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Merging data directly on the DBMS

This scenario describes a simple Job that opens a connection to a MySQL database, merges data from a source table into a target table according to customer IDs, and displays the contents of the target table before and after the merge action. A WHERE clause is used to filter data during the merge operation.

For more technologies supported by Talend, see Talend components.

  • Drop a tMysqlConnection component, a tSQLTemplateMerge component, two tMysqlInput components and two tLogRow components from the Palette onto the design workspace.

  • Connect the tMysqlConnection component to the first tMysqlInput component using a Trigger > OnSubjobOK connection.

  • Connect the first tMysqlInput component to the first tLogRow component using a Row > Main connection. This row will display the initial contents of the target table on the console.

  • Connect the first tMysqlInput component to the tSQLTemplateMerge component, and the tSQLTemplateMerge component to the second tMysqlInput component using Trigger > OnSubjobOK connections.

  • Connect the second tMysqlInput component to the second tLogRow component using a Row > Main connection. This row will display the merge result on the console.

  • Double-click the tMysqlConnection component to display its Basic settings view.

  • Set the database connection details manually or select Repository from the Property Type list and select your DB connection if it has already been defined and stored in the Metadata area of the Repository tree view.

    For more information about Metadata, see Talend Studio User Guide.

  • Double-click the first tMysqlInput component to display its Basic settings view.

  • Select the Use an existing connection check box. If you are using more than one DB connection component in your Job, select the component you want to use from the Component List.

  • Click the [...] button next to Edit schema and define the data structure of the target table, or select Repository from the Schema list and select the target table if the schema has already been defined and stored in the Metadata area of the Repository tree view.

    In this scenario, we use built-in schemas.

  • Define the columns as shown above, and then click OK to propagate the schema structure to the output component and close the schema dialog box.

  • Fill the Table Name field with the name of the target table, customer_info_merge in this scenario.

  • Click the Guess Query button, or type in "SELECT * FROM customer_info_merge" in the Query area, to retrieve all the table columns.

  • Define the properties of the second tMysqlInput component, using exactly the same settings as for the first tMysqlInput component.

  • In the Basic settings view of each tLogRow component, select the Table option in the Mode area so that the contents will be displayed in table cells on the console.

  • Double-click the tSQLTemplateMerge component to display its Basic settings view.

  • Type in the names of the source table and the target table in the relevant fields.

    In this scenario, the source table is new_customer_info, which contains eight records; the target table is customer_info_merge, which contains five records, and both tables have the same data structure.

Information noteNote:

The source table and the target table may have different schema structures. In this case, however, make sure that the source column and target column specified in each line of the Merge ON table, the UPDATE Columns table, and the INSERT Columns table are identical in data type and the target column length allows the insertion of the data from the corresponding source column.

  • Define the source schema manually, or select Repository from the Schema list and select the relevant table if the schema has already been defined and stored in the Metadata area of the Repository tree view.

    In this scenario, we use built-in schemas.

  • Define the columns as shown above and click OK to close the schema dialog box, and do the same for the target schema.

  • Click the green plus button beneath the Merge ON table to add a line, and select the ID column as the primary key.

  • Select the Use UPDATE check box to update existing data during the merge operation, and define the columns to be updated by clicking the green plus button and selecting the desired columns.

    In this scenario, we want to update all the columns according to the customer IDs. Therefore, we select all the columns except the ID column.

Information noteWarning:

The columns defined as the primary key CANNOT and MUST NOT be made subject to updates.

  • Select the Specify UPDATE WHERE clause check box and type in customer_info_merge.ID >= 4 within double quotation marks in the WHERE clause field so that only those existing records with an ID equal to or greater than 4 will be updated.

  • Select the Use INSERT check box and define the columns to take data from and insert data to in the INSERT Columns table.

    In this example, we want to insert all the records that do not exist in the target table.

  • Select the SQL Template view to display and add the SQL templates to be used.

    By default, the SQLTemplateMerge component uses two system SQL templates: MergeUpdate and MergeInsert.

Information noteNote:

In the SQL Template tab, you can add system SQL templates or create your own and use them within your Job to carry out the coded operation. For more information, see tSQLTemplateFilterColumns Standard properties.

  • Click the Add button to add a line and select Commit from the template list to commit the merge result to your database.

    Alternatively, you can connect the tSQLTemplateMerge component to a tSQLTemplateCommit or tMysqlCommit component using a Trigger > OnSubjobOK connection to commit the merge result to your database.

  • Save your Job and press F6 to run it.

    Both the original contents of the target table and the merge result are displayed on the console. In the target table, records No. 4 and No. 5 contain the updated information, and records No.6 through No. 8 contain the inserted information.

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