You define properties for the fields to read or write using the fields table. The properties in the fields table determine the field-level processing options for your row data, including the metadata attributes. Some commonly used steps that include a fields table are Split Fields, Select Values, Text File Output, and Concat Fields.
When using the fields table the following definitions and processing rules apply.
- Name
The name of the field.
- Type
The type of the field. For example, String, Date, or Number. See Data type mappings for more information.
- Format
Defines the format mask to use when converting the value to, or reading the value from, a string. The Format drop-down menu offers suggestions, but you can enter your own mask. Format is only used when converting a non-string data type to a string data type. Format overrides Length and Precision. See Applying formatting for formatting details.
- Length
Defines the length to use when converting the value to, or reading the value from, a string. The numbers before the decimal point, or a value that is longer than the maximum length, will not be truncated. Length, also called Precision in some databases, is a metadata component. PDI converts to the required metadata type when the data is resulted to a string, not during the transformation (or job) or if resulted to non-string data types. See Output type examples for a listing of string and non-string types. Length is not used when Format is specified.
- Precision
Defines the number of digits after the decimal point to use when converting the value to, or reading the value from, a string. The numbers before the decimal point will not be truncated. Precision, also called Scale in some databases, is a metadata component. PDI converts to the required metadata type when the data is resulted to a string, not during the transformation (or job) or if resulted to non-string data types. See Output type examples for a listing of string and non-string types. Precision is not used when Format is specified.
- Currency
Used in conjunction with Format to interpret numbers such as $10,000.00 or E5.000,00. If the format mask contains the Unicode currency symbol ยค (\u00A4), then it replaces the symbol by the value in the currency column. In Pentaho, you must use the copy and paste method to apply this symbol. See Common Formats for information on valid number formats.
- Decimal
Represents the character that replaces the period (.) in the format mask. Only applies when converting the value to, or reading the value from, a string.
- Group
Represents the character that replaces the comma (,) in the format mask. Only applies when converting the value to, or reading the value from, a string.
- Null if
Converts the value to null if the input value matches.
Note: This value is case-sensitive. - Default
Defaults to this value if the value is null.
- Trim type
Defines the type of trimming to perform on the input or the output string. Trimming removes the white space on either side of a string. Options are both, left, right, or none.
- Repeat
Determines how null rows are handled. If the value in this row is null, then the value from the last row where the column was not null is used.