Managing the Scope of Column Changes in Jobs

Problem

You have added columns and you need to determine the scope of these additions. Select one of the following scenarios:
  • No propagation: Adding column changes to the output of a single transformation in a job
  • Automatic propagation: Automatically adding column changes to tables in a specified direction
  • Manual propagation: Manually controlling the addition of column changes in specified paths and directions
Note that you can propagate column changes only in the context of a job. If you add column changes in the properties window for a table from a tree or a folder, the propagate and mapping options that you see on the Mappings tab in a job are not available. In that case, you must remember to map and propagate the column changes when you later use the altered table in a job. Therefore, it is generally more efficient to make and propagate your columns directly in the jobs where you need them.

Solution

You can use an appropriate propagation control in a SAS Data Integration Studio job to enable or disable automatic propagation or to exercise manual control over propagation functions. Perform the following tasks:

Tasks

Managing Automatic Propagation

Automatic propagation sends column changes to tables when process flows are created. If you disable automatic propagation and refrain from using manual propagation, you can propagate column changes on the Mappings tab for a transformation that are restricted to the target tables for that transformation. Automatic propagation controls are explained in the following table.
Automatic Propagation Controls
Level
Control
Set Propagation Direction
Global
Automatically propagate columns in the Automatic Settings group box on the Job Editor tab in the Options window. (Click Options in the Tools menu to display the window.) This option controls automatic propagation of column changes in all new jobs.
Select one of the following directions in the Propagation Direction group box:
  • From beginning to end
  • From end to beginning
Job
Automatically Propagate Job in the drop-down menu that displays when you click Settings in the toolbar on the Diagram tab in the Job Editor window. This option controls automatic propagation of column changes in the currently opened job.
Select one of the following directions in the drop-down menu:
  • From Beginning to End
  • From End to Beginning
Process flow
Propagate Columns in the pop-up menu on the Diagram tab in the Job Editor window. This option controls automatic propagation of column changes in the process flow in a currently opened job.
Select one of the following directions in the pop-up menu:
  • To Beginning
  • To End
Transformation
Include Transformation in Propagation in the drop-down menu that displays when you click Settings in the toolbar on the Mappings tab. This option controls automatic propagation of column changes in the selected transformation.
Not applicable
Transformation
Include Selected Columns in Propagation in the drop-down menu that displays when you click Settings in the toolbar on the Mappings tab to propagate changes to columns that you select in the source or target tables for the selected transformation.
Not applicable
The Mappings tab is available in the following locations:
  • the Details section in the Job Editor window
  • the properties windows for any transformation that is included on the Diagram tab of the Job Editor window
The Mappings tab performs the same functions and contains the same items in both locations.

Managing Manual Propagation

Add, delete, or update the columns in your job. Manual propagation controls are explained in the following table.
Manual Propagation Options
Level
Control
Function
Direction
Job
Propagate Job in the toolbar in the Diagram tab in the Job Editor window
Propagates column changes in the job.
Uses the direction set with Settings on the Job Editor toolbar.
Process flow
Propagate Columns in the pop-up menu in the Diagram tab in the Job Editor window
Propagates column changes in the process flow in a specified direction.
Use the following directions:
  • To Beginning
  • To End
Transformation
Propagate from sources to targets in the toolbar in the Mappings tab
Propagates column changes in the process flow from source tables to target tables.
From source tables to target tables.
Transformation
Propagate from targets to sources in the toolbar in the Mappings tab
Propagates column changes in the process flow from target tables to source tables.
From target tables to source tables.
Transformation
Propagate in pop-up menus in the Source table field and the Target table field
Specifies a path and a direction for propagating column changes. See the table that follows for details.
Transformation
Propagate columns in the toolbar on the Mappings tab
Specifies a path and a direction for propagating column changes. See the table that follows for details.
The following table specifies the available path and direction options for the Propagate field and Propagate columns field on the Mappings tab for a transformation.
Propagation Path Options
Path
Direction
For the Propagate option in pop-up menus in the Source table field and the Target table field
To Targets
  • From Sources
  • From Beginning
  • From End
From Targets
  • To Sources
  • To Beginning
  • To End
Selected Target Columns
  • To Sources
  • To Beginning
  • To End
Update Selected Target Columns
  • To Sources
  • To Beginning
  • To End
For the Propagate columns in the toolbar on the Mappings tab
To Targets
  • From Sources
  • From Beginning
  • From End
To Sources
  • From Targets
  • From Beginning
  • From End
From Targets
  • To Sources
  • To Beginning
  • To End
From Sources
  • To Targets
  • To Beginning
  • To End
Selected Target Columns
  • To Sources
  • To Beginning
  • To End
Selected Sources Columns
  • To Targets
  • To Beginning
  • To End
Update Selected Target Columns
  • To Sources
  • To Beginning
  • To End
Update Selected Sources Columns
  • To Targets
  • To Beginning
  • To End
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