About the FME Data Inspector

The FME Data Inspector is a utility that allows you to view and save data in any FME-supported format. It is used primarily to preview data before translation and to verify it after the translation. It can also be used to check data at any point during a translation; as you use FME, you'll find the FME Data Inspector is useful when setting up complex transformations because you can examine the output at each step.

FME Workbench and the FME Data Inspector

The FME Data Inspector replaces the FME Universal Viewer legacy application. It replicates Universal Viewer functionality, but provides better performance, 3D inspection tools, background map viewing, and other improvements.

What can you inspect with the FME Data Inspector?

You can inspect a number of different facets of spatial data including:

  • 2D and 3D Geometry: Check whether the geometry types are correct and that the geometry is in the correct spatial location.
  • Symbology: Is the color, size, and style of each feature correct?
  • Attributes: Are all required attributes present?
  • Data Format: Is the data in the expected format?
  • Data Schema: Is the data subdivided into the correct layers, categories, or classes?
  • Data Quantity: Does the data contain the correct number of features?
  • Process Output: Has the translation process restructured the data as expected?