You can create a flat file data object as an empty data object, from an existing flat file, or from a control file. You can create a delimited or fixed-width flat file data object using any method.
When you create a flat file data object, you can create the data object in the following ways:
As an empty data object
Create an empty flat file data object when you want to define the data object columns and rows in the Developer tool.
From an existing flat file
Create a flat file data object from an existing flat file when you have a flat file that defines the metadata you want to include in the data object.
From a control file
Create a flat file data object from a control file when you want to define the data object columns and rows based on a control file.