SystemCaller

Command Line

To run a program, the command-line parameter must start with the name of a program (.exe on Windows or an executable on Linux/Mac) or batch file (.bat) that is either fully specified or is in the PATH. It can contain additional arguments as well, which are passed as command-line arguments to the program or batch script. To run multiple operating system commands, use && to delimit commands. For example: cd c:\temp && dir *.* && pause cd /Users && ls -l If paths contain spaces, enclose the path in double quotes, and only on Windows enclose the entire command in double quotes. For example: ""C:\run me\something.exe" -filepath "C:\path here\filename.txt"" /usr/bin/head -n "/path/to/some file.txt"

Exit Code

If an Exit Code Attribute is specified, it will be set to the executed program's exit code: usually 0 for success and nonzero for failure.

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.

Using the Text Editor

The Text Editor provides a convenient way to construct text strings (including regular expressions) from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and constants, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Text Editor

Using the Arithmetic Editor

The Arithmetic Editor provides a convenient way to construct math expressions from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and feature functions, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Arithmetic Editor

Conditional Values

Set values depending on one or more test conditions that either pass or fail.

Parameter Condition Definition Dialog

Content

Expressions and strings can include a number of functions, characters, parameters, and more.

When setting values - whether entered directly in a parameter or constructed using one of the editors - strings and expressions containing String, Math, Date/Time or FME Feature Functions will have those functions evaluated. Therefore, the names of these functions (in the form @<function_name>) should not be used as literal string values.

Table Tools

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

Row Reordering	Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include: Add a row Remove a row Move current row up one Move current row down one Move current row to top Move current row to bottom
Cut, Copy, and Paste	Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include: Cut a row - delete and copy to clipboard Copy a row to the clipboard Paste a row from the clipboard Cut, copy, and paste may be used within a transformer, or between transformers.
Filter	Start typing a string, and the matrix will only display rows matching those characters. Searches all columns. This only affects the display of attributes within the transformer - it does not alter which attributes are output.
Import	Import populates the table with a set of new attributes read from a dataset. Specific application varies between transformers.
Reset/Refresh	Generally resets the table to its initial state, and may provide additional options to remove invalid entries. Behavior varies between transformers.

Note: Not all tools are available in all transformers.