About Reader Feature Types: User Attributes

Attributes to Read

This option allows you to specify which attributes will be read when the workspace is run. Limiting the attributes to read can improve performance, reduce memory consumption, and make workspaces less cluttered.

  • All Attributes: Read all the attributes found in the source data when the workspace is run. The attributes read can be different from the User Attributes specified in the User Attributes table.
  • Exposed Attributes: Read only the attributes that are checked in the User Attributes table.

When a format does not support selectively reading attributes, this option will be hidden.

User Attributes Table

This table represents the structure of the source data, including the attribute names and their types.

Checked attributes in the table are exposed on the FME Workbench canvas and can be referenced from downstream transformers and writer feature types. Additionally, the structure of the source data can be duplicated on a writer feature type through various options including: Copy from Reader… in the Add Writer dialog, Duplicate on Writer from the reader feature type's context menu, and Copy Attributes From Feature Type from the writer feature type's context menu.

The User Attributes table is automatically populated when a new reader is added. If the structure of the source data has changed or is no longer up to date, it can be updated through the menu Readers > Update Feature Types.

For advanced scenarios, the User Attributes table can be modified manually. To activate this ability, click Tools > FME Options > Workbench > Reader/Writer Options > Allow Reader Feature Type Editing.

Note  Some readers cannot support User Attributes editing. These readers will have the User Attributes table disabled at all times.