You can create a connected folder asset based on a path within an IBM Cloud Object Storage system that is accessed through a connection. You can view the files and subfolders that share the path with the connected folder asset. The files that you can view within the connected folder asset are not themselves data assets. For example, you can create a connected folder asset for a path that contains news feeds that are continuously updated.

Required roles

You must have the Editor or Admin role in the catalog to add a connected folder asset.

To add a connected folder asset from a connection to a catalog:

1. If necessary, create a connection asset. Include an Access Key and a Secret Key to your IBM Cloud Object Storage connection to enable the downloading of files within the connected folder asset. If you're using an existing IBM Cloud Object Storage connection asset that doesn't have an Access Key and Secret Key, edit the connection asset and add them. The Access Key and Secret Key are the HMAC credentials access_key_id and secret_key_id. You generate them in your IBM Cloud Object Storage credentials by adding the inline configuration parameter {"HMAC":true}. For more information, see IBM Cloud Object Storage Service credentials.
2. Click Add to catalog > Connected asset.
3. Click Select Source to select an existing connection asset as the source of the data.
4. Select the folder you want and click Add.
5. Specify the other asset properties.
6. Click Add. The asset appears on the catalog Browse page.

Click the connected folder asset name to view the contents of the connected folder asset. Click the eye () icon next to a file name to preview the contents of the files within the folder that have these formats:

• CSV
• JSON
• Parquet

The files within the connected folder asset are not profiled because those files are not data assets.

You can download files from within the connected folder asset if the IBM Cloud Object Storage connection asset that's associated with the connected folder asset has an Access Key and a Secret Key (also known as HMAC credentials). For more information about HMAC credentials, see Using HMAC credentials.