Create External File Type and Template from View

Explanation

Use this activity to create an external file type definition and if requested an external file template definition from a view.

This is very useful when you want to use the External Files toolkit to produce an output file by reading data from a view in the application. This is achieved by doing the following:

• Use this create activity to create both an external file and an external template definition.
• Use the External File Assistant to create the output file by referring to the created file type and file template.

Prerequisites

You will not be able to select a view that you're not privileged to use.

System Effects

The create process will create the following:

• An external file type header
• One record type definition along with column definitions for that record type.
• Available external file parameters.
• One or two parameter sets for the file type depending on create criteria.
• Available parameters per set definition with default value defined for the parameter FILE_DIRECTION_DB to distinguish the input and output parameter sets from each other.
• An external file template header defined as a template to handle character separated values in a file.
• External template details corresponding to the record type and column definitions for the external file type.
• Template definitions for input and/or output files depending on create criteria.

Window

External File Types

Related Window Descriptions

External File Types
Create File Type And File Template From View Definition

Procedure

1. Open the External File Types window.
2. Right-click and click Create File Type And File Template From View Definition to launch the create dialog.
3. Supply component that owns the view. Click List to see List Of Values of available components.
4. Supply view name. Click List to see List Of Values of available views for the specified component.
5. Specify Input Package if the file type is supposed to be used when reading a file and trying to add the data to a specific Logical Unit, associated with the package, via the standard New__ and Modify__ methods in the package.
6. Define identity and description for the new file type.
7. Be default the Create File Template field is checked. If a template definition should not be created then uncheck.
8. If it is requested to create a file template as well then make sure that the Create File Template is checked. By default the file template will get the same value as defined for file type.
9. By default only Create Output Definition will be checked meaning that output definitions for file type and template will be created. Check Create Input Definition if an input definition shall be created as well.
10. Click OK to start the create activity.