The Normalizer tab defines the structure of the source data. The Normalizer tab defines source data as columns and groups of columns. A group of columns might define a record in a COBOL source or it might define a group of multiple-occurring fields in the source.

The column level number identifies groups of columns in the data. Level numbers define a data hierarchy. Columns in a group have the same level number and display sequentially below a group-level column. A group-level column has a lower level number, and it contains no data.

The following figure shows the Normalizer tab of a pipeline Normalizer transformation:

Quarterly_Data is a group-level column. It is Level 1. The Quarterly_Data group occurs four times in each row. Sales_by_Quarter and Returns_by_Quarter are Level 2 columns and belong to the group.

Each column has an Occurs attribute. The Occurs attribute identifies columns or groups of columns that occur more than once in a source row.

When you create a pipeline Normalizer transformation, you can edit the columns. When you create a VSAM Normalizer transformation, the Normalizer tab is read-only.

The following table describes the Normalizer tab attributes that are common to the VSAM and pipeline Normalizer transformations:

The Normalizer tab for a VSAM Normalizer transformation contains the same attributes as the pipeline Normalizer transformation, but it includes attributes unique to a COBOL source definition.