Defining New Attributes

1. Introduction to Defining New Attributes:

• When designing mappings, you often need to create new attributes to facilitate the movement and transformation of data from source to target components.
• Attributes are typically created to perform data transformations or adjustments within the mapping flow.

2. Methods for Defining New Attributes:

A. Using the Attribute Matching Dialog:

• This dialog is triggered when dragging a connection from a connector port on one component to a connector port on another component, particularly when one component is a projector component.
• Options in the dialog:
• Create attributes on the target: If the target already has attributes with matching names, ODI will automatically map source attributes to the target attributes.
• By Position option:
• ODI will map attributes based on their position in the target. For example, if the target component already has 3 attributes and the source has 12, the first 3 attributes from the source will map to the first 3 target attributes, and the remaining 9 attributes will be added with their original names.

B. Dragging and Dropping Attributes:

• Drag a single or multiple attributes from one component and drop them into another component:
• Drop the attributes into a blank area of the component’s graphic (not on top of existing attributes).
• If a connection doesn't already exist, ODI will create one, and the attribute will be created in the target component.
• Tip:
• If the component's graphic appears "full", hover over the attributes to reveal a scroll bar on the right side. Scroll to the bottom to expose a blank area where you can drag the new attributes.
• Note:
• If you drag an attribute onto an existing attribute, ODI will map it into the existing attribute, not creating a new attribute.

C. Adding New Attributes in the Property Inspector:

• In the Property Inspector, go to the Attributes tab and click the green plus icon to create a new attribute.
• Set the name, data type, and other properties for the new attribute in the Attributes table.
• Once created, you can map to the new attribute by dragging attributes from other components onto it.
• Caution:
• Set the correct data type when creating a new attribute to prevent type-mismatch errors during execution. For example, if the attribute is a DATE type, make sure the new attribute is also set to DATE.
• Type-mismatch errors will be flagged as SQL errors during execution.

D. Additional Notes:

• ODI 12.2.1 onwards: When mapping a DB2 TIME column to a target column, only the time is displayed in the target column, and the date is omitted.

3. Tips and Warnings:

• Data Type Validation: Always ensure the correct data type is set for any new attributes. Data mismatches, such as trying to map a DATE type to an INTEGER type, will result in execution errors.
• Attribute Creation in the Property Inspector: While creating a new attribute through the property inspector, make sure you fill in the necessary properties, including name, data type, and other specifications, to avoid errors later on.
• Efficient Mapping: Use attribute matching and drag-and-drop techniques to speed up mapping creation and avoid manual errors when defining attributes.

Summary:

• Attributes are essential for data transformation and flow in ODI mappings.
• You can define new attributes using various methods such as the Attribute Matching Dialog, drag-and-drop, or by directly adding them in the Property Inspector.
• Be mindful of data type compatibility when creating attributes to avoid execution errors.