Flat File CSV

This page shows how to set up and use the Flat File CSV destination. The Flat File CSV destination is a CSV (comma-separated values) flat file that can be written to a local directory or a network drive.

Create a new Flat File CSV Destination

Follow the steps below to add a new Flat File CSV destination to Xtract Universal:

1. In the main window of the Designer, navigate to Server > Manage Destinations. The window “Manage Destinations” opens.
   
2. Click [Add] to create a new destination. The window "Destination Details" opens.
   
3. Enter a Name for the destination.
4. Select the destination type Flat File CSV from the drop-down menu. A list of connection details opens.
5. Fill out the destination details to connect to the destination.
6. Click [OK] to confirm your input.

The destination can now be assigned to extractions.

Destination Details

The destination details define the connection to the destination.

File output path

File output path

Enter the folder path to save the destination flat files in. If the entered folder does not exist, a new folder is created.

CSV Settings

Column seperator

Defines how two columns in CSV are separated.

Row separator

Defines how two rows in CSV are separated.

Quote symbol

Defines which character is used to encase field data. A sequence of characters may be used as "Quote symbol". Quotation is applied in the following scenarios:

• The Column separator is part of the field data.
• The Quote symbol is part of the field data.
• The Row separator is part of the field data.
• The Escape character is part of the field data.

Escape character

When Escape character is part of the field data, the respective field containing this character is encased by the "Quote symbol". The default escape character is the backslash '\'. The field may remain empty.

Column names in first row

Defines if the first row contains the column names. This option is set per default.

Row separator after last row

Defines if the last row contains a row separator. This option is set per default.

Convert / Encoding

Decimal separator

Defines the decimal separator of decimal number for the output. Dot (.) is the default value.

Date format

Defines a customized date format (e.g. YYYY-MM-DD or MM/DD/YYYY) for converting valid SAP dates (YYYYMMDD). Default is YYYY-MM-DD.

Time format

Defines a customized time format (e.g. HH-MM-SS or HH:MM:SS) for converting valid SAP times (HHMMSS). Default is HH:MM:SS.

Text Encoding

Defines the text encoding.

Assign the Flat File CSV Destination to an Extraction

Extractions write data to their assigned destination. Follow the steps below to assign a destination to an extraction:

1. In the main window of the Designer, select an extraction.
2. Click [ Destination]. The window “Destination Settings” opens.
   
3. In the “Destination Settings” window, select a destination from the drop down menu.
   
4. Optional: edit the destination settings.
5. Click [OK] to confirm your input.

When running the extraction, the extracted SAP data is now written to the destination.

Destination Settings

The destination settings only affect the extraction type that the destination is assigned to. To open the destination settings, select an extraction in the main window of the Designer and click [ Destination]. The window "Destination Settings" opens.

File Name

Determines the name of the target table. The following options are available:

Append timestamp

Add the timestamp in the UTC format (_YYYY_MM_DD_hh_mm_ss_fff) to the file name of the extraction

Use Script Expressions as Dynamic File Names

Script expressions can be used to generate a dynamic file name. This allows generating file names that are composed of an extraction's properties, e.g. extraction name, SAP source object. This scenario supports script expressions based on .NET and the following XU-specific custom script expressions:

#{Source.Name}#

#{Extraction.ExtractionName}#

#{Extraction.Type}#

#{Extraction.SapObjectName}#

#{Extraction.Timestamp}#

#{Extraction.SapObjectName.TrimStart("/".ToCharArray())}#

#{Extraction.SapObjectName.Replace('/', '_')}#

#{Extraction.Fields["FISCPER"].RangeSelections[0].LowerValue}#

#{Extraction.Fields["FISCPER"].RangeSelections[0].UpperValue}#

#{Extraction.Context}#

#{Extraction.Fields["[NameSelectionFiels]"].Selections[0].Value}#

#{Odp.UpdateMode}#

#{TableExtraction.WhereClause}#

Column Name Style

Defines the style of the column name. Following options are available:

Convert dates

Converts the character-type SAP date (YYYYMMDD, e.g., 19900101) to a special date format (YYYY-MM-DD, e.g., 1990-01-01). Target data uses a real date data-type and not the string data-type to store dates.

Year 0

Converts the SAP date 00000000 to the entered value.

Year 9999

Converts the SAP date 9999XXXX to the entered value.

Invalid values

If an SAP date cannot be converted to a valid date format, the invalid date is converted to the entered value. NULL is supported as a value. When converting the SAP date the two special cases 00000000 and 9999XXXX are checked first.

Existing files

If a flat file by the same name already exists in the target directory, the following actions can be taken:

File Splitting

Writes extraction data of a single extraction to multiple files. Each filename is appended by _part[nnn].

Max. file size

The value set in Max. file size determines the maximum size of each file.

Column Mapping

Activate Column Mapping when appending data to an existing file or entity that has different column names or a different number of columns.
This can be the case when extracting data from two or more extractions into the same destination file, where the column names of the extraction and the destination file differ.

1. When working with flat files, ensure that:
   
   1. the XU server and the Designer both have access to the destination file.
      
   2. the output directory and the file name of the extraction match the destination file.
      
   3. the Column Name Style of the extraction and destination file match.
2. Select the option Append results in the subsection Existing Files.

3. Click [Map] to assign columns. The window "Column Mapping" opens.
   

   • Destination Columns displays the names of the columns that are available in the destination file or entity.
   • Not Mapped defines whether or not columns are mapped to the destination columns.
   • Source Columns defines which SAP column is mapped to a destination column.

   

4. 1. If the column names of the extraction and the names of the destination columns match, click [Auto map by name].
      
   2. If the column names do not match, assign columns manually by selecting the respective SAP column from the dropdown menu under Source Columns.
      
   3. If a column does not have a counterpart or is not supposed to be appended, activate the checkbox under Not Mapped.
      
5. Click [OK] to confirm your input.

When running the extraction the extracted data is added to the destination file or entity as specified in the column mapping.