Writing dynamic columns from a source file to a database

This scenario applies to all Talend products.

For more technologies supported by Talend, see Talend components.

In this scenario, MySQL is used for demonstration purposes. You will read dynamic columns from a source file, map them and then write them to a table in a MySQL database. By defining a dynamic column alongside known column names, we can retrieve all of the columns from the source file, including the unknown columns.

• Drop a tFileInputDelimited, a tMap and a tMysqlOutput component onto the workspace.

• Link tFileInputDelimited to tMap using a Row > Main connection.
• Link tMap to tMysqlOutput using a Row > *New Output* (Main) connection.
• Double-click tFileInputDelimited to open its Basic Settings view in the Component tab.

• Select Built-In from the Property Type list.
• Click the [...] button next to the File name/Stream field and browse to the input file.
• Enter the characters you want to use as separators next to the Row Separator and Field Separator fields.
• Click Edit Schema to define the source file schema.

  The Edit Schema dialog box opens.

• Add as many rows as required or delete rows using the and buttons.
• Modify the order of the columns using the and buttons.
• Under Column, enter the names of each known column on separate rows.
• In the last row, under Column, enter a name for the dynamic column.
• Under Type, click the field to define the type of data in the corresponding column.

  Click the arrow to select the correct data type.

• Click OK to close the dialog box when you have finished defining the source schema.
• Click tMap to open its Basic Settings view in the Component tab.

• Click [...] next to Map Editor to map the columns from the source file.

• On the toolbar on top of the Output Panel on the top right of the window, click the button.

  The Add an Output schema dialog box appears.

• Next to New output, enter a name for the output schema.
• Click OK to close the dialog box.
• Using the Ctrl + click technique, highlight all off the column names in the input schema on the left and drop them onto the output schema.

  The columns dropped on the output columns retain their original values and they are automatically mapped on a one to one basis.

• In the output schema, click the relevant row under Expression if you want to use the Expression Builder to set advanced parameters for the corresponding column in the output.
• Click the [...] button which appears to open the Expression Builder and set the parameters as required.

For further information about using the Expression Builder, see Talend Studio User Guide.

• Click OK to close the Map Editor.
• Double-click tMysqlOutput to set its Basic Settings in the Component tab.

• Select Built-in as the Property Type.
• Select the DB Version from the corresponding list.
• Next to Host, enter the database server IP address.
• Next to Port, enter the listening port number of the database server.
• Enter your authentication data in the Username and Password fields.
• Next to Action on table, select the required action.
• Next to Action on data, select the required action.
• Set the Schema type as Built-in and click Edit schema to modify the schema if required.
• Press F6 to run the Job.

  The table is written to the MySQL database along with the data and the column names of the previously unknown columns:

For further information about defining and mapping dynamic schemas, see Talend Studio User Guide.

For an example of how to write dynamic columns to an output file, see Writing dynamic columns from a database to an output file.