What is "tranform" ?

Etler21 · Post by **Etler21** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 4:14 pm

Wondering if anyone is kind enough to tell me the difference between Routines(parallel,Server,mainframe) vs "Transform".

I just tried to create one "Transform" under "File > New > Other > Transform" and felt like this is just another way of calling all those functions which are already available in parallel Transformer,which,in-fact,can also be called directly in the transformer stage.So why do we need them ?

Is there any type of scenerio where "Transform" should be used ??

I would apriciate if some-can can provide quick facts about the same.

Thanks
Etler.

Etler21 · Post by **Etler21** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:10 pm

No One ??

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 11:50 pm

Transforms, which a simple review of the DataStage Designer Client Guide or Server Job Developer's Guide would have revealed to you, are pre-stored DataStage BASIC expressions that can be used in server and BASIC Transformer stage expressions.

Transforms were, in versions of DataStage earlier than - if I recall correctly - 2.2, the only way of invoking DataStage Routines, because old style routines did not have an argument passing mechanism that could be fed with other components. That's why all Routines nowadays are version 2.0. Version 2.0 routines do have an argument passing mechanism.

By all means if you feel that you don't need them don't use them.

But I believe they are really handy for simple expressions such as multiplying by a constant. Without a pre-stored constant you'd have to re-research the value by which to multiply kilometres, for example, to get miles. It's not simply 1.6 - for larger distances you need more decimal places than that. Can you always remember what they are? How about litres/gallons? Cubic feet/Cubic metres?

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 12:07 am

Etler21 wrote:No One ??

Funnily enough, some of us have to work for a living, sleep, fly to other cities, and all kinds of other things that mean we can't monitor DSXchange 25x8 just for your benefit.

DSXchange is an all-volunteer site whose members post as and when they can. There is no compulsion for them to do so, and some of us at least find this "pushing" behaviour to be offensive.

We especially don't do "urgent", "ASAP" or even "quick". If you need that, sign up with your official support provider for priority service, and learn just how expensive impatience can be.