FME Transformers: 2024.1

Categories
Attributes

Attributes

Related Transformers
AttributeCreator
AttributeKeeper
AttributeManager
AttributeRemover
AttributeRenamer
AttributeValueMapper
BulkAttributeRemover
BulkAttributeRenamer
Categories
Attributes

Attributes

Related Transformers
AttributeCreator
AttributeKeeper
AttributeManager
AttributeRemover
AttributeRenamer
AttributeValueMapper
BulkAttributeRemover
BulkAttributeRenamer

AttributeCopier

Copies existing attributes to new attributes with user-specified names. The existing attribute remains intact and a new attribute is created that has a different name, but the same values.

Jump to Configuration

Typical Uses

  • Create a copy of an attribute to preserve the original while transforming the copy
  • Create persistent mappings between differing input and output attribute names so that the mapping won’t be lost if a connector is manually removed or replaced.

How does it work?

Blank rows are provided where you can create pairs of input and output attributes. The current values of the input attributes are copied to the output. One or more pairs can be added, and all features that pass through the transformer are modified according to these selections. You can optionally provide default values to be applied to the output where input values are missing.

Examples

You can replace manual attribute connections with an AttributeCopier transformer. In this example, FME doesn’t connect the attributes because either the case is different or the name is different.

If you right-click on the existing connection and choose Auto Connect Attributes, FME will guess at the connections, connecting the attributes where only the case is different.

PathLength is not automatically connected to LENGTHOFPA, as the two names are too different for an automatic match. You would need to connect such an attribute manually.

However, with the above method, if the feature connection is deleted or replaced, the attribute mapping is lost and will have to be redone.

Instead, using an AttributeCopier to map the connections will keep the pairs persistently through changes to the workspace.

And the changes are reflected in the transformer:

Usage Notes

Configuration

Input Ports

Features with attributes.

Output Ports

List of attributes, including any that have been copied.

Parameters

When an AttributeCreator is opened for the first time, this area will contain a blank row where a new attribute can be created. Additional rows are added as entries are made.

Input Attribute

Enter or select the name of an existing attribute from one of the drop-downs.

Output Attribute

Enter or select the name of the new attribute to be created if necessary and copied into. The value of this attribute will be the value of the corresponding Input Attribute.

If the Input Attribute does not exist on a feature and an Attribute Value is specified, the Output Attribute will be created and set to the value specified in the Attribute Value.

Default Value

Enabled when If Input Attribute is Missing is set to Set Default Value.

The value to set the Output Attribute to if the Input Attribute does not exist on the feature (a default value). If the Default Value is blank, and the Input Attribute does not exist on the feature, the Output Attribute will not be created.

See Defining Values for various methods of setting these.

If Input Attribute is Missing

Select an action to take if a specified input attribute has no value:

- Remove Output Attribute

- Preserve Existing Output Attribute

- Set Default Value - enables the Default Value column

Editing Transformer Parameters

Transformer parameters can be set by directly entering values, using expressions, or referencing other elements in the workspace such as attribute values or user parameters. Various editors and context menus are available to assist. To see what is available, click beside the applicable parameter.

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.

String Functions

These functions manipulate and format strings.

Special Characters

 A set of control characters is available in the Text Editor.

Math Functions

Math functions are available in both editors.
Date/Time Functions Date and time functions are available in the Text Editor.

Math Operators

These operators are available in the Arithmetic Editor.

FME Feature Functions

These return primarily feature-specific values.

FME Parameters

FME and workspace-specific parameters may be used.
Creating and Modifying User Parameters Create your own editable parameters.

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.

For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.

Reference

Processing Behavior

Feature-Based

Feature Holding

No
Dependencies None
Aliases  
History  

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 AttributeCopier on the FME Community.

 

Examples may contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver, Open Government Licence - British Columbia, and/or Open Government Licence – Canada.