What is the use of enabling the option “Retain the zip directory structure” in the FTP Adapter while configuring the Download operation?

In the FTP Adapter within Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC), enabling the option “Retain the zip directory structure” during the Download operation serves the following purpose:

🔹 What It Does?

When downloading a ZIP file from an FTP location, this option ensures that the internal folder structure of the ZIP file remains intact when it is extracted. If disabled, all files will be extracted into a flat directory without preserving the hierarchy.

🔹 Use Cases

Preserving Folder Hierarchy

• If the zip file contains a nested structure like

/invoices
    /2024
        invoice1.pdf
        invoice2.pdf
    /2023
        invoice3.pdf

Enabling this option ensures the same folder structure is retained after extraction.

Avoiding File Name Conflicts

• If files with the same name exist in different subfolders, this option prevents overwriting by keeping them in their respective directories.

Handling Complex Data Processing

• Some integrations require files to be categorized into specific directories for further processing. Retaining the structure helps maintain proper file organization.

🔹 When to Disable It?

• If you only need the files and do not care about directory structure, disabling this option will extract all files into a single directory.