Stored Procedure Transformation > Configuring an Unconnected Transformation

Configuring an Unconnected Transformation

An unconnected Stored Procedure transformation is not directly connected to the flow of data through the mapping. Instead, the stored procedure runs either: From an expression. Called from an expression written in the Expression Editor within another transformation in the mapping. Pre- or post-session. Runs before or after a session. The sections below explain how you can run an unconnected Stored Procedure transformation.

Calling a Stored Procedure From an Expression

In an unconnected mapping, the Stored Procedure transformation does not connect to the pipeline. The following figure shows a mapping with an Expression transformation that references the Stored Procedure transformation:

However, just like a connected mapping, you can apply the stored procedure to the flow of data through the mapping. In fact, you have greater flexibility since you use an expression to call the stored procedure, which means you can select the data that you pass to the stored procedure as an input parameter. When using an unconnected Stored Procedure transformation in an expression, you need a method of returning the value of output parameters to a port. Use one of the following methods to capture the output values: Assign the output value to a local variable. Assign the output value to the system variable PROC_RESULT. By using PROC_RESULT, you assign the value of the return parameter directly to an output port, which can apply directly to a target. You can also combine the two options by assigning one output parameter as PROC_RESULT, and the other parameter as a variable. Use PROC_RESULT only within an expression. If you do not use PROC_RESULT or a variable, the port containing the expression captures a NULL. You cannot use PROC_RESULT in a connected Lookup transformation or within the Call Text for a Stored Procedure transformation. If you require nested stored procedures, where the output parameter of one stored procedure passes to another stored procedure, use PROC_RESULT to pass the value. The Integration Service calls the unconnected Stored Procedure transformation from the Expression transformation. Notice that the Stored Procedure transformation has two input ports and one output port. All three ports are string datatypes. To call a stored procedure from within an expression:
1. 2.

Create the Stored Procedure transformation in the mapping. In any transformation that supports output and variable ports, create a new output port in the transformation that calls the stored procedure. Name the output port. The output port that calls the stored procedure must support expressions. Depending on how the expression is configured, the output port contains the value of the output parameter or the return value.

3.

Open the Expression Editor for the port. The value for the new port is set up in the Expression Editor as a call to the stored procedure using the :SP keyword in the Transformation Language. The easiest way to set this up properly is to select the Stored Procedures node in the Expression Editor, and click the name of Stored Procedure transformation listed. For a normal connected Stored Procedure to appear in the functions list, it requires at least one input and one output port. The stored procedure appears in the Expression Editor with a pair of empty parentheses. The necessary input and/or output parameters are displayed in the lower left corner of the Expression Editor.

4.

Configure the expression to send input parameters and capture output parameters or return value. You must know whether the parameters shown in the Expression Editor are input or output parameters. You insert variables or port names between the parentheses in the order that they appear in the stored procedure. The datatypes of the ports and variables must match those of the parameters passed to the stored procedure. For example, when you click the stored procedure, something similar to the following appears:

:SP.GET_NAME_FROM_ID()
This particular stored procedure requires an integer value as an input parameter and returns a string value as an output parameter. How the output parameter or return value is captured depends on the number of output parameters and whether the return value needs to be captured. If the stored procedure returns a single output parameter or a return value (but not both), you should use the reserved variable PROC_RESULT as the output variable. In the previous example, the expression would appear as:

:SP.GET_NAME_FROM_ID(inID, PROC_RESULT)
inID can be either an input port for the transformation or a variable in the transformation. The value of PROC_RESULT is applied to the output port for the expression. If the stored procedure returns multiple output parameters, you must create variables for each output parameter. For example, if you create a port called varOUTPUT2 for the stored procedure expression, and a variable called varOUTPUT1, the expression appears as:

:SP.GET_NAME_FROM_ID(inID, varOUTPUT1, PROC_RESULT)

The value of the second output port is applied to the output port for the expression, and the value of the first output port is applied to varOUTPUT1. The output parameters are returned in the order they are declared in the stored procedure. With all these expressions, the datatypes for the ports and variables must match the datatypes for the input/output variables and return value.
5.

Click Validate to verify the expression, and then click OK to close the Expression Editor. Validating the expression ensures that the datatypes for parameters in the stored procedure match those entered in the expression.

6.

Click OK. When you save the mapping, the Designer does not validate the stored procedure expression. If the stored procedure expression is not configured properly, the session fails. When testing a mapping using a stored procedure, set the Override Tracing session option to a verbose mode and configure the On Stored Procedure session option to stop running if the stored procedure fails. Configure these session options in the Error Handling settings of the Config Object tab in the session properties.

The stored procedure in the expression entered for a port does not have to affect all values that pass through the port. Using the IIF statement, for example, you can pass only certain values, such as ID numbers that begin with 5, to the stored procedure and skip all other values. You can also set up nested stored procedures so the return value of one stored procedure becomes an input parameter for a second stored procedure.

Calling a Pre- or Post-Session Stored Procedure

You may want to run a stored procedure once per session. For example, if you need to verify that tables exist in a target database before running a mapping, a pre-load target stored procedure can check the tables, and then either continue running the workflow or stop it. You can run a stored procedure on the source, target, or any other connected database. To create a pre- or post-load stored procedure:
1. 2. 3.

Create the Stored Procedure transformation in the mapping. Double-click the Stored Procedure transformation, and select the Properties tab. Enter the name of the stored procedure. If you imported the stored procedure, the stored procedure name appears by default. If you manually set up the stored procedure, enter the name of the stored procedure.

4. 5.

Select the database that contains the stored procedure in Connection Information. Enter the call text of the stored procedure. The call text is the name of the stored procedure, followed by all applicable input parameters in parentheses. If there are no input parameters, you must include an empty pair of parentheses, or the call to the stored procedure fails. You do not need to include the SQL statement EXEC, nor do you need to use the :SP keyword. For example, to call a stored procedure called check_disk_space, enter the following text:

check_disk_space()
To pass a string input parameter, enter it without quotes. If the string has spaces in it, enclose the parameter in double quotes. For example, if the stored procedure check_disk_space required a machine name as an input parameter, enter the following text:

check_disk_space(oracle_db)
When passing a datetime value through a pre- or post-session stored procedure, the value must be in the Informatica default date format and enclosed in double quotes as follows:

SP(12/31/2000 11:45:59)
You can use PowerCenter parameters and variables in the call text. Use any parameter or variable type that you can define in the parameter file. You can enter a parameter or variable within the call text, or you can use a parameter or variable as

the call text. For example, you can use a session parameter, $ParamMyCallText, as the call text, and set $ParamMyCallText to the call text in a parameter file. Note: You must enter values instead of procedure parameters for the input parameters of pre- and post-session procedures.
6.

Select the stored procedure type. The options for stored procedure type include: Source Pre-load. Before the session retrieves data from the source, the stored procedure runs. This is useful for verifying the existence of tables or performing joins of data in a temporary table. Source Post-load. After the session retrieves data from the source, the stored procedure runs. This is useful for removing temporary tables. Target Pre-load. Before the session sends data to the target, the stored procedure runs. This is useful for verifying target tables or disk space on the target system. Target Post-load. After the session sends data to the target, the stored procedure runs. This is useful for re-creating indexes on the database.

7.

Select Execution Order, and click the Up or Down arrow to change the order, if necessary. If you have added several stored procedures that execute at the same point in a session, such as two procedures that both run at Source Post-load, you can set a stored procedure execution plan to determine the order in which the Integration Service calls these stored procedures. You need to repeat this step for each stored procedure you wish to change.

8.

Click OK.

Although the repository validates and saves the mapping, the Designer does not validate whether the stored procedure expression runs without an error. If the stored procedure expression is not configured properly, the session fails. When testing a mapping using a stored procedure, set the Override Tracing session option to a verbose mode and configure the On Stored Procedure session option to stop running if the stored procedure fails. Configure these session options on the Error Handling settings of the Config Object tab in the session properties. You lose output parameters or return values called during pre- or post-session stored procedures, since there is no place to capture the values. If you need to capture values, you might want to configure the stored procedure to save the value in a table in the database.

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