 09:22:18 - U00010039 'C:\Fehler\temp\test\MAIL_META_DETEN - Copy (3).TXT'
2025-11-14 09:22:18 - U00010039 'C:\Fehler\temp\test\MAIL_META_DETEN - Copy.TXT'
2025-11-14 09:22:18 - U00010039 'C:\Fehler\temp\test\MAIL_META_DETEN.TXT'

Activation
2025-11-14 09:22:18 - U00020408 SCENARIO-1  'Uses wildcard when it is turned off with  file name with *, path given only till temp

Expectation: When Wildcard set "N", File path given till parent(temp), wildcard Function should not apply in the search. 
Error:       It is searching the file.

The behavior is the same for v21 and v24

Scenario 3

Create a script
:SET &hnd# = PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME ("WIN01", 'C:\Fehler\temp\MAIL_META_DETEN.TXT','N', 'Y',,,, 'UC_LOGIN=LOGIN.WIN01')
:PROCESS &hnd#
:  PRINT "SCENARIO-3  'path set to temp nothing found even SUB folder function set Y'"
:  TERM_PROCESS
:ENDPROCESS
:CLOSE_PROCESS &hnd#

In v24 nothing is found where as a similar test in v21 it was able to find the files

Logging
2025-11-14 12:34:59 - U00010039 'C:\Fehler\temp\test\MAIL_META_DETEN.TXT'

Activation
2025-11-14 12:34:59 - U00020408 SCENARIO-3  'path set to temp nothing found even SUB folder function set Y'

Environment

Automation Engine v21 and v24

Cause

DE179400

Two problems were identified, whereby form one side the usual behaviour in v21 agents, to handle a single file name a s a pattern when searching in subfolders was not present in v24 and also it was identified that the handling of the wildcards argument of PREP_PROCESS_FILENAME was missing since multiple versions. Both issues are fixed now.

Resolution

Update to a fix version listed below or a newer version if available.

Fix version:

Component(s): Automation Engine - Agent Unix Java , Automation Engine - Agent Windows Java

Automation.Engine 24.4.4 - Planned release March 2026