XML configuration file to map column headings

You can import extension mapping documents whose column headings are different than the required headings by using a configuration file.

Purpose

Extension mapping documents can be created outside of IBM® InfoSphere® Information Server as comma-separated value (CSV) files.

If the extension mapping document does not have column headings or if they are not the required column headings, you can import the document into the catalog by using a configuration file in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format. During import, the configuration file defines which column in the extension mapping document corresponds to the correct column header.

Syntax

The following syntax governs how to redefine column headings in the extension mapping document.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
	<header>true_or_false</header>
	<columns>
		<column index="column_num">Source Columns</column>
		<column index="column_num">Target Columns</column>
		<column index="column_num">Rule</column>
		<column index="column_num">Specification Description</column>
		<column index="column_num">Function</column>
		<column index="column_num">Name of a custom attribute</column>
	</columns>
	</config>
<header> </header>
If the first row of the extension mapping document has column headings, the value must be true. As a result, the column headings are not imported into the catalog.
If column headings do not exist, the value must be false.
<columns> </columns>
The subelement <column index="column_num"> is the column number in the extension mapping document that corresponds to the correct column heading.
The index numbers do not need to be in sequential order. You can skip an index number if a column in the extension mapping document has no corresponding column. That column of data is not imported.
Important:
  • Column numbers must start at 1 and not at 0. The import fails if a column number is 0.
  • If duplicate column numbers exist, the last occurrence of the column number is used.
Custom attribute columns
The name of the custom attribute is the column heading. The custom attribute must exist in the catalog.
If the custom attribute does not exist in the catalog, the row is imported but the column is ignored.
Special characters and language support
Commas
A comma (,) is the only accepted delimiter.
Quotation marks
The use and treatment of quotation marks (") vary according to the column.
Table 1. Use or treatment of quotation marks according to column
Column Use or treatment of quotation marks
  • Source Columns
  • Target Columns
 Quotation marks are removed during import.
  • Rule
  • Function
 If quotation marks occur in the text, they must be enclosed within quotation marks (" " ").
  • Specification Description
 Quotation marks are required around the entire text of the field if the text includes non-alphanumeric characters, such as mathematical symbols or commas.
Language support
The CSV file must be in UTF-8 or in ANSI encoding to be compatible with all languages.
You can type the values in any language, but do not change the names of the column headings.

Example

In this example, a configuration file changes the column headings in the extension mapping document to be identical to the correct headings.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
	<header>true</header>
	<columns>
		<column index="1">Source Columns</column>
		<column index="3">Target Columns</column>
		<column index="4">Rule</column>
		<column index="8">Specification Description</column>
		<column index="5">Function</column>
		<column index="9">Credit Rating</column>
	</columns>
</config>
Table 2. Which imported column is mapped to which configuration file column
This column in your extension mapping document file Is mapped to this column in the configuration file Comments
First Source Columns  
Second   The column is not imported.
Third Target Columns  
Fourth Rule  
Fifth Function  
Sixth   The column is not imported.
Seventh   The column is not imported.
Eight Specification Description  
Ninth Credit Rating Credit Rating is the name of a custom attribute that exists in the catalog.