Implementation Guide › Implementation › Data Gathering (Data Source Expert) › How to Configure Adapters and Translations › File Adapter Case Study › Configuration File InputFormatCollection Section

Configuration File InputFormatCollection Section

This section specifies the structure of data retrieved from the data source-how a data row is to be cut into fields and what are the field types and formats. Initial data filtering and data manipulations may be performed in this section by using InputFormatSwitch and Compound fields respectively.

In this section it is possible to define the validation Metrics for the input records using the InputFormatValidation and the ValidationCase, which determine whether or not a record is legal.

The InputFormatCollection node may contain one or more InputFormat nodes.

The general work flow of this section that the Adapter follows is:

• Data row is matched against the InputFormat specified in the DataSourceInterface.
• Data is dissected into fields following the matching InputFormat specification. The order of the InputFormatFields should correspond with the order of fields parsed from the data source.
• Compound fields are assigned values by combining and breaking the previously specified data fields. Compound field definitions should come after the normal field definition.
• Processed data is checked against TranslatorSwitch conditions to determine which Translator is used to build the output event out of the input record.
• Processed data is either sent to the matching Translator or is ignored.

Work with the following parameters:

• InputFormatName: Name for this format, to be referred to by DatasourceInterface section.
• InputFormatFields: InputFormatFields may contain one or more Field nodes according to the data source number of input fields.
• InputFormatField: Specifies one data field of the original data row, or a compound field.

  <InputFormatField Name="timestamp" Type="time"

  TimeFormat="%d/%m/%Y %H:%M:%S"/>

  • Name: Name for this field, to be referred to by other elements, such as the compound element or the TranslatorFields as source field.
  • Type: Data type of the field-string/integer/real/time.
  • Source: Source value for this field, Default value taken is "event", possible values:
    • event: Field value is taken from the event coming from the data source. Values of fields are taken in the same order as coming from the data source.
    • compound: Field value is built from other fields, based on a manipulation of other fields' values or constants. The fields manipulated should already be defined.
    • title: Field value is taken from title field names. The referred field should already be defined.
    • filename: Field value is taken from the data source filename; only for text file Adapters.
    • constant: Field value is constant and taken from the ConstantValue whose property should appear next.
• TranslatorSwitch: Determines which Translator is used to translate the data row into a Unified Event.
  • DefaultTranslator: Translator to be used in cases where no criteria can be matched. If the value is set to "Ignore", no Translator is used and the line is ignored and not sent to CA Business Service Insight.