User Guide : Designing and Executing Processes : Process Steps and Associated Components : Transformer Step
 
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Transformer Step
The Transformer step allows you to convert a source data format into a target data format. The source and target data objects are provided to the transformer component as message objects. The Execute action performs the transformation.
Transformer Step Properties
After adding a /download/attachments/24981258/Transformer_step.png?version=1&modificationDate=1490825239205&api=v2 Transformer step from the Toolbox Palette to the canvas, you can double-click the step on the canvas and specify the following step properties in the Properties tab displayed at the bottom.
Name
Description
Name
Unique name for the step.
Description
Description of the step (optional).
Enabled
Select this option to enable the step for execution. If it is not enabled, then the step on the canvas is greyed-out.
This option is useful when troubleshooting a process, especially when there are numerous steps in the process.
Error Handling
Select either of the following:
Ignore Error - The remaining steps in the current process are executed even if this step aborts due to an error. This is selected by default.
Abort Process - All the steps after the current step are skipped or the entire process is aborted (depending on how you have the error logging options set) if this step aborts due to an error.
Select Transformer
Select a transformer instance. These instances are displayed when you add message components in the Configuration tab. For more information, see Adding Message Components in Configuring Processes.
Action
Select the action for the transformer instance.
Parameter
Parameters for the selected action. Specify values for the parameters.
Property
Properties for the selected action. Specify values for the properties.
Note:  The Actions, Parameters, and Properties are specific to the component type. For information about this, based on the component instance selected in the Select Transformer drop-down list, click the component type in the Transformer Step Components section below.
Transformer Step Components
File to Message Transformer
Message to File Transformer
Automatic Mapping Transformer
File to Message Transformer
File to Message Transformer provides an access point to your process, which can support JMS-compliant queues. The File to Message Transformer writes a file to the body of a message object.
This component is intended for developers and analysts who want to use the convert files to messages for JMS-compliant queues.
Note:  Before creating the process, add a DJMessage process variable.
The successful run of a process loads a source file into the body of a message object. To extract the file from the message object, use the Message to File Transformer.
File to Message Transformer Properties
 
Property Name
Default Value
Description
File Location
-
Path to the file.
Encoding
ISO-8859-1
Encoding to use.
Supported Actions
 
Action
Description
Execute
Executes the supported action parameters.
Supported Action Parameters
 
Action
Parameter
Description
Execute
Source Message
Name of the source message
 
Target Message
Name of the target message
Supported Action Properties
There are no supported action properties.
Message to File Transformer
Message to File Transformer writes the body of a message object to a file.
This component is intended for developers and analysts who want to convert messages to files for JMS-compliant queues.
Note:  Before creating your process, add a DJMessage process variable.
To extract the file from the message object, use the File to Message Transformer.
Message to File Transformer Properties
 
Property Name
Default Value
Description
File Location
-
Path to the file.
Encoding
ISO-8859-1
Encoding to use.
Supported Actions
 
Action
Description
Execute
Executes the supported action parameters.
Supported Action Parameters
 
Action
Parameter
Description
Execute
Source Message
Name of the source message
Supported Action Properties
There are no supported action properties.
Automatic Mapping Transformer
Automatic Mapping Transformer lets you automatically map source and target fields by relative position, field names, or by direct duplication of the source layout in the target. Automatic Mapping Transformer then executes the simple transformation.
Once you create the transformation by specifying the source and target connection and the method for the source-to-target field mapping, the functionality is similar to executing a default conversion using djengine.
The transformer converts a single source record layout to a single target record layout. The connection string also supports authentication.
This component provides three mapping options:
Starting Record - Starting source record number, beginning with 1
Record Count - Quantity of source records to process
Output Mode - Target Append or Replace
Note:  When you use Append mode to write to an ASCII delimited file with a header, an additional header record is inserted at the point of appending.
Automatic mapping method options are:
Map by relative field position
Map by name (case-sensitive)
Duplicate source layout
Some combinations of property settings can result in unexpected behavior in your process. For more information, see “Errors.”
Note:  Automatic Mapping Transformer allows you to use a message object as source or as a target.
Supported Actions
 
Action
Description
Execute
Executes the supported action parameters and properties.
Supported Action Parameters
 
Action
Parameter
Description
Execute
Source Message
Name of the source message.
Execute
Target Message
Name of the target message.
Supported Action Properties
 
Action
Property
Description
Execute
Source Connector
Type of source connector
Source Connection
Connection string containing path and properties/values
Target Connector
Type of target connector
Target Connection
Connection string containing path and properties/values
Starting Record
Number of the first source record to process. The default value is 1.
Record Count
Total number of source records to process. The default value is -1
Auto Map Method
Method for mapping source fields to target fields. The default value is 2.
Output Mode
Designates whether to append to or replace target. The output mode is 1.
Best Practice — It is recommended to select the Target Connector before you specify the Target Connection. You can select from the Target Connection dialog box. However, the available connectors are not specific to the component and all the connectors are displayed. Hence, make sure to select the correct connector. Do not select multimode connector.
Errors
 
Target Exists
Settings
Behaviour
Yes
Output mode: Append
Auto Map Method: Duplicate source layout
Your process generates an error.
No
Output mode: Append
Your process proceeds as if the Replace output mode is selected.
No
Auto Map Method: May by relative field position or Map by name
Your process proceeds as if Duplicate source layout is selected.
No
Output mode: Append
Auto Map Method: Duplicate source layout
Your process proceeds as if the Replace output mode is selected.
The Automatic Mapping Transformer supports the following error conditions.
Error Code
Error Name
Description
Reason
2
BADNAME
Specified message name is invalid or the message does not exist.
Unknown message name (source or target).
5
NOMEM
Out of memory.
No more memory is available.
16
BADMODE
Unknown mapping method, or unknown output mode.
Application attempted to set an invalid output mode for a target data source or mapping method.
34
INVALID
Component encountered an unusual error condition.
Invalid source or target information, or error executing the transformation.