Test for empty hashed file

itcconsulting · Post by **itcconsulting** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:01 pm

Within my server job, I would like to perform certain logic if a hashed file is empty. What is the best way for me to test this condition?

kduke · Post by **kduke** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 6:05 pm

You can SELECT COUNT(*) FROM MyHashFile; in a UV stage. You can COUNT MyHashFIle in a ExecTCL command.

chulett · Post by **chulett** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 8:39 pm

As long as the hash file is in an 'Account' or you've established your own VOC record for it. For an unadulterated Pathed Hash you can't count it like that.

I'd be curious to learn what the 'certain logic' is you'd need to do if the hash file is empty. I've never had a need to worry about this in all of my dealings with this tool and wonder if there might be a different (or simpler) approach that could be taken?

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:37 am

You can create a routine to perform either of the commands Kim suggested, and use the routine's return value to drive - perhaps - a nested condition activity in a job sequence. It really is difficult to answer such a vague specification.

itcconsulting · Post by **itcconsulting** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:30 am

Basicall what I'd like to do is populate the current date into a field if the hashed file is empty. I will try what Kim suggested and give an update.

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 2:47 am

Put a UV stage on the end of a stream input link. The link has one column, an integer. Derive the column as COUNT(*) (or COUNT(@ID)) and specify the hashed file name as the table name.
In the Transformer stage fed by this stream input link, detect whether the value of this column is 0 (in an output link constraint expression); if it is, generate the current date in your desired format, et voila!