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  • Data Integration
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Table of Contents

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  1. Preface
  2. Function reference
  3. Constants
  4. Operators
  5. Dates
  6. Functions
  7. System variables
  8. Datatype reference

Function Reference

Function Reference

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SETVARIABLE

SETVARIABLE

Sets the current value of an in-out parameter to a value you specify. Returns the specified value.
During task execution,
Data Integration
 compares the final current value of the in-out parameter to the start value. Based on the aggregate type of the in-out parameter, it saves a final current value in the job details. Unless overridden, it uses the saved value as the initial value of the in-out parameter for the next task run.
Use the SETVARIABLE function only once for each in-out parameter in a pipeline.
Data Integration
 processes variable functions as it encounters them in the mapping. The order in which
Data Integration
 encounters variable functions in the mapping may not be the same for every task session. This could cause inconsistent results if you use the same variable function multiple times in a mapping.
You can use SETVARIABLE in the Expression transformation.

Syntax

SETVARIABLE( $$Variable, value )
Argument
Required/
Optional
Description
$$
Variable
Required
Name of the in-out parameter you want to set. Use with in-out parameters configured with the Max or Min aggregation type.
value
Required
The value to set as the current value of the in-out parameter. You can use a valid expression that evaluates to a datatype compatible with the datatype of the parameter.

Return Value

Current value of the in-out parameter.
When
value
 is NULL,
Data Integration
 returns the current value of
$$Variable
.

Examples

The following expression sets an in-out parameter $$Time to the system date at the time
Data Integration
 evaluates the row and returns the system date to the SET_$$TIME port: 
SETVARIABLE ($$Time, SYSDATE)
TRANSACTION
 TOTAL
SET_$$TIME
 
0100002
534.23  
10/10/2016 01:34:33
0100003
699.01  
10/10/2016 01:34:34
0100004
97.50  
10/10/2016 01:34:35
0100005
116.43  
10/10/2016 01:34:36
0100006
323.95  
10/10/2016 01:34:37
At the end of the session,
Data Integration
 saves 10/10/2016 01:34:37 in the job details as the last evaluated current value for $$Time. The next time the task runs,
Data Integration
 evaluates all references to $$Time to 10/10/2016 01:34:37.
The following expression sets the in-out parameter $$Timestamp to the timestamp associated with the row and returns the timestamp to the SET_$$TIMESTAMP port: 
SETVARIABLE ($$Time, TIMESTAMP)
TRANSACTION
TIMESTAMP
 TOTAL
SET_$$TIME
 
0100002
10/01/2016 12:01:01
534.23  
10/01/2016 12:01:01
0100003
10/01/2016 12:10:22
699.01  
10/01/2016 12:10:22
0100004
10/01/2016 12:16:45
97.50  
10/01/2016 12:16:45
0100005
10/01/2016 12:23:10
116.43  
10/01/2016 12:23:10
0100006
10/01/2016 12:40:31
323.95  
10/01/2016 12:40:31
At the end of the session,
Data Integration
 saves 10/01/2016 12:40:31 in the job details as the last evaluated current value for $$Timestamp.
The next time the session runs,
Data Integration
 sets the initial value of $$Timestamp to 10/01/2016 12:40:31.
0 COMMENTS
We’d like to hear from you!
Tim Shannon - June 24, 2022

What is the point of setvariable and setmaxvariable if they do they work exactly the same?

Informatica Documentation Team - June 25, 2022

Hi Tim, 

They are actually different. SETMAXVARIABLE sets the current value of an in-out parameter to the higher of the current value of the parameter or the value you specify - so if the current value is higher, it returns the current value, but if the value you specify is higher, it returns the value you specify. SETVARIABLE sets the current value of an in-out parameter to a value you specify.