VI Model Input Object

The Visual Integrator (VI) Model input object brings data into the script from a classic model.

VI Model Input Object icon

The Model input object brings in standard model data as well as model metadata. If the model is a detail model, the detail fields can be brought into the output flow, including detail dimensions, detail summaries, and detail info fields.

The Model input object has three panes where you set attributes.

VI Mode Input Object All Panes

Object Attributes

You set attributes for the Model input object in the object attributes pane.

Attribute

Description

Model name(s) or DivePlan

(required)

Defines one or more input files as follows:

Click the browse button for a row in the Model name(s) or DivePlan section.

The Select File dialog box opens.
Navigate to the file and click Select.

The Model name(s) or DivePlan row is now populated.
Repeat to add additional rows as needed.

NOTE: Alternatively, you can type the path and file name in each row of the Model name(s) or DivePlan section.

NOTE: At least one input file must be indicated. Do not use a Model name(s) or DivePlan attribute when using the Model_List_Input attribute because these attributes are mutually exclusive.

Model_List_Input

Specifies a separate input flow object to generate a list of file names for the Model input object. This input flow object uses a single-column text file for input. The column name must be filename and the object must contain a list of files.

This attribute allows programmatic control over the input. For example, this text file can be automatically generated from another VI script.

The Model input object uses the values in the filename column as a list of files to open as its input.

The input is formed by concatenating all files in the file list.

Do not use a Model name(s) or DivePlan attribute when using the Model_List_Input attribute because these attributes are mutually exclusive.

To set up the two input objects:

Place a Filein object and a Model input object on the task flow and name them: the Filein object for use as the Model_List_Input and the Model input object.

For example:
- Model_List_Input contains the list of files and is used by the Filein object for a File_List_Input attribute
- From List for the Model input object
In the Model_List_Input Filein object, add the file that has the file list in the Filename(s) or Starname(s) attribute box. The example here shows a file named For_Model-List-Input.txt. Set any other attributes as needed.
In the From List Model input object, click in the Model_List_Input attribute. Click the browse button that appears, and then move the pointer onto the task flow.

A dotted connector arrow appears connected to the Model input object (From List).
Connect this to the Filein object that contains the text file with the list of files as its input (Model_List_Input).

The Model_List_Input attribute is set for the From List Model input object, and the files listed in the text file are used as input.

Filter_Input

Specifies a separate input flow containing filtered columns for a detail model. The input flow must specify the columns by checking the corresponding Filter check boxes in the Model input object's column grid. The values in the detail model that match the rows in this filter input flow are returned, providing fast access to the detail data based on the model dimensions. In effect, the detail model is used as an indexed file. This filtering method must be used against a single model, it does not support multi-models.

To implement the Filter_Input attribute, you create a separate input object and connect it similar to the Model_List_Input attribute.

Create a Filein object with the input flow columns specified.
Click the browse button of the Model input object's Filter_Input attribute, and move the pointer onto the task flow.

A dotted line appears connected to the Model input object.
Attach this line to the Filein object that contains the input flow.

The Filein object's name appears in the Model input object's Filter_Input attribute, and the input flow now can pass the specified columns into the data flow.

Do not use the Filter_Input attribute and the column grid Filter Values together because they are mutually exclusive.

NOTE: Each input row of the filter flow is used to query the model for its combination of filter column values. If there are duplicate rows in the filter input for a set of filter column values, the same query runs again and these rows are returned out of the detail model multiple times. The order of the output rows corresponds to the order of filter values in the input flow.

Lookup_Model

Specifies a lookup model to use in a multi-model merge. Use only models specifically built as lookup models.

The dimension values in the lookup model should exactly match the core dimension values of the regular model you are associating it with.

Click in the Lookup_Model attribute box and click the browse button.

The Select File dialog box opens.
Browse to the lookup model and click Select.

The lookup model appears in the Lookup_Model attribute.

Dimension

Specifies one dimension or info field that appears in the output data flow. The output data flow becomes restricted to this one dimension and any associated info fields.

When an info field is specified, a single column of the info field's values appear as a dynamic dimension in the output data flow.

Dimension data returned this way is equivalent to a first-level dive on the dimension. All associated info fields are included. You can use the Keep and Remove check boxes in the column grid to control which info fields are included.

Detail

Specifies where to read data when using a detail model.

true—Data is read from the model detail dimensions, detail summaries, and detail info fields
false (default)—Data is read from core dimensions, summaries, and info fields

Metadata

Specifies if the Model input object passes metadata about the fields in the model or just the model data.

true—Metadata, including detail fields in the model, is passed to the output flow, which consists of one row per model field (dimension, summary, or info field). For information about the metadata, see Metadata Fields:
false (default)—Only model data appears in the output flow

Metadata Fields:

Field	Definition
Filename	Returns the model or DivePlan file name from the Model name(s) or DivePlan attribute. Returns blank if multiple models are listed.
Field Name	Returns the column names from the model.
Field Type	Returns the column's type—dimension, summary, or info field.
Number Values	Returns the number of possible values for each column that is a dimension field type. Returns blank for other field types and when returning detail metadata.
Info Dimension	Returns the names of the associated dimension for each info field. Returns blank for other field types.
Data Type	Returns the data type—string, double, float, integer, byte, short, decimal integer, decimal long integer, long integer, unsigned byte, unsigned short, or unsigned integer.
Format	Returns the field's format as defined in the Builder object's Description attribute. Only applies to date fields; returns blank for other field types.
Date Type	Returns Date if the field is defined as a date by Builder; returns blank for other field types.
Field Number	Returns the field number for each column in the model, with the first dimension having the field number 1. If combining metadata from multiple models using the Fileout's Append attribute, you can filter this column for the value 1 to provide a model-level summary.
Summary Types	Returns a comma-separated string of summary types available for the field, as described by the Builder object's sum_types attribute. Applies to summary field type only; returns blank for other field types.
Dimension Count Prebuilt	Returns True if the dimension counts were built into the model using the dimcounts attribute; otherwise, returns False. Returns blank for non-dimension field types.
Model Status	Returns Built if the model opened. If the model cannot be opened, returns a single row of metadata with the Model Status column stating an error message, such as Model not finished or Cannot open file.
Build Time	Returns the build date and time for the model in the DI standard format (YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS).
Model Footer	Returns any text in the Builder object's Footer attribute.
Model Comments	Returns any text in the Builder object's Comments attribute.
Build Description	Returns the path and file name for the build description that is used to build the model. Ensure the Treat as multi-model attribute is set to False as you can only return this information for one model at a time.
Block Factor	Returns the block factor used to build the model. This can be lower than the block factor in the build description because it cannot exceed the number of records in the model.
Model Size	Returns the total model size in bytes. This includes the space used by the main model file and any model continuation files.
Detail Model	Returns True if the model was built with detail model structure; otherwise, returns False.
Elapsed Build Time	Returns the time that it took to build the model, in the DI standard format (HH:MM:SS).
Nullable	Returns True if a summary field is set to nullable; otherwise, returns False. In nullable columns, blanks appear as empty strings and zeroes appear as zeroes.

Encoding

Defines how files names are read and interpreted in terms of character encoding. Values include:

auto—The input object sets the encoding based on the file signature and the Unicode state of other objects in the same task.
ascii—The characters in the file are interpreted as ISO-8859-1 or Latin1 characters.
gb18030—The file is interpreted as Chinese National Standard 18030-2000 characters. The gb18030 encoding option is supported on Windows platforms only.
latin1—The characters in the file are interpreted as ISO-8859-1 or Latin1 characters.
utf-8—The file is interpreted as UTF-8 Unicode characters.
unicode—The file is interpreted as 2-byte Unicode characters (UCS-2) with native byte swapping, unless overridden by a UCS-2 file signature.
unicode-be—The file is interpreted as UCS-2 characters in a big-endian fashion.
unicode-le—The file is interpreted as UCS-2 characters in a little-endian fashion.

UCS-2 and UTF-8 files can include a Byte Order Mark (BOM) at the beginning of the file to denote the file encoding. These file signatures are defined as follows:

UCS-2 Big Endian—FE FF
UCS-2 Little Endian—FF FE
UTF-8—EF BB BF

File signatures are common for Unicode files on Windows operating systems. If the file input object reads multiple files, the signature of each file determines its encoding.

If the encoding attribute is auto and no signature is found, the encoding is assumed to be latin1 if no other object in the task handles Unicode data and the VI file is not encoded as utf-8 (using the charset 1208 directive). Otherwise, the encoding is assumed to be utf-8.

First

Specifies a number to limit how many records are read from each input file. This attribute is useful for script testing on a small number of records. If not used, all rows are read.

Format_Dates

Specifies how date fields are passed in the output flow—string or numeric form.

true—Dates are input or output as strings using the format saved in the model. These date fields can be fed directly into another build object without translation.
false (default)—Dates are interpreted as integer date values.

Prefix

Defines a prefix that is added to all column names in the flow. If you want a space between the prefix and the column name, include that space in the prefix string definition. Any columns assigned an alias do not use the prefix; instead, the columns use the alias name.

Treat as multi-model

Specifies whether the Model input object references multiple models or a single model. Does not apply to DivePlans.

True—The object references multiple models

NOTE: If the Metadata attribute is set to true, build description information is not available.
False (default)—The object references a single model.

NOTE: The attribute is automatically set to True when adding more than one model in the list of files. This attribute is not stored in the script, it cannot be modified by the user and is read only.

Alias_Lines

Aliases can be set and edited in both the Alias_Lines attribute and the column grid. The column grid allows for graphical editing, while the Alias_Lines attribute is set at the code level in the following format:

OldColumnName=NewColumnName

For example:

inv_nbr=Invoice Number

Where Invoice Number is the alias for inv_nbr.

The Alias_Lines method is useful for working with array parameters used as aliases. VI cannot process these array parameters because they are not in a format that VI can interpret.

VI considers these array parameters to be malformed aliases and displays a warning message in the Logs tab. For example:

Alias definition "$(ExternalAliases)" in object
"From List" is not formatted as "OldColumn=NewColumn". When
the line contains a parameter Integrator is most likely able to
resolve it when the parameter is properly defined. To edit this
alias definition use the "Alias_Lines" property.

This message indicates that there is a malformed alias named $(ExternalAliases) in the object named From List. The array parameter displays as $(ExternalAliases) in the script. For VI to interpret this array parameter, you must assign an alias in the VI format.

To assign an alias and resolve the error:

Select the object in the task flow that is mentioned in the warning message. In this example From List.
Click in the Alias_Lines field, and then click the browse button that appears.

The Alias lines for <object_name> dialog box displays.
Edit the alias in the form of:

OldColumnName=NewColumnName

In this example:

$(ExternalAliases)=External Aliases
Click OK.
The array parameter has an alias, and the error message no longer appears.

Column Grid

The Model Input column grid displays the columns from the input files.

Attribute	Description
Name	Displays the name of each input column. This attribute is read-only.
Alias	Defines alternate names for any of the input columns. Spaces before or after an alias column name are ignored. Spaces within an alias column name are acceptable.
Keep Order	Manages the order that columns display in the output data flow. By default, columns that are passed to the next object in the data flow are displayed in the order that they appear in the Name column. You can change this order by typing a number in the Keep Order column. When you assign a Keep Order number, the Keep column is checked automatically. The Keep Order numbers might reorder to accommodate any changes you make.
Keep	Manages which columns are kept in the output data flow. If no columns have a Keep check mark, all columns are kept in the output data flow, except for any explicitly marked Remove. Select the Keep check box for columns you want to explicitly keep in the output data flow. A number is automatically added in the Keep Order column when you select its Keep check box. After marking any column with a Keep check mark, only those marked Keep are kept in the output data flow. NOTE: After any Keep check boxes are checked, do not use the Remove check boxes as clicking a Remove check box sets all Keep check boxes to unchecked.
Remove	Manages which columns are removed from the output data flow. Select the Remove check box for columns that you want to explicitly suppress from the output data flow. NOTE: Use the Remove check boxes only when no Keep check boxes are checked.
Filter	Filters data in a detail model based on the selected columns. These columns must appear in the input object specified by the Filter_Input attribute and be defined as dimensions in the model. Add a check mark to each input column that you want filtered.
Filter Values	Provides an alternate method to filter data that is optimized for Tunnel parameters instead of using the Filter_Input attribute. Click in the Filter Values box for the input column. A dialog box, which is labeled with the column name, opens. Type values, and press Enter after each entry. Click OK. Repeat steps 1–3 for each column you want to filter. Sample Filter Values The Filter Values column displays the number of values for these columns in the column grid. All rows that match any combination of these columns are added to the output data flow. Do not use the Filter_Input attribute when using Filter Values because they are mutually exclusive. NOTE: Like the Filter_Input attribute, duplicate filter values cause duplicate rows to be returned from the model.