issue with null handling

[Svengiyil]

Hi,


I have a requirement in which one of the column abc of length 20 (nullable not a key column) has to be left aligned and space padding is to be done if the column value is less than 20 (i.e, if the length is 5 then, after first five char there should be a space of 15).

Here i have used a stage variable stglen to store the length of the column
stglen=Len(trim(In_link.abc)).

and using the isnull function in the transformer
If IsNull(In_link.abc) then space(20) else (trim(DSLink67.short_nm):Space(20-stglen)).

even after doing the above i can still see null value being populated for the above column .

My source is a sybase stage.

Appreciate ur help.

Thanks,
Sheema

[chulett]

Data type of the column? Could you not just declare it a CHAR and ensure your $APT_PADCHAR is set to a space (0x20)?

[Svengiyil]

Hi Craig,

The datatype is char, and could you please let me know where exactly will i find $APT_PADCHAR, is it in the director?


Thanks,
Svengiyil

[Svengiyil]

sorry..not director....will i find $APT_PADCHAR setting in the administrator?

[ArndW]

Yes, you can find and edit it's default value in the Administrator, then insert and include the variable as a parameter in your job(s).

[chulett]

I wouldn't touch the current default value in the Administrator, but instead insert it into you job and then change the default value there. Unless you understood what the ramifications of a global change that like could mean.

[Svengiyil]

Hi,


I found the variable $APT_STRING_PADCHAR and changed the default value to 0x20...it still din't work for me.

Thanks,
Svengiyil

[Sainath.Srinivasan]

it still din't work for me.

What does that mean ?

What is your target ?

Try writing to a sequential file and check the result.

[chulett]

Please explain to us exactly what you did, what changes you made and what "didn't work for me" means.

[Svengiyil]

my target is sequential file itself , i tried changing the variable value $APT_STRING_PADCHAR to 0x20, even after this the resultant column contains null value (same as before).

Thanks,
Svengiyil

[chulett]

But... verify for us the data type in the target (is it CHAR now?) and if you removed your previous derivation or not.

[Svengiyil]

Yeah.....the datatype in the target is also char..

Thanks,
Svengiyil

[Sainath.Srinivasan]

stglen=Len(trim(In_link.abc)).

and using the isnull function in the transformer
If IsNull(In_link.abc) then space(20) else (trim(DSLink67.short_nm):Space(20-stglen)).

even after doing the above i can still see null value being populated for the above column .

Am I right in saying that you are mapping a different column than the one you find the length of.