Modeling Text Files

In this page of the wizard, you select which text files you want to model for the data source. You can view records in each file individually and perform modeling tasks on a file-by-file basis.

  To model the text files:

  1. Select the check box next to a text file name, then highlight the name to view a sample of the records in the lower text box.

    Essbase Studio displays up to 19 records in the lower text box.

    You can also click the Select All button to select all files in the data source, then highlight the name of each file to view the records.

    Note:

    To clear all check marks, click Clear All. You can also click a selected check box to clear it.

  2. Optional: In the Filter text box, enter a filter for the text file set.

    For example, to filter for text files prefixed with “prod,” you may enter prod*.txt. A list of text files beginning with “prod” is displayed.

  3. Optional: Perform modeling as necessary on the appropriate files, selecting the check box next to the text file and highlighting the file name.

    1. In Skip records, enter the number of records to skip from the beginning of each text file in the data source.

      For example, the text files in your data source may contain identifying comments as the first three records of each file. In this case, enter 3 in Skip Records.

      Note:

      There is a 1000 row limit on the number records that can be skipped.

    2. Select Column names in first row if the first row after any skipped records contains column names.

      If you do not select this check box, the Connection Wizard assigns a default name to each column from each file.

    3. Select a Delimiter:

      • Comma

      • Tab

      • Space

      • Custom—Specify a delimiter if your data source uses a delimiter other than comma, tab, or space.

  4. Optional: To override the column data type for a column, click its header in the work area to view the context menu where you select a new data type.

    Available data types are:

    • Text

    • Integer

    • Large integer

    • Decimal

  5. Optional: To hide a column, click its header in the work area to view the context menu and select Hide column.

    To show previously hidden columns in the work area, select “Show hidden columns” from the context menu.

  6. Optional: To change the column name and data type on multiple columns of a selected file:

    1. Click the first column header and select Properties from the context menu to launch the Column Properties dialog box.

    2. To change the column name, enter a new name in the Name text box.

    3. From the Data Type group, select a column type for the column selected.

      Note:

      Changing a data type from Text to Integer results in an error when viewing sample data; however, cube deployment completes successfully.

    4. Click Next to display the properties of the next column in the file.

    5. Repeat step 6.b through step 6.d until all necessary column data types have been changed, then click OK to return to the Model Text Files dialog box.

  7. Click Next to view the Select Minischema page of the Connection Wizard, as described in Selecting a Minischema Option for Text File Sources.