Schema (From Table) Reader

The Schema (From Table) reader produces FME features with schema information extracted from specially formulated tabular data.

This reader is most useful when combined with transformers that can use the schema information to manipulate the output. It is not intended to be used as part of a true translation.

Reader Overview

The Schema (From Table) reader acts as a wrapper for the true reader which will be used to retrieve the schema from a specially formulated table in a given dataset. The table below gives an example of information that can be used to generate schema information:

Layer Name

Attribute Name

Attribute Type

Geometry Type

Attribute Order
Bus Stops Stop Name fme_varchar(20) fme_point 2
Stop Abbreviation fme_varchar(10)   3
Stop ID fme_int32   1
City Parks Park Name fme_varchar(20) fme_polygon 2
Park Short Name fme_varchar(10)   3
Park ID fme_int32   1

The Schema (From Table) reader takes a file or multiple files, folder, URL, or database name as the input dataset. If the format that is ultimately targeted requires an input folder, the Schema (From Table) reader will turn the input filename into a folder by removing the file name part of the path.

Because the format it will read from can be, and is by default, published, workspace authors who want to set up specific data-flows for a particular format can use the ParameterFetcher transformer to retrieve the name of the format that actually is being read to, and then potentially route features to other transformers using this value.

Dynamic Schema

FME uses Dynamic Schema functionality, so it can determine the writer schema at run-time. This allows you to decouple your schema definitions from the workspace for greater flexibility and reusability, and less maintenance.

FME Community

Refer to the dynamic schema examples in the Dynamic Workflow Tutorial.