Record manipulators are installed with Endeca and handle a variety of source data formats. Use them for transforming the records and loading them into the pipeline.
Record manipulators contain XML expressions which Forge compares with each record as it flows through the pipeline. When Forge evaluates an expression, it may change the current record. The changes take a variety of forms, from adjustments of property values to creation of new data.
The CADK reference implementation pipeline contains a record manipulator that transforms properties such as the message data and email subject line into Endeca properties.
Record manipulators are similar to Java manipulators in what they do (transform records in the pipeline). The differences between Java manipulators and record manipulators are as follows:
When you create record manipulators, you add Data Foundry expressions. You modify files directly, by using either Perl or XML expressions, within the Expression editor of the Developer Studio. (Alternatively, you can reference your external Perl code in a Perl manipulator).
When you create Java manipulators, you have a cleaner way of creating your own methods for changing the records, using a family of Java API classes in the CADK designed for this purpose. You write your own Java code and then incorporate it as a Java manipulator in your pipeline.
Note
For detailed information about record manipulators and expressions used for them, see the Data Foundry Expression Reference and the Endeca Forge Guide.
