Inspector

Sends features to the FME Data Inspector for display.

When the workspace run is completed, any features that enter this transformer will be displayed in the FME Data Inspector. The Inspector also allows you to view the internal FME Feature Store (FFS) data as it is being processed at that particular moment. Depending on the placement of the Inspector, FME will open the FME Data Inspector and load the data in a new view.

All Inspector transformers used in a workspace will be displayed in the same view.

A feature type in the FME Data Inspector will have the same name as its corresponding Inspector transformer.

Usage Notes

This is a very useful tool for debugging workspaces. Keep in mind, however, that you are viewing the internal FME data, which may not be the same as the data eventually written to your output dataset. This is because FME does not apply any format-imposed restrictions on the data.

Shortcuts

  • To attach an Inspector transformer: right-click on a selected reader feature type or transformer and choose Connect Inspector(s).
  • Click the Inspector button to place an Inspector transformer in a workspace.
  • To immediately open the FME Data Inspector, right-click on a reader or writer feature type and select Inspect.

Redirecting Output to an Inspector

In some cases you might want to inspect output data, but you don't want to actually have to write the data to do so. For example, in a translation that applies updates to a spatial database, you will probably want to check the output before actually committing an update. The answer is the Redirect to FME Data Inspector setting.

When this setting is applied, the output from a translation is redirected away from the specified output and sent directly to the FME Data Inspector.

The simplest way to turn on this feature is to select Writers > Redirect to FME Data Inspector from the FME Workbench menu bar. This is a toggle setting, meaning that each selection turns the setting on or off.

Configuration

Input Ports

Output Ports

This transformer has no output ports.

Parameters

Transformer History

This transformer was previously named the Visualizer.

References

The FME Data Inspector help files contain additional information about viewing and saving raster, point cloud, and vector data.

Editing Transformer Parameters

Using a set of menu options, transformer parameters can be assigned by referencing other elements in the workspace. More advanced functions, such as an advanced editor and an arithmetic editor, are also available in some transformers. To access a menu of these options, click beside the applicable parameter. For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.

Defining Values

There are several ways to define a value for use in a Transformer. The simplest is to simply type in a value or string, which can include functions of various types such as attribute references, math and string functions, and workspace parameters. There are a number of tools and shortcuts that can assist in constructing values, generally available from the drop-down context menu adjacent to the value field.

Dialog Options - Tables

Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.

FME Community

The FME Community is the place for demos, how-tos, articles, FAQs, and more. Get answers to your questions, learn from other users, and suggest, vote, and comment on new features.

Search for all results about the Inspector on the FME Community.

Keywords: Visualizer