Delimited Text File

Select this option if the data source is a delimited text file. Note that the file can be .txt or .csv. The Source tab layout is then as shown below - .

Figure 1 - The Source tab with File selected as the Source Type

The properties are as follows:

• Formatting – Select Comma-Separated, Tab-Separated or Custom as required.
• Custom Delimiter - if you have selected Formatting to be Custom, this field becomes active. Type in the character you wish to use as the delimiter.
• Text Qualifier - this property is available when you select Formatting as Comma separated or Custom. In these conditions, the separating character has a special meaning; it is used to separate the different values from the different variables. However some texts to be exported may include punctuation. Specifying quotes around texts ensures that any punctuation does not corrupt the file layout.
• Locale – specify the area or country in which the data in the file is to be used. This will allow the system to format fields such as date fields according to local standards.

Note: On a later import of the file, the Locale setting made on the Target tab must match the setting made here.

• Code Page – select the code used in the file.
• Unicode – check this box if the file is saved as Unicode. The Code Page property is then disabled.
• Truncate Open Ends - when exporting data to File, system performance is heavily affected by the number of “unlimited width” text fields in the exports (i.e. Open Text fields with no field width settings). Open Text fields can be truncated by using this setting (default is 200 characters). Forsta strongly recommends truncating Open Text field widths with this setting rather than choosing “Full length”, as this will lead to significant improvements in processing time.
• File location - select the source of the file. Import files can be uploaded directly in the browser, placed on a Forsta FTP server and retrieved from there, or imported from an external FTP server.
• Local file - if you wish to upload the source file from your server network (perhaps the file has been stored there after having been sent to you via email), then select this option, click the Upload File link in the line below, then click Browse. A standard browser window opens, in which you can search for and select the file you wish to upload.
• FTP - if your company has licensed the FTP add-on and it has been enabled, this option will be active. You can then fetch the source file from Forsta's FTP location. Type in the file name. Forsta's FTP address is specified as part of the enabling procedure and cannot be changed.

Note: Forsta FTP imports support the use of wildcards in the file name. * gives zero or more characters, ? gives exactly zero or one character. For example, myFile?_*.txt - will match myFile1_20082012.txt and myFile2_22082012.txt.

• External FTP - files can be taken from an external FTP location. In this case the file name, Folder Name (at the external FTP location), the Host Name, and the FTP User name and Password must be specified. The Verify connection button is provided to allow you to check whether the FTP settings are correct.

Note: Wildcards are not supported when using External FTP.

• If you select one of the FTP options, then you can also decide what to do with the original files on the FTP site; leave them there or delete them. Note that fetching from FTP can allow automation of data flows, since you can set up the system to pick up files automatically.
• In the event the file is uploaded from an FTP site, you can select where the error files are to be sent in the event a problem is encountered with the rule. Select between sending the files by email and sending them to the FTP site from which the files as uploaded. In this case the file will include the task ID so the reader will be able to trace the task that failed.

Note: If a Delimited Text File is uploaded which contains more column headers in a specific record than there are header columns, an error message will be displayed.

• Encrypted File - if your company has licensed the Encryption add-on and it has been enabled , the data transfer encryption functionality makes it possible to perform secure data transfers in Forsta. If the source file has been encrypted by the sender using your PGP public key, you will need to decrypt the files using your private key. Note that an administrator setting makes it possible to force every Forsta user within a company to use encryption and FTP server during data transfer.

1. Make the required selections and save them.
2. Select the Local File or FTP option as appropriate.
3. Depending on which option you have selected, click the Upload File link or type the required information into the fields.

If you have clicked Upload File, a standard Windows File Upload dialog opens.

4. In which case, browse to and select the file to be uploaded (ensure it is of the correct type as selected in Formatting above).

The name of the selected file is displayed alongside the Uploaded File button.

5. Click Save to save the changes.