Follow-On Topics

Related Topics

# About the Main Tab

The Main tab is used to select the output type required and also how data is to be extracted from the source file.

File Tab

The File tab contains the following:
|  | Output — This area contains the following items for selecting the output type:
|  | XML — If this option is selected then the Step produces XML as its output.
NOTE: If XML output is selected then any data validation rules created in the Data Validation dialog box are applied against the complete dataset in one operation at Task run time.
|  | Root Node Name — If the XML output option has been selected then this field is active and a name for the root node in the output XML must be manually entered.
|  | Recordset — If this option is selected then the Step produces a recordset as its output.
| Click the image to view full size.

NOTE:

If Recordset output is selected then any data validation rules created in the Data Validation dialog box are applied against each record in the recordset as it is processed by the subsequent consuming Step at Task run time.

|  | Input — The area contains the following items for specifying how the file contents are extracted and the output structured:

|  | Header Row in File — If this option is selected then the first row in the imported file contains headings for the columns.

|  | Example file to use for configuring outputs — This option is active if the Header Row in File option has been selected. A file can then be browsed to and selected for use as a default for producing the output.

|  | Input File Encoding — Displays a list of file encodings for selection, including ASCII, UTF-7, UTF-8, UTF-16 Big Endian, UTF-16 Little Endian and UTF-32. The encoding can also be entered manually as an ANSI code page identifier. If an example file has been selected then the selection defaults to the encoding occurrence in the file.

|  | Default Separators — This area contains options for selecting how the data is separated in the source file so that it may be extracted correctly. The following options are available:

|  | Delimited — If this option is selected then the following options in the Delimiter area become active for selection:

Comma — Select this option if the data is separated by commas in the source file.

Semicolon — Select this option if the data is separated by semicolons in the source file.

Tab — Select this option if the data is separated by tabs in the source file.

Space — Select this option if the data is separated by spaces in the source file.

Other — Select this option if the data is separated by another type of character in the source file. The character may be manually entered into the field provided.

|  | Fixed Width — Select this option if the source file contains data columns in fixed positions. Note that if the Header Row in File option has been selected then the Fixed Width option is not available.

|  | End of row marker — A list of available end of row markers is provided for selection. Note that if an example file to use for configuring outputs has been selected then this defaults to the first occurrence in the file of an end row marker that is available in the drop down list.

|  | Text Qualifier — A list of available text qualifier markers is provided for selection.

|  | Retain line feeds for data within text qualifiers — Some input files may have large fields that could contain new line markers, for example, from a web form where a multi-line input text box is available. Such fields are typically wrapped in text qualifiers.

Enabling this option keeps the new line marker in its place rather than being treated as an end of row marker.

|  | Ignore empty rows at the end of the input file — Some input files may contain a blank row as the last line. If required, select this option to not add blank rows to the XML or recordset output should any be found.

|  | Multiple Record Types in File option check box - If the XML output option has been selected then this option is active. Select this option if the source file contains more than one record type. Different record types are denoted by tags at the beginning of a row. For example a file that contains Orders and Order Lines might appear as follows:

`ORD,12345,2047,20091007
LINE,001,87657890,10,20091020,10.20
LINE,002,87657345,7,20091020,18.99
ORD,12346,1967,20091008
LINE,001,87657890,10,20091020,10.99`

|  | Where `ORD` and `LINE` are tags denoting two different record types. The record types can have a parent child relationship or can be at the same level.

|  | Note that this option is not available for selection if a recordset output type has been selected.

|  | Extract File Properties — Clicking on this button opens the File Properties dialog box through which you can select the file properties to be extracted from the source file and exposed in the Task Browser dialog box for use by other Steps in a Task.

Elements / Columns Tab

The Elements / Columns tab contains a number of items for configuring how the output data is structured, depending on the output type selected.

XML Output

If the XML output type has been selected on the File tab the following items are provided for specifying how the data is structured in the XML output:
|  | Output — This area contains a pane displaying a number of Nodes and Elements in a tree format. The Root Node name is that entered in the Output area of the File tab. Other Nodes and Elements may be manually added by the user to create the data schema for the XML output.
|  | Add Node — Clicking on this button adds a new Node below the Node currently selected in the tree. It is only active if a Node is selected.
|  | Add Element — Clicking on this button adds a new Element below the Node or Element currently selected in the tree.
|  | Remove — Clicking on this button removes the currently selected item from the tree. If a Node is removed then its associated Elements are also removed.
| Click the image to view full size.

|  | Up and Down — Located to the right of the pane, these button are provided to enable you to move the item currently selected in the tree to a new position in the tree. One button click moves the item up or down one position.

|  | Node Properties — The following properties are displayed when a Node is currently selected in the tree and have an associated Value field for populating:

|  | Name — A name to be used for the Node in the output XML may be manually entered.

|  | Node Tag — The tag characters contained at the beginning of a row in the source file which identifies it as this Node may be manually entered.

|  | Tag Column / Position — This property name toggles depending on whether the source file is a delimited file (Tag Column) or a fixed width file (Position). For a delimited file a number relating to the column in the file in which the tag occurs may be manually entered. For a fixed width file a number relating to the character position in the file at which the tag starts may be manually entered.

|  | Delimiter — The delimiter selected in the File tab is displayed by default but a new selection may be made from the drop-down list.

|  | End of Row Character — The character selected in the File tab is displayed by default but a new selection may be made from the drop down list.

|  | Element Properties — The following properties are displayed when an Element is currently selected in the tree and have an associated Value field for populating:

|  | Name — A name to be used for the Element in the output XML may be manually entered.

|  | Type — A data type must be selected from the drop down list. The default value is `string`.

|  | Max Characters — By default, the maximum number of characters for the element is `100`. Adjust this as required. Note that if a Date, DateTime, or Time data type has been selected then this property is not editable as the length is set automatically to match the selected format.

|  | Format — The data format against which the element data is validated at Task run time may be manually selected from the drop down list. The list contains a number of standard formats such as Email Address and Phone Number. The default selection is Unformatted in which case no validation takes place.

A user may also manually enter a data format of their own. Additional features are available to select the format of:

Date — If this data type is selected then the drop down list displays the standard date formats that are available for selection. If the CUSTOM option is selected then the Custom Date dialog box is displayed through which the user may specify a Mask that describes the format with which the input data must comply.

Click the image to view full size.

DateTime — If this data type is selected then the drop down list displays the standard date/time formats that are available for selection. If the CUSTOM option is selected then the Custom DateTime dialog box is displayed through which the user may specify a Mask that describes the format with which the input data must comply.

Time — If this data type is selected then the drop down list displays the standard time formats that are available for selection. If the CUSTOM option is selected then the Custom Time dialog box is displayed through which the user may specify a Mask that describes the format with which the input data must comply.

|  | Required — Select the Yes option if a value for the Element must always be available at Task run time. If No is selected then the Task continues to run even if a value for the Element is unavailable.

|  | From — If a Fixed Width source file is being used and no delimiters are present in the file, the column position in the source file for the start of this Element may be manually entered.

|  | To — If a Fixed Width source file is being used and no delimiters are present in the file, the column position in the source file for the end of this Element may be manually entered.

|  | Validations — One or more data validation rules may be created to be applied to the data processed at Task run time through the Data Validation dialog box.

|  | Preview Output — Clicking on this button pops up a dialog box which displays the source file contents converted into the XML output as defined in the tab. Note that the validation rules are not used when previewing the XML output.

|  | Example input file contents — This area contains a pane which displays the source file contents. It is provided to assist in the Node / Element structure configuration and for configuring their properties by providing a visual reference to the source.

Recordset Output

If the Recordset output type has been selected on the File tab the following items are provided for specifying how the data is structured in the recordset output:
|  | Output — If the Header Row in File option has been checked in the File tab and an example file selected then the column headings available in the example file are listed.
|  | Add Column — If an example file containing Columns is not being used, clicking on this button adds a new Column into the list.
|  | Remove — Clicking on this button removes the currently selected Column from the list.
|  | Up and Down — Located to the right of the pane, these button are provided to enable you to move the Column currently selected in the tree to a new position in the tree. One button click moves theColumn up or down one position.
|  | Column Properties — The following properties are displayed for the Column that is currently selected in the list and have an associated Value field for populating:
| Click the image to view full size.

|  | Name — A name to be used for the column in the output recordset may be manually entered.

|  | Type — A data type must be selected from the drop down list. The default value is `string`.

|  | Max Characters — By default, the maximum number of characters for the column is `100`. Adjust this as required. Note that if a Date, DateTime, or Time data type has been selected then this property is not editable as the length is set automatically to match the selected format.

|  | Format — The data format against which the Column data is validated at Task run time may be manually selected from the drop down list. The list contains a number of standard formats such as Email Address and Phone Number. The default selection is Unformatted in which case no validation takes place.

A user may also manually enter a data format of their own. Additional features are available to select the format of:

Date — If this data type is selected then the drop down list displays the standard date formats that are available for selection. If the CUSTOM option is selected then the Custom Date dialog box is displayed through which the user may specify a Mask that describes the format with which the input data must comply.

Click the image to view full size.

DateTime — If this data type is selected then the drop down list displays the standard date/time formats that are available for selection. If the CUSTOM option is selected then the Custom DateTime dialog box is displayed through which the user may specify a Mask that describes the format with which the input data must comply.

Time — If this data type is selected then the drop down list displays the standard time formats that are available for selection. If the CUSTOM option is selected then the Custom Time dialog box is displayed through which the user may specify a Mask that describes the format with which the input data must comply.

|  | Required — Select the Yes option if a value for the Column must always be available at Task run time. If No is selected then the Task continues to run even if a value for the Column is unavailable.

|  | From — If a Fixed Width source file is being used and no delimiters are present in the file, the column position in the source file for the start of this Column may be manually entered.

|  | To — If a Fixed Width source file is being used and no delimiters are present in the file, the column position in the source file for the end of this Column may be manually entered.

|  | Validation — One or more data validation rules may be created to be applied to the data processed at Task run time through the Data Validation dialog box.

|  | Preview Output — Clicking on this button pops up a dialog box which displays the source file contents converted into the recordset output as defined in the tab. Note that the validation rules are not used when previewing the recordset output.

|  | Example input file contents — This area contains a pane which displays the source file contents. It is provided to assist in the Column structure configuration and for configuring their properties by providing a visual reference to the source.

Copyright © 2018 Quadrant Software B.V. All rights reserved.