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1. Flat Package Editor
2. Flat Package Editor 2008 Download

Applies to: SQL Server (all supported versions) SSIS Integration Runtime in Azure Data Factory

Flat File Source Editor (Connection Manager Page) Use the Connection Manager page of the Flat File Source Editor dialog box to select the connection manager that the Flat File source will use. The Flat File source reads data from a text file, which can be in a delimited, fixed width, or mixed format. Jun 30, 2011 Control flow, data flow, event Handlers, Package Explorer in tab windows; Connection Manager Window in the bottom; 5. Right click on the Connection Manager Tab, click on new FLAT File Connection Menu Item. Connection manager editor opens up which contains 4 tabs, General, Columns, Advanced and Preview. Configure the Flat File connection manager to use a variable. In the Connection Managers pane, right-click Sample Flat File Source Data, and select Properties. In the Properties window make sure the PackagePath starts with Package.Connections.

Jan 19, 2021 If it’s your first time working with a hexadecimal editor, you should skip this method. Otherwise, you can use the instructions below: First, ensure a hexadecimal editor is available on your computer. Locate the Cyberpunk.exe file and open it with the editor. Find 554881ECA000E8 and set it to C34881ECA000E8. Oct 13, 2006 Using ActiveX scripts in DTS packages tends to slow the package down because the code needs to be compiled at run-time. In SQL Server 2005 SSIS a connection to a flat file is much easier and makes use of new programming techniques, making the package run more efficiently and smoothly.

The Flat File source reads data from a text file. The text file can be in delimited, fixed width, or mixed format.

• Delimited format uses column and row delimiters to define columns and rows.

• Fixed width format uses width to define columns and rows. This format also includes a character for padding fields to their maximum width.

• Ragged right format uses width to define all columns, except for the last column, which is delimited by the row delimiter.

You can configure the Flat File source in the following ways:

• Add a column to the transformation output that contains the name of the text file from which the Flat File source extracts data.

• Specify whether the Flat File source interprets zero-length strings in columns as null values.

  Note

  The Flat File connection manager that the Flat File source uses must be configured to use a delimited format to interpret zero-length strings as nulls. If the connection manager uses the fixed width or ragged right formats, data that consists of spaces cannot be interpreted as null values.

The output columns in the output of the Flat File source include the FastParse property. FastParse indicates whether the column uses the quicker, but locale-insensitive, fast parsing routines that Integration Services provides or the locale-sensitive standard parsing routines. For more information, see Fast Parse and Standard Parse.

Output columns also include the UseBinaryFormat property. You use this property to implement support for binary data, such as data with the packed decimal format, in files. By default UseBinaryFormat is set to false. If you want to use a binary format, set UseBinaryFormat to true and the data type on the output column to DT_BYTES. When you do this, the Flat File source skips the data conversion and passes the data to the output column as is. You can then use a transformation such as the Derived Column or Data Conversion to cast the DT_BYTES data to a different data type, or you can write custom script in a Script transformation to interpret the data. You can also write a custom data flow component to interpret the data. For more information about which data types you can cast DT_BYTES to, see Cast (SSIS Expression).

This source uses a Flat File connection manager to access the text file. By setting properties on the Flat File connection manager, you can provide information about the file and each column in it, and specify how the Flat File source should handle the data in the text file. For example, you can specify the characters that delimit columns and rows in the file, and the data type and the length of each column. For more information, see Flat File Connection Manager.

This source has one output and one error output.

Configuration of the Flat File Source

You can set properties through SSIS Designer or programmatically.

Flat Package Editor

The Advanced Editor dialog box reflects the properties that can be set programmatically. For more information about the properties that you can set in the Advanced Editor dialog box or programmatically, click one of the following topics:

Related Tasks

For details about how to set properties of a data flow component, see Set the Properties of a Data Flow Component.

Flat File Source Editor (Connection Manager Page)

Use the Connection Manager page of the Flat File Source Editor dialog box to select the connection manager that the Flat File source will use. The Flat File source reads data from a text file, which can be in a delimited, fixed width, or mixed format.

A Flat File source can use one of the following types of connection managers:

• A Flat File connection manager if the source is a single flat file. For more information, see Flat File Connection Manager.

• A Multiple Flat Files connection manager if the source is multiple flat files and the Data Flow task is inside a loop container, such as the For Loop container. On each loop of the container, the Flat File source loads data from the next file name that the Multiple Flat Files connection manager provides. For more information, see Multiple Flat Files Connection Manager.

Options

Flat file connection manager
Select an existing connection manager from the list, or create a new connection manager by clicking New.

New
Create a new connection manager by using the Flat File Connection Manager Editor dialog box.

Retain null values from the source as null values in the data flow
Specify whether to keep null values when data is extracted. The default value of this property is false. When this value is false, the Flat File source replaces null values from the source data with appropriate default values for each column, such as empty strings for string columns and zero for numeric columns.

Preview
Preview results by using the Data View dialog box. Preview can display up to 200 rows.

Flat File Source Editor (Columns Page)

Use the Columns node of the Flat File Source Editor dialog box to map an output column to each external (source) column.

Note

The FileNameColumnName property of the Flat File source and the FastParse property of its output columns are not available in the Flat File Source Editor, but can be set by using the Advanced Editor. For more information on these properties, see the Flat File Source section of Flat File Custom Properties.

Options

Available External Columns
View the list of available external columns in the data source. You cannot use this table to add or delete columns.

External Column
View external (source) columns in the order in which the task will read them. You can change this order by first clearing the selected columns in the table, and then selecting external columns from the list in a different order.

Output Column
Provide a unique name for each output column. The default is the name of the selected external (source) column; however, you can choose any unique, descriptive name. The name provided will be displayed within SSIS Designer.

Flat File Source Editor (Error Output Page)

Use the Error Output page of the Flat File Source Editor dialog box to select error-handling options and to set properties on error output columns.

Options

Input/Output
View the name of the data source.

Column
View the external (source) columns that you selected on the Connection Manager page of the Flat File Source Editordialog box.

Error
Specify what should happen when an error occurs: ignore the failure, redirect the row, or fail the component.

Related Topics:Error Handling in Data

Truncation
Specify what should happen when a truncation occurs: ignore the failure, redirect the row, or fail the component.

Description
View the description of the error.

Set this value to selected cells
Specify what should happen to all the selected cells when an error or truncation occurs: ignore the failure, redirect the row, or fail the component.

Apply
Apply the error handling option to the selected cells.

See Also

Flat File Destination
Data Flow

Posted Jul 12, 2010

By Marcin Policht

A database administrator can create ad-hoc packages to implement ETL via SSIS or use a method based on software programming principles. Ad-hoc packages may seem advantageous but can lead to duplication of effort. Learn how to implement the second of these options by taking advantage of package variables.

When implementing Extraction, Transformation, and Loading tasksvia SQL Server Integration Services, a database administrator generally has two options. One ofthem involves creating ad-hoc packages without much concern for their structureor future use (frequently relying on Import and Export Wizard) and the other is basedon software programming principles, with emphasis on modularity andreusability. While the first approach may seem advantageous due to itssimplicity, it is bound to lead to duplication of effort in the long run and issuited primarily for occasional use of SSIS. In this article, we willdemonstrate how to implement the second of these options by taking advantage ofpackage variables.

In our sample scenario, we willstep through implementation of a package, which exports a range of rows(selected according to arbitrarily assigned criteria) from vEmployee view inthe AdventureWorksdatabase into a text file. Our intention is to show how to use variables toreplace hard-coded values that determine row selection or identify data sourceand destination. This way, a request to change these values in the future canbe carried out by simply modifying respective variables, eliminating the needto search for their references throughout the entire package. In ourdemonstration, we will first create a package with specific values assigneddirectly to relevant components. Afterwards, we will describe the process ofreplacing them with variables.

Start by creating a new projectbased on the Integration Services Project template in the BusinessIntelligence Development Studio. This will form the required folderstructure within the location you specify, including a generic Package.dtsx file.Switch to the Data Flow tab of the Designer window and follow the hyper-linked instructions appearing in itscenter stating, 'No Data Flow tasks have been added to this package. Click here toadd a new Data Flow task'. With the new Data Flow Task inplace, drag and drop OLE DB Source from the Data Flow Sources section of the Toolbox ontothe Designerinterface, right-click on it and select Edit... from its contextsensitive menu. In the resulting OLE DB Source Editor, usethe New... commandbutton next to the OLE DB connection manager listbox to display the Configure OLE DBConnection Manager window. Click on New... located in its lower portionto activate the Connection Manager window. Type in the name of the serverhosting the source SQL Server instance in the Server nametextbox, assign appropriate authentication method in the Log on to theserver section, and specify AdventureWorks in the Connect to adatabase section underneath (you can use the Test Connection commandbutton to verify that the resulting configuration is correct). Return to the OLE DB SourceEditor window, select Table or view entry in the Data access modelistbox, followed by [HumanResources].[vEmployee] in the Name of thetable or the view listbox. Switch to the Columns tab and choose thecolumns you intend to export (we will narrow down our selection to EmployeeID, FirstName, LastName, City, StateProvinceName, PostalCode, and CountryRegionName). Clickon the OK command button to return to the Designer window.

As we mentioned earlier, wewill limit rows copied to the target text file to those matching arbitrarycriteria. For the sake of simplicity, we will use the content of the City columnfor this purpose, filtering out entries that are not equal to Seattle. Toaccomplish this, drag Conditional Split from the Data Flow Transformations sectionof the Toolbox, position it directly underneath OLE DB Source, andconnect the two via Data Flow Path (represented by an arrow extending fromthe lower edge of the top component). Right click on the ConditionalSplit Transformation and use the Edit... option from its contextsensitive menu to display the Conditional Split Transformation Editor window.In its lower portion, type a new Output Name (wewill call it Local Employees, but the naming convention is purelyarbitrary and simply represents the intended use) and define the condition thatwill determine whether an entry satisfies our criterion (which in this caseshould be set to City 'Seattle'). As the result, all rows withthe City columnset to Seattle will be redirected to the newly created output. Confirm yourchoices by clicking on the OK command button and return to the Designerinterface.

To complete implementation ofthe first version of our package, drag Flat File Destination fromthe Toolbox anddrop it directly underneath Conditional Split Transformation. Extendthe arrow representing the Local Employees Data Flow Path to linkthem together. Use the Edit... option in the context sensitive menu of Flat FileDestination to launch its Editor window. Click on the New... commandbutton next to the Flat File connection manager listbox. You will be promptedto choose the format of the destination file (among Delimited, Fixed width, Fixed width withrow delimiters, and Ragged right) first, followed by the file name and path (in the Flat FileConnection Manager window). Once you have provided all necessary information, clickon OK andreturn to the Designer window.

The procedure we just completedyields a fully functional package. You can test it by simply pressing F5, whichwill compile and execute its code, generating a text file (whose name andlocation you specified) containing data of AdventureWorks employees residing inSeattle. However, if we wanted to produce equivalent output for Redmondresidents and store it in a different file (or reference another SQL Serverinstance), we would need to modify the properties of corresponding packagecomponents. This maintenance overhead can be to some extent mitigated byemploying variables to store values of component properties that are subject tochange.

In order to provide this extraflexibility, we will use variables to configure both connection managers (OLE DB and Flat File) aswell as Conditional Split Transformation. In particular, srcServer and srcDatabase definedon the Package level will provide parameters necessary to establish OLE DB Source-basedconnection to vEmployee view. City scoped at the Data Flow Task level will serve as thecomparison criteria in the Conditional Split Transformation.Package-wide dstFilePath will contain the file name and path of the Flat FileDestination. Each of them will be part of the default Usernamespace (although it is certainly possible to define a custom namespace forthis purpose).

To create Package-levelvariables, switch to the Control Flow tab of the Designer window, right click on any part of its unoccupied surface, andchoose Variables from the context sensitive menu. (Alternatively, select the Variables entryin the SSIS top-level menu). In the resulting Variables window,click on the left-most toolbar icon and enter relevant data in the Name, Data Type (String in ourcase), and Value columns. To create component-level variables, select Data Flow Task on the Designer surface(or switch to the Data Flow tab) and repeat the same sequence of steps described above.

Now, we need to replacehard-coded values with references to the newly defined variables. In the caseof connection managers, this is accomplished by using their Expressionsproperty (appearing in their respective Properties windows, which you canactivate by pressing the F4 key or by selecting the Properties Window optionin the View top-level menu). In the Expressions entry,click on the ellipsis (...) button on its right hand side to display PropertyExpression Editor. Select ConnectionString in its Property column and use theellipsis button again (this time in the Expression column) to activate ExpressionBuilder. Note the Variables node in its upper left corner. Once you expand it, you should beable to find all of the package level variables, including those you justdefined (which are easily identifiable by the User: prefix,designating their namespace). You can define the desired expression by eithertyping it directly in the Expression text box or by dragging itsindividual elements (such as variables, functions, or operators) from the topwindow panes. Assuming that you followed our naming convention, the expressionrepresenting the database connection string takes the form (wrapped here forbetter readability):

Flat Package Editor 2008 Download

You would need to repeat thesame sequence of steps for the Flat File Connection Manager,although in this case, the expression for its connection string should be setto @[User::dstFilePath]. In thecase of Conditional Split Transformation, once you activate itseditor window, replace the existing entry in the Condition columnwith UPPER(City) UPPER(@[User::City]). (We are leveraging the UPPER function in order to make ourcomparison case-insensitive). As a result, our package remains fullyfunctional, but changing its behavior requires only modification of variablevalues, rather than altering content or properties of its components.

Additional Resources

SQL Server 2008 R2 Index
MSDN Using Variables in Packages
MSDN Integration Services Variables

» See All Articles by ColumnistMarcin Policht