Fixed Length File Destination

Fixed-Length File

Adding a fixed-length file destination object allows you to write to a fixed-length file. An example of what a fixed-length file destination object looks like is shown below.

 

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To configure the properties of a Fixed-Length Destination object after it was added to the dataflow, right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu.

 

NOTE: To ensure that your dataflow is runnable on a remote server, please avoid using local paths. Using UNC paths is recommended.

Field Layout

The Field Layout screen is available in the properties of most objects on the dataflow to help you specify the fields making up the object. The table below explains the attributes you can set in the Field Layout screen.

Attribute

Description

Name

The system pre-fills this item for you based on the field header. Field names do not allow spaces. Field names are used to refer to the fields in the Expression Builder or tools where a field is used in a calculation formula.

Header

Represents the field name specified in the header row of the file. Field headers may contain spaces.

Data Type

Specifies the data type of a field, such as Integer, Real, String, Date, or Boolean.

Format

Specifies the format of the values stored in that field, depending on the field’s data type. For example, for dates you can choose between DD-MM-YY, YYYY-MM-DD, or other available formats.

Start Position

Specifies the position of the field’s first character relative to the beginning of the record.

Note: This option is only available for fixed length layout type.

Length

Specifies the maximum number of characters allotted for a value in the field. The actual value may be shorter than what is allowed by the Length attribute.

Note: This option is only available for fixed length and database layout types.

Column Name

Specifies the column name of the database table.

Note: This option is only available in database layout.

DB Type

Specifies the database specific data type that the system assigns to the field based on the field's data. Each database (Oracle, SQL, Sybase, etc) has its own DB types. For example, Long is only available in Oracle for data type string.

Note: This option is only available in database layout.

Decimal Places

Specifies the number of decimal places for a data type specified as real.

Note: This option is only available in database layout.

Allows Null

Controls whether the field allows blank or NULL values in it.

Default Value

Specifies the value that is assigned to the field in any one of the following cases:

- The source field does not have a value

- The field is not found in the source layout

- The destination field is not mapped to a source field

Note: This option is only available in destination layout.

Sequence

Represents the column order in the source file. You can change the column order of the data being imported by simply changing the number in the sequence field. The other fields in the layout will then be reordered accordingly.

Description

Contains information about the field to help you remember its purpose.

Alignment

Specifies the positioning of the field’s value relative to the start position of the field. Available alignment modes are LEFT, CENTER, and RIGHT.

Note: This option is only available for fixed length layout type.

Primary Key

Denotes the primary key field (or part of a composite primary key) for the table.

Note: This option is only available in database layout.

System Generated

Indicates that the field will be automatically assigned an increasing Integer number during the transfer.

Note: This option is only available in database layout.

The table below provides a list of all the attributes available for a particular layout type.

Layout Type

Attributes Available

Source Delimited file and Excel worksheet

Name, Header, Data type, Format

Source Fixed Length file

Name, Header, Data type, Format, Start position, Length

Source Database Table and SQL query

Column name, Name, Data type, DB type, Length, Decimal places, Allows null

Destination Delimited file and Excel worksheet

Name, Header, Data type, Format, Allows null, Default value

Destination Fixed Length file

Sequence, Name, Header, Description, Data type, Format, Start position, Length, Allows null, Default value, Alignment

Destination Database Table

Column name, Name, Data type, DB type, Length, Decimal places, Allows null, Primary key, System generated

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