StringPadder

Categories

Strings

Pads the selected attributes with a specified character, either on the right or left side. For each attribute specified, if the attribute's length is less than Pad Width, spaces will be added to the given side to bring it up to that length.

Example

Original value: "hello"

Pad Width: 10

Side to Pad: Left

Resulting value: "     hello"

Configuration

Output Ports

Note  Feature order may change in relation to other output ports. Feature order per port is maintained.

The dynamic <Rejected> port appears when a parameter is set to a non-literal value that might make processing impossible.

For example, if a numeric parameter such as Line Width, Count Start, or Decimal Places is set to an expression, attribute value, or user parameter, it is possible to pass in a non-numeric value that cannot be used. Decimal Places = Cat cannot be processed, so the feature will be output via this port.

Rejected features will have an fme_rejection_code attribute explaining the reason for rejection.

Rejected Feature Handling: can be set to either terminate the translation or continue running when it encounters a rejected feature. This setting is available both as a default FME option and as a workspace parameter.

Parameters

Attributes

Choose the attribute(s) to pad.

Desired String Length

Desired String Length is the minimum length expected of the output string. If the input attribute has a length that is shorter than this desired length, it will be padded to be of this length. If the input attribute is equal to, or longer than this length, the attribute value will not be changed. Null and missing attributes will not be padded.

Side to Pad

This sets the padding to the Right (suffix current attribute value) or the Left (prefix current attribute value).

Pad Character

A single character to pad the string with. If not specified, string will be padded with a space character.

Pad Empty Attribute

Indicates whether or not to pad empty string values. Null values are not equal to the empty string. Nulls, like missing attributes, are never padded.

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.

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.

Dialog Options - Tables

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.

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