Creating cBases with Spectre Build Scripts

There are two methods to generate a Spectre Build script from a text data file:

  • Right-click the data file and click Generate Spectre Build Script—This method automates the required input and output elements based on the data file name, and Spectre makes "best guesses" for the column type. This is the only point where Spectre auto detects datetime columns.
  • Click File > New > Spectre Build File—This method opens the Build Flow Editor populated with the three basic objects: input, concat, and output. It presents a clean slate from which to start configuring a Spectre build.

  1. In the Workbench Explorer, right-click the data file, and select Generate Spectre Build Script.

    The ClosedSave File dialog box opens.

    Generate Build Save File Dialog Box

  2. In the Save File dialog box, use the default, recommended /programs directory to store the new build file, or choose another location. Make changes that you want to the default File Name, and click Save.

  3. Click OK and the script opens in the Spectre ClosedBuild Flow Editor.

    Initial Build Flow Editor

  4. In the flow panel, select the text input object.

    The properties panel displays for the Closedinput object.

    Properties panel for text object

    NOTE:

    • In the Paths section, the input file name is automatically populated based on the data file
    • In the Columns section, all columns are set to Keep, and the Spectre engine makes a best guess at the type for each column

  5. Make any adjustments necessary, including:

    • In the Columns section, adjusting the Columns information such as the Type and Keep status

    • In the first tab in the Properties section, adjusting the Text Input Properties such as Delimiter and Encoding
    • In the second tab in the Properties section, adjusting Column Properties such as Input Format and Sorts

    • In the Comments section, adding Comments for documentation

  6. Select the concat object.

    The properties panel displays the ClosedAvailable columns.

    Spectre Build Concat Object

  7. Select the output object.

    The properties panel displays the Closedoutput object.

    Spectre Build Ouput Object

  8. You can adjust the output attributes, define new properties, add comments, or copy columns.
  9. Save the tab.

  10. From the toolbar, click the Run icon (green circle with white arrow).

    The script runs and places a cBase in the indicated output location. If there are any issues, inspect the Output tab at the bottom.

    NOTE: If there are unsaved changes in the script, the Script has unsaved changes dialog box opens with choices about how to proceed. See Running Unsaved Scripts for information about these choices and how to set your Workbench preferences to change the default behavior.

  11. If needed, navigate to and open the cBase in ProDiver (right-click, then Open with > Diver) to see the results.

    You can now iterate by making changes to your build script to fine-tune the columns, add calculated columns if necessary, and re-run the script until you achieve the results that you want in ProDiver.

NOTE:

  • Calculated columns use the same expression syntax as calcs in a cPlan. See About Spectre Expressions and Alphabetized Functions for Spectre.
  • You can set a Workbench preference so that ProDiver opens any cBase that is successfully created with a Spectre Build script. See Setting Workbench Preferences.
  • The context menu for a node includes Test node with dive—allows you to examine the results within Workbench, and Test node and open ProDiver—allows you to examine the results by diving in ProDiver.
  • The Spectre Build Flow Editor also supports ODBC-input, cBase-input, Dive-input, and Tunnel-input.

See also: