Configuring the Unstructured Data stage as a target

You can configure the Unstructured Data stage to generate a Microsoft Excel file.

About this task

The Unstructured Data stage supports only the OOXML (.xlsx) format of Microsoft Excel files as the target file.

The Unstructured Data stage supports runtime column propagation. When runtime column propagation is enabled on an output link of a upstream stage, propagated additional columns are appended after columns that are defined in the InfoSphere Designer client.

The Unstructured Data stage does not support generating .xls files or password-encrypted files.

Procedure

  1. On the parallel canvas, double-click the Unstructured Data stage.
  2. On the Stage tab, select Excel from the Document type list.
  3. From the Write mode list, select Create a file.
  4. Click Configure to configure properties for writing data to a Microsoft Excel file.
  5. In the Output file pane specify the following:
    1. In the File name field, specify the full path name of the Microsoft Excel file to which you want to write the data. For example, you can specify C:\tmp\employee.xlsx.
    2. Optional: Specify the File update mode. If you select Create (Error if exists), your job execution fails if the target Microsoft Excel file already exists. If you select Overwrite, which is the default setting, the Unstructured Data stage overwrites the existing file.
    3. Optional: Specify the Write method. If you select Generate multiple files, the Unstructured Data stage creates multiple Microsoft Excel files based on additional properties settings. If you select Specific file, which is the default setting, the Unstructured Data stage creates a Microsoft Excel file with the name that is specified in the File name property.
  6. In the Properties pane specify the following:
    1. Optional: Clear the Set for all links check box to specify the properties for each input link that is selected in the Link list. If you select the Set for all links check box, which is the default setting, the properties settings are applied for all the input links.
    2. Optional: Specify the Column header. If you select Column names, the Unstructured Data stage writes InfoSphere DataStage column names to the first row of the Microsoft Excel sheet. If you select None, which is the default setting, the Unstructured Data stage writes the data to the first row of the Microsoft Excel sheet.
    3. Optional: Specify the Adjust column width. If you select Yes, the Unstructured Data stage adjusts each column width in the generated Microsoft Excel sheet to fit the column contents. If you select No, which is the default setting, the Unstructured Data stage does not adjust column width.
  7. Optional: In the Sheet order pane, change the sheet order and modify the sheet names
  8. Click OK to save the settings that you specified.
Parent topic: Designing jobs that have the Unstructured Data stage