By the end of this chapter you will be able to:

• Combine Data Sets data sets (a union) with a Calculate Streamcalculate stream
• Record the source for each record in a Streamstream
• Use the internal variable _pipeName

In this exercise you will produce a single list of updates to customers' Cable TV packages. Customers can update their packages both through the a Customer Care system and in shops. You will bring all these updates together into a single list.

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Reading in data sets from files

• Create a new model with Name: Channel Package Check

There are two files containing updates from the two sources (Customer Care, and Shop).
Customer Care updates
A file containing details of customer care updated can be found in the input files, at:
…\inputData\ChannelPackages\CustomerCareUpdates\CustomerCareUpdates.txt
Shop updates
A file containing details of shop updates can be found in the input files, at:
…\inputData\ChannelPackages\ShopUpdates\ShopUpdates.txt

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Load file data into PhixFlow

• Add a

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• file collector to your model
  • Call this: Customer Care Updates
  • Navigate to the directory …

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• • \inputData\ChannelPackages\CustomerCareUpdates
  • Select the file CustomerCareUpdates.txt – and complete the automatic

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• • file collector and

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• • stream configuration
• Add another

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• file collector to your model
  • Call this: Shop Updates
  • Navigate to the directory …\inputData\ChannelPackages\ShopUpdates
  • Select the file ShopUpdates.txt – and complete the automatic

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• • file collector and

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• • stream configuration
• Run both

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• streams and check that data is loaded into each one from the files

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Combine data sets

• Create a new

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• stream in your model:
  • Hover over CustomerCareUpdates and press Image Modified - Add a new Stream
  • Call the new

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• • stream Combined Updates
  • Drag all attributes from CustomerCareUpdates to Combined Updates
• Remember to save your model layout
• Add a pipe from the other

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• stream:
  • Hover over ShopUpdates and

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• • press Image Added- Add a new Connector
  • Click on Combined Updates to link the pipe to the output

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• • stream
• To complete configuration of Combined Updates:
  • Double

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• • click on Combined Updates to open the configuration form
  • To make the union work, you need to update the

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• • expression for each

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• • attribute: you must remove the reference to the input pipe that PhixFlow has automatically added to the start of each

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• • expression, e.g.:
    • Update the expression

in.CustomerRef

to

CustomerRef

• Press  in the main Stream stream configuration form
• Run Analysis analysis on Combined Updates
• Check that you have the correct number of records in this Stream stream when the Analysis analysis is complete
• Check the data set you generated – make sure that every field in every output record has been populated

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Record source for each update

You will now update you configuration to record the source for each update, in the set of combined updates. To do this:

• Update the name of the pipe from the Stream stream CustomerCareUpdates:
  • Double - click on the pipe to open the configuration details
  • Update the Name to: CC
  • Press  to save your changes
• Update the name of the pipe from ShopUpdates to: shop
• Double - click the Stream stream Combined Updates to open the configuration form
  • Add a new Attribute with Name: Source
  • Set the Expression of Source to:

if (_pipeName == "CC",
 "Customer Care"
 ,
 "Shop"
 )

• Make Source the first Attribute attribute in the Streamstream: drag it to the top of the Attributes attributes list
• Press  in the main Stream stream configuration form
• Run analysis on Combined Updates
• Check the output data set and make sure that the source has been recorded on each record correctly