In-Stream Splitter

In-Stream Splitter action tasks are used to split non-emulated data files into multiple data files that are passed to subsequent tasks in the process.

Note: Performing the splitting process on raw, non-emulated data speeds up the splitting process.

Task properties

General Tab

  • Split data file on page group: Select to split the data file based on pages (rather than on a word found within the data stream) and to activate the options from this group, which are used to tailor exactly how you want the page based splitting process to take place.
    • Page breaks on form feed: Select if you want to start a new data page whenever a form feed character is found.
    • Page breaks on a number of lines: Select if you want start a new data page whenever a given number of lines has been counted. Enter the number of lines in the edit box below or use the spin buttons.
    • Page(s) per output: Select if you want the file generated by the splitter to include multiple data pages. Enter the number of pages in the edit box below or use the spin buttons.
  • Split data file on a word group: Select to split the data file based on a word found within the data stream (rather than on based on pages) and to activate the options from this group, which are used to tailor exactly how you want the word based splitting process to take place.
    • Word: Enter the word to use as the splitting criteria. In this variable property box, you may enter static characters, variables, job information elements or any combination of these. You may also use the Get Data button to get a static string of characters from the sample data file. If you use this option, the coordinates of the data you will select will be added to the From column and To column boxes below.
    • From column: Enter a value corresponding to the first column in which the splitter must start searching for the word.
    • To column: Enter a value corresponding to the last column in which the splitter must start searching for the word.
    • Match case: Select to force the splitter to match the character casing of the string of characters entered above with the characters found in the file. If this option is selected, “DAY” and “Day” will not be considered as matching the search string “day”.
    • Where to split: By default, the task splits the file at the beginning of the line on which the search word is found (the default value is 0). If you want the task to split the file a certain number of lines before or after that line, enter a value other than 0 in this box. Enter 1, for example, to split the file at the beginning of the line that precedes the line on which the search word is found.
    • Before: If you entered a value other than 0 in the Where to split box, select this option if you want to split the file a given number of lines before the search word.
    • After: If you entered a value other than 0 in the Where to split box, select this option if you want to split the file a given number of lines after the search word.
    • When word is found: By default, the task splits the file every time the search word is found (the default value is 1). If you want the task to split the file only when the search word has been found twice, for example, enter the number 2 in this box.

On Error Tab

For a description of the options on the On Error tab see Using the On Error tab.

Miscellaneous Tab

The Miscellaneous tab is common to all tasks.

It contains a text area (Task comments) that lets you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with the OK button and are displayed in The Task Comments Pane.

Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in the Process area.

The tab also provides an option to highlight the task in The Process area with the default color, set in the Preferences (see Colors), or the color selected or defined under Highlight color on this tab.
To revert the selected highlight color to the default color, open this tab, turn the Highlight option off and close the dialog with the OK button; then turn highlighting back on.
Highlighting can also be turned on and off via the task's contextual menu and with the Highlight button on the View ribbon.