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Al Olson
sad I’m frustrated
Al Olson January 23, 2012 15:23

MetaData

I have a number of fixed width text files containing 1000's of attributes - I have the metadata for each field laid out in an excel file with column name - type - size but this is not the format that I need to use the "Load Metadata from File" command. It seems very odd that you would have a function that allows loading of metadata but then don't document how to use it. I would rather not spend hours entering the data attribute by attribute if it is not necessary. How can I convert my excel metadata into something useable?
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  • Martin Landa EMPLOYEE
    Martin Landa (Official Rep) January 23, 2012 15:53
    Hello,
    the Load Metadata from File works only for DQ Analyzer metaData file of another file, so you do not have recreate the metadata if you have multiple files with the same structure.

    What you can do in DQ Analyzer 7, is to create a plan from a simple metadata set up to Fixed Width format. You'll get the plan with a Fixed Width File Reader step and Profiling step. Open the Fixed Width File Reader step by double-click and what you can do is to copy paste the list of columns and their widths from Excel to the list. Then to configure the Profiling step to a new set of columns.

    We usually do this in DQC, when there are a lot of columns and the Metadata editor doesn't guess exactly the types or widths and we have the structure described in PDF or Excel file and no matter what type of file it is. Having such a data in database table is much easier.

    What we may also do, if you are interested, is to give you an early access version of DQ Analyzer 8. There we have introduced recreated metadata editor, where you can copy and paste the list of columns from Excel or other spreadsheet and check if you are more satisfied with it. We expect to have it in 3 weeks.

    Feel free to ask any further questions regarding, if you do not understand what exactly did I mean.

    I've recorded how have I copy pasted the column names and widths from Excel:
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  • Al Olson
    Al Olson January 23, 2012 16:07
    I would be interested in the early copy if possible. I will try what you have suggested also. thanks
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    good solution! good solution! (undo)
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