1.3.11.24 Make Array from String

The Make Array from String processor splits up the data in an attribute into an array, using delimiter characters. Elements in the array can then be extracted into separate attributes using Select Array Element, for further processing.

Use Make Array from String as a simple way to break up the data in an attribute.

The following table describes the configuration options:

Configuration	Description
Inputs	Specify a single String attribute that you wish to split into an array.
Options	Specify the following options: Delimiters Reference Data: provides a way of specifying a standard, reusable set of delimiter characters for breaking up data, and allows you to use control characters as delimiters. Only single characters (not strings of characters) can be used as delimiters. Multi-character delimiters will be ignored. Specified as Reference Data. Default value: *Delimiters. Delimiters: allows you to specify delimiters to use without having to create reference data for simple delimiters such as space or comma. If these are used in addition to a reference list, all delimiters from both options are used to break up the data. Specified as a free text entry. Default value: Space. Create empty elements for empty values?: determines whether or not to create an empty element in the array when the original attribute has many delimiters in sequence. This is useful where there is a defined structure in the original String which should be reflected in the array - for example, to ensure that the same element in the array will represent the Town when converting strings such as '10 Acacia Drive, South Kensington, Cambridge' and '12 Acacia Drive, Cambridge'. Specified as Yes/No. Default value: No.
Outputs	Describes any data attribute or flag attribute outputs.
Data Attributes	The following data attributes are output: [Attribute Name].ArrayFromString: the original attribute value, split into an array using the specified delimiters. Stores the array of split values.
Flags	None.

The Make Array from String transformer presents no summary statistics on its processing.

In the Data view, the input attribute is shown with the new added array attribute to its right.

Output Filters

None. All records input are output.

Example

In this example, Make Array from String has been used to split up a single NAME attribute into an array. The different elements in the array can then be extracted and validated:

Name	ArrayFromString
Yvonne CHIN-YOUNG CHUNG	{Yvonne}{CHIN-YOUNG}{CHUNG}
Lynda BAINBRIDGE	{Lynda}{BAINBRIDGE}
William BENDALL	{William}{BENDALL}
Karen SMITH	{Karen}{SMITH}
Patricia VINER	{Patricia}{VINER}
Colin WILLIAMS	{Colin}{WILLIAMS}
Ian PATNICK	{Ian}{PATNICK}
Roberta REYNOLDS	{Roberta}{REYNOLDS}
Winifride ROTHER	{Winifride}{ROTHER}

Drill-down on the array attribute to see the full data in the array, for example:

index (asc)	attribute
1	Yvonne
2	CHIN-YOUNG
3	CHUNG