Workflow Basics Guide

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Writing Multibyte Data to Fixed-Width Flat Files

If you plan to load multibyte data into a fixed-width flat file, configure the precision to accommodate the multibyte data. Fixed-width files are byte-oriented, not character-oriented. So, when you configure the precision for a fixed-width target, you need to consider the number of bytes you load into the target, rather than the number of characters.

For string columns, the Integration Service truncates the data if the precision is not large enough to accommodate the multibyte data.

You might work with the following types of multibyte data:

Non shift-sensitive multibyte data.
The file contains all multibyte data. Configure the precision in the target definition to allow for the additional bytes.

For example, you know that the target data contains four double-byte characters, so you define the target definition with a precision of 8 bytes.

If you configure the target definition with a precision of 4, the Integration Service truncates the data before writing to the target.

Shift-sensitive multibyte data.
The file contains single-byte and multibyte data. When writing to a shift-sensitive flat file target, the Integration Service adds shift characters and spaces to meet file requirements. You must configure the precision in the target definition to allow for the additional bytes and
the shift characters.

Delimited files are character-oriented, and you do not need to allow for additional precision for multibyte data.

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Workflow Basics Guide

Workflow Basics Guide

Writing Multibyte Data to Fixed-Width Flat Files

Writing Multibyte Data to Fixed-Width Flat Files