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Table of Contents

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  1. Preface
  2. Using the Designer
  3. Working with Sources
  4. Working with Flat Files
  5. Working with Targets
  6. Mappings
  7. Mapplets
  8. Mapping Parameters and Variables
  9. Working with User-Defined Functions
  10. Using the Debugger
  11. Viewing Data Lineage
  12. Comparing Objects
  13. Managing Business Components
  14. Creating Cubes and Dimensions
  15. Using the Mapping Wizards
  16. Appendix A: Datatype Reference
  17. Appendix B: Configure the Web Browser

Designer Guide

Designer Guide

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Working with COBOL Sources

Working with COBOL Sources

To provide support for mainframe source data, you can import a COBOL file as a source definition in the Designer. COBOL files are fixed-width files that may contain text and binary data. PowerCenter supports the following code pages for COBOL files:
  • 7-bit ASCII
  • EBCDIC-US
  • 8-bit ASCII
  • 8-bit EBCDIC
  • ASCII-based MBCS
  • EBCDIC-based MBCS
You can import shift-sensitive COBOL files that do not contain shift keys. Define the shift states for each column in the COBOL source definition.
COBOL sources often denormalize data and compact the equivalent of separate table records into a single record. You use the Normalizer transformation to normalize these records in the mapping.
After you import a COBOL source definition, review and configure the COBOL file to create record groups. COBOL files often represent the functional equivalent of multiple source tables within the same set of records. When you review the structure of the COBOL file, you can adjust the description to identify which groups of fields constitute a single pseudo-table.