Big Data Management User Guide

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Complex Data Types

A complex data type is a transformation data type that represents multiple data values in a single column position. The data values are called elements. Elements in a complex data type can be of primitive or complex data types. Use complex data types to process hierarchical data in mappings that run on the Spark engine.

Transformation data types include the following data types:

Primitive data type: A transformation data type that represents a single data value in a single column position. Data types such as decimal, integer, and string are primitive data types. You can assign primitive data types to ports in any transformation.
Complex data type: A transformation data type that represents multiple data values in a single column position. Data types such as array, map, and struct are complex data types. You can assign complex data types to ports in some transformations for the Spark engine.
Nested data type: A complex data type that contains elements of complex data types. Complex data types such as an array of structs or a struct with an array of other structs are nested data types.

The following table lists the complex data types:

Complex Data Type	Description
array	An array is an ordered collection of elements. The elements can be of a primitive or complex data type. All elements in the array must be of the same data type.
map	A map is an unordered collection of key-value pair elements. The key must be of a primitive data type. The value can be of a primitive or complex data type.
struct	A struct is a collection of elements of different data types. The elements can be of primitive or complex data types. Struct has a schema that defines the structure of the data.

The following image shows primitive, complex, and nested data types assigned to ports in a transformation:

The Ports tab in the Properties view of a transformation contains ports of primitive, complex, and nested data types.

Primitive data types

Complex data types

Nested data type

The ports emp_name and emp_sal are of primitive data types. The ports emp_phone, emp_id_dept, and emp_address are of complex data types. The port emp_bonus is of a nested data type. The array contains elements of type struct.

Processing Hierarchical Data on the Spark Engine

Array Data Type

Map Data Type

Struct Data Type

Rules and Guidelines for Complex Data Types

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