DataFieldMetadata: possible to overwrite programatically?

CloverDX Platform
1

Hi,

In my Transform java class, is it possible to overwrite the metadata of a field? something like this:

public boolean transform(DataRecord _source, DataRecord _target) {

DataRecord newRec = target.duplicate();

System.out.println("old metadata : " + newRec.getMetadata());

newRec.getField(“REF”).getMetadata().setSize(10);
newRec.getField(“REF”).getMetadata().setType(LocalField.STRING);
newRec.getField(“REF”).getMetadata().setNullable(true);

System.out.println("new metadata : " + newRec.getMetadata());

… perform data conversions and save the non-numeric value to “REF” …

}

and my system output is:

old metadata : DataRecordMetadata[fields = [org.jetel.metadata.DataFieldMetadata@53, org.jetel.metadata.DataFieldMetadata@4e, org.jetel.metadata.DataFieldMetadata@53, org.jetel.metadata.DataFieldMetadata@53], fieldNames = {REF=0}, fieldTypes = {0=N}, name = achan_output_1_txt_, recType = D, localeStr = null, skipFirstLine = false, recordProperties = {}, DELIMITED_RECORD = D, FIXEDLEN_RECORD = F]

new metadata : DataRecordMetadata[fields = [org.jetel.metadata.DataFieldMetadata@53, org.jetel.metadata.DataFieldMetadata@53, org.jetel.metadata.DataFieldMetadata@53, org.jetel.metadata.DataFieldMetadata@53], fieldNames = {REF=0}, fieldTypes = {0=N}, name = achan_output_1_txt_, recType = D, localeStr = null, skipFirstLine = false, recordProperties = {}, DELIMITED_RECORD = D, FIXEDLEN_RECORD = F]

so the metadata was not changed (from Numeric to String, etc)…

any ideas on how to change the metadata of a field inside my java class so that i can save non-numeric value to “REF”?

thanks,
al

2

Hello,
what you are trying to do is very unconventional and danger. But if you want to change record metadata you have to call init() method:

newRec.init()

But why are you trying to do this? Rather create temporary record in init method of your transformation:


	public boolean init(Properties parameters,
			DataRecordMetadata[] sourceRecordsMetadata,
			DataRecordMetadata[] targetRecordsMetadata)
			throws ComponentNotReadyException {
		tMetadata = targetRecordsMetadata[0].duplicate();
		tMetadata.getField("REF").setSize((short) 10);
		tMetadata.getField("REF").setType(DataFieldMetadata.STRING_FIELD);
		tMetadata.getField("REF").setNullable(true);
		tmpRecord = new DataRecord(tMetadata);
		tmpRecord.init();
		return super.init(parameters, sourceRecordsMetadata, targetRecordsMetadata);
	}

Then you can store anything in such temporary record.