Creates a dynamic decoding column. You can decode any column that contains up to 100 discrete values. For example, gender is usually encoded as M and F, or even as 0 and 1. BIRT Analytics makes it possible to change the name to something more recognizable, such as Male and Female.
A Decode instruction must have the following syntax:
The name of the file containing decoding values. The file format must comply with the text file formats supported by BIRT Analytics Loader. Use File Upload in Data tab to upload the decoding file and make it available in BIRT Analytics Loader.
Code position
The position of a code in the file.
Decode position
The position of a decoding value in the file.
Encoding
Defines the file encoding.
End line
The end‑of‑line character. Select a character from the drop-down list.
Delimiter
Separates the values in the file. Select a delimiter from the list of supported characters.
Qualifier
Surrounds the values in the file. Select a qualifier from the list of supported characters.
How to create a decoding column
Before creating a new decoding column, you must create a text file with the decoding values and deploy the file to BIRT Analytics Loader.
1 In Main File, choose New. The list of transformation instructions appears.
2 In the list of transformation instructions, select Decode. Decode appears, as shown in Figure 5‑11.
Figure 5‑11 Creating a decoding column
3 In Source column, select a database, table, and column name from the drop‑down lists.
4 In Column, type a name for the new column.
5 In Files, select a file with decoding values. In this example, decode-gender.txt contains the following two comma‑separated columns with the following coding and decoding values:
M,Male
F,Female
6 In Code position in file, type or select the number of the code column in the file. In this example, the position of the code is 1.
7 In Decode position in file, type or select the position of the decoding column. It is 2 in this example.
8 In End line, select the end line character used in the file from the drop-down list.
9 In Delimiter, select the delimiter used in the file from the drop-down-list.
10 In Qualifier, select the qualifier from the list.
11 In Description, enter a description of the column.
12 In Decode, select OK. The Decode instruction appears in Main file, as shown in Figure 5‑12.
Figure 5‑12 Creating a Decode instruction
13 Choose Save to save the project.
14 Validate the new column was created.
1 Choose Data Management, and then Explorer.
2 In Database, select your database, and expand the list of tables.
3 In Tables, double-click the table you added the column to.The new decode column, in this example Gender-decode, appears in the list of columns, as shown in Figure 5‑13.
