Using Workflow Parameters and Variables to Write to a Dynamic Target File

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Step 5. Add an Assignment Task to Assign a Value to the Variable

An Assignment task assigns a value to a user-defined workflow variable. Add an Assignment task before the Mapping task in the workflow. Use an expression in the Assignment task to assign the value of the department name parameter and the current date to the workflow variable.

Right-click the workflow editor and select

Add Workflow Object

Select

Assignment Task

and click

The Assignment task appears in the editor.

In the

Properties

view for the Assignment task, click the

General

tab.

Rename the Assignment task.

For example, name the Assignment task asgn_TargetFileName.

Select the Assignment task and move the task between the Start event and the Mapping task.

Add a sequence flow to connect the Start event to the Assignment task.

Add another sequence flow to connect the Assignment task to the Mapping task.

The following figure shows the connected events and tasks in the workflow:

In the

Properties

view for the Assignment task, click the

Assignment

tab.

In the

User-defined Variable

column, select the variable that you created for the target file name.

The following figure shows the selected dynamicTargetFileName variable:

In the Expression column, click the

Open

button (

) to open the

Assignment Expression Editor

Use the point-and-click method in the

Assignment Expression Editor

to enter the expression.

In the

Inputs

tab, expand the

Parameter

folder.

Double-click the parameter that you created for the department name.

The Developer tool adds the workflow parameter using the required syntax for expressions.

Use the concatenation operator (||), the SUBSTR function, the TO_CHAR function, and the built-in variable sysdate to add the current date to the workflow parameter value.

For example, the following expression adds the current month, day, and year to the workflow parameter value:

$par:DepartmentName||SUBSTR(TO_CHAR(sysdate),1,2) || '_' || SUBSTR(TO_CHAR(sysdate),4,2) || '_' || SUBSTR(TO_CHAR(sysdate),7,4)||'.out'

The following figure shows the completed expression in the Assignment Expression Editor:

Click

Validate

to validate the expression.

Click

to close the

Expression Editor

The Developer tool displays the workflow variable and the expression assigned to the variable.

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Table of Contents

Using Workflow Parameters and Variables to Write to a Dynamic Target File

Using Workflow Parameters and Variables to Write to a Dynamic Target File

Step 5. Add an Assignment Task to Assign a Value to the Variable

Step 5. Add an Assignment Task to Assign a Value to the Variable