Creating a Data Flow

In this section:

How to:

The first step in building a data flow is to create an empty flow. You will then be able to add objects to this flow, and set up mappings and relationships.


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Procedure: How to Create a Data Flow
  1. Right-click the application directory where you want the new data flow.
  2. Select New and then click Flow.

    or

    Click the New Create New Server Object button button on the Quick Access Toolbar.

An empty data flow appears in the data flow workspace. The Data Flow tab opens by default, with an SQL object in the center of the workspace.


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Adding and Deleting Objects in Your Data Flow

How to:

Reference:

You can add or delete objects in the data flow workspace. Objects on the left of the SQL object are sources, and objects on the right are targets.

Note: When adding objects, there is no limit to the area they can take up. If the number and arrangement of objects exceeds the viewable area of the workspace, a scroll bar will appear.



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Procedure: How to Add Objects to Your Data Flow


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Procedure: How to Search for Existing Synonyms to Use as Sources or Targets

The Select Synonym dialog box has a search feature that allows you to find synonyms by searching their names and descriptions.

  1. Right-click the workspace while working with a Data Flow, select Add Source or Add Target, and then click Existing.

    The Select Synonym dialog box opens.

  2. Click the Find button at the upper right.

    The Find dialog box opens.

  3. Type a string in the Find What field, and click the Find Next button. You can refine your search with match whole word only and match case. You can also search in either direction.

    The first synonym name, or description containing the string, is highlighted in the Select Synonym dialog box.

  4. Click the Find Next button to find the next match.

Note: After closing the Find dialog box, you can still search for the next match using F3. Shift + F3 will find the next match searching upward.



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Reference: Select Synonym Dialog Box

The Select Synonym dialog box while working in the Data Flow tab, right-click the workspace, select Add Source or Add Target, and then click Existing.

Select Synonym dialog box

The Select Synonym dialog box has five default columns, but this can be customized. The following fields and options are available:

Look in

Is the name of the application directory where the synonyms are located. Select the server name to see all synonyms in all directories.

Name

Is the name of the synonym.

Type

Is the type of synonym.

Description

Is the description of the synonym.

The following two columns are available if you are adding a source to a Join object that already has a synonym selected:

Join Conditions

Are the join conditions that can be used to join the already selected synonym to a new synonym.

Join Type

Displays how the join conditions were found. You can find join conditions using:

  • Matching Key Names. Identically named fields were found in both synonyms.
  • Matching Primary Keys. The already selected synonym has a foreign key relationship to a primary key in the new table.
  • Matching Foreign Keys. The new table has a foreign key relationship to a primary key in the already selected table.

Note: Clicking any of the column headings will sort the list on that field. A column sorted ascending will display an up arrow, while a column sorted descending will display a down arrow.

New Synonym button New Synonym

Allows you to create a new synonym.

The Find Synonym button Find

Allows you to search the application directories for a particular synonym.

Filter

This button is enabled when you already have one table connected to a Join condition, and you right-click a Join object, select Add, and then click Source.

When this option is selected, only tables in the selected application directory, or server with columns that match key columns, are displayed.

When this option is not selected, all tables in the selected application directory or server are displayed.

Select button

Adds the highlighted synonym to the workspace.

Name text box

Allows you to enter a synonym name, or shows the name you have selected.

Type

Allows you to select the synonyms by their adapter type. For example, you can display only synonyms for MS SQL Server tables.

Title Bar

Left-click on a column header in the title bar to sort the list of synonyms on that column. Do it again to reverse the order. Right-click a column header in the title bar to open the context menu with the following options:

  • Sort Ascending/Descending. Sorts the list of synonyms on the selected column.
  • Find. Opens the search dialog.
  • Tree View/List View. Switches views of the synonyms.
  • Best Fit. Optimizes the column widths for best viewing.
  • Customize. Allows you to select the columns that are displayed,


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Procedure: How to Delete Objects From Your Data Flow

Right-click the object you want to remove and select Delete.


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Connecting and Disconnecting Objects in Your Data Flow

How to:

The connections between objects in the data flow workspace allow information to flow between them.

The DMC default User Preferences automatically connects objects.

Note: The Options dialog box provides access to the DMC User Preferences. If the Add Join Object if needed setting on the Data Flow Designer page is selected, source objects are automatically connected to a join object, if more than one is dragged onto the workspace. For details, see How to Automatically Add Join Objects.



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Procedure: How to Connect Objects

When objects are deleted, you may need to recreate the connections between some of the remaining objects.

  1. Right-click an object, hold the mouse button down, and drag to the object you want connected.
  2. Release the mouse button.

An arrow will appear indicating that a connection has been made.

You may also need to create connections if the DMC default settings have been changed.



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Procedure: How to Disconnect Objects

Right-click the arrow connecting two objects, and select Delete.

or

Right-click an object, hold the mouse button down, and drag an arrow to a different object.


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Saving a Data Flow

How to:

Data flows are saved on the DataMigrator server. The first time you save a data flow, you will select an application directory and assign a name to it. After that, you can save it with the same name, or assign a new one.

The following restrictions apply to flow names:



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Procedure: How to Save a Data Flow
  1. Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar.

    Note: A flow can only be saved once changes have been made to it. If no changes have been made, both the button and Save option in the main menu will be inactive (grey).

    If this is the first time a flow is being saved, the Save As dialog box will open. See How to Save a Data Flow with a New Name.

  2. Check the console window for a message indicating that the flow was saved successfully.


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Procedure: How to Save a Data Flow with a New Name
  1. Click the Save As button on the Quick Access Toolbar.

    The Save Procedure As dialog box opens, as shown in the following image.

  2. Select the application directory where you want to save the flow.
  3. In the Name box, enter the name you wish to use for the flow.

    Click Save.

  4. Check the console window for a message indicating that the flow was saved successfully.

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