VI Break Process Object

The Visual Integrator (VI) Break process object identifies break levels in the input flow.

VI Break Process Object icon

A break level is a set of rows that have identical values for a set of break columns. The Break object creates up to four new columns that describe the position of each row in the break level. This action allows subsequent calculations to process a row of a break column knowing whether it is the first or last row of the break level.

A combination of a Break object, persistent calculated fields, and a Filter process object can recreate the functionality of the Squash object. For more information, see the VI Squash Process Object.

Data arriving in the Break process object generally needs to be sorted for the results to be useful.

The Break process object has Closedthree panes where you set attributes.

VI Break All Panes

You set attributes for the Break object in the Closedobject attributes pane.

VI Break Object Attributes Pane

Attribute Description
Input

Defines the object from which the data flow arrives. Use one of the following methods to attach the Break object to an input data flow object:

  • Right-click the input data flow object, and click New Object after this > Process > Break.

  • Place a Break object on the task flow, and click its Input attribute's browse button. Move the pointer to the canvas, and note that a dotted-line connector is attached to the Break object. Attach this connector to the input data flow object.

    NOTE: The Break object's Input attribute is populated with the name of the input data flow object.

First_Column

Specifies the name of a new column that indicates the beginning of a break level. This column has a value of "1" on the first row of a break level, and "0" otherwise.

Last_Column

Specifies the name of a new column that indicates the end of a break level. This column has a value of "1" on the last row of a break level, and "0" otherwise.
Index_Column Specifies the name of a new column that indexes a break level. This column has a value of "1" on the first row of a break level, "2" on the second row, and so on.
Level_Column

Specifies the name of a new column that counts the number of break columns having the same values as the previous row in order.

  • If the value of the first break column is different from the previous value, this column has a value of "0".
  • If the first break column has the same value as the previous value, but the second break column is different, this column has a value of "1".
  • These conditional values are summed such that this column can be used to detect intermediate break levels.

Each object has an area where you can enter comments.

It is a DI best practice to enter a note for every object in a VI script. You can set a VI preference to give a warning for each object without a note. For more information, see Visual Integrator Preferences.

ClosedBreak object with comments

VI Break Object Comments

The ClosedBreak object column grid displays the columns from the input data flow.

VI Break Column Grid

Attribute Description
Input Column

Displays the name of each input column. This attribute is read-only.
Source Object

Displays the name and object type of the source object. Double-click the Source Object for a column to change the task flow focus to that object.
Break Order

Specify the break order for the input flow columns.

With the following input data:

Example of input for a VI Break process object

And the following Break object settings:

Example settings for a VI Break process object

You get the following

Example of output for a VI Break process object