Transformations in Informatica 9: What Is A Transformation

Transformations in Informatica 9
What is a Transformation
A transformation is a repository object which reads the data, modifies the data and passes the
data. Transformations in a mapping represent the operations that the integration service performs
on the data.
Transformations can be classified as active or passive, connected or unconnected.
Active Transformations:
A transformation can be called as an active transformation if it performs any of the following

actions.
Change the number of rows: For example, the filter transformation is active because it removes
the rows that do not meet the filter condition. All multi-group transformations are active because
they might change the number of rows that pass through the transformation.
Change the transaction boundary: The transaction control transformation is active because it
defines a commit or roll back transaction.
Change the row type: Update strategy is active because it flags the rows for insert, delete, update
or reject.
Note: You cannot connect multiple active transformations or an active and passive
transformation to the downstream transformation or transformation same input group. This is
because the integration service may not be able to concatenate the rows generated by active
transformations. This rule is not applicable for sequence generator transformation.
Passive Transformations:
Transformations which does not change the number of rows passed through them, maintains the
transaction boundary and row type are called passive transformation.
Connected Transformations:
Transformations which are connected to the other transformations in the mapping are called
connected transformations.
Unconnected Transformations:
An unconnected transformation is not connected to other transformations in the mapping and is
called within another transformation, and returns a value to that.
The below table lists the transformations available in Informatica version 9:
Transformation
Aggregator
Type
Active/Connected
Description
Performs aggregate
calculations.
ApplicationSourceQualifier Active/Connected
Represents therows
that the Integration
Service reads from an
application, such as
an ERP source, when
it runs a session.
Custom
ActiveorPassive/Connected
Calls a procedure in a
shared library or
DLL.
DataMasking
Passive/Connected
Replaces sensitive
production data with
realistic test data for
non-production
environments.
Expression
Passive/Connected
Calculates a value.
ExternalProcedure
Passive/ConnectedorUnconnected
Calls a procedure in a
shared library or in
the COM layer of
Windows.
Filter
Active/Connected
Filters data.
HTTP
Passive/Connected
Connects to an HTTP
server to read or
update data.
Passive/Connected
Defines mapplet
input rows. Available
in the Mapplet
Designer
Executes user logic

coded in Java.The
byte code for the user
logic is stored in the
repository
Joiner
Active/Connected
Joins data from

different databases or
flat file systems.
Lookup
Lookup and return

data from a flat file,
ActiveorPassive/ConnectedorUnconnected
relational table, view,
or synonym.
Normalizer
Active/Connected
Input
Java
Source qualifier for

COBOL sources. Can
also use in the
pipeline to normalize
data from relational
or flat file sources.
Output
Passive/Connected
Defines mapplet
output rows.
Available in the
Mapplet Designer.
Rank
Active/Connected
Limits records to a
top or bottom range.
Router
Active/Connected
Routes data into

multiple
transformations
based on group
conditions.
SequenceGenerator
Passive/Connected
Generates primary
keys.
Sorter
Active/Connected
Sorts data based on a

sort key.
SourceQualifier
Active/Connected
Represents the rows

Service reads from a
relational or flat file
source when it runs a
session.
SQL
Executes SQL
queries against a
database.
StoredProcedure
Passive/ConnectedorUnconnected
Calls a stored
procedure.
TransactionControl
Active/Connected
Defines commit and

rollback transactions.
Active/Connected
Merges data from

different databases or
flat file systems.
Transforms data in
unstructured and
semi-structured
formats.
UpdateStrategy
Active/Connected
Determines whether
to insert, delete,
update, or reject
rows.
XMLGenerator
Active/Connected
Union
UnstructuredData
Reads data from one

or more input ports
and outputs XML
through a single
output port.
XMLParser
XMLSourceQualifier
Active/Connected
Reads XML from one

input port and
outputs data to one or
more output ports.
Active/Connected
Represents the rows

Service reads from an
XML source when it
runs a session.
1] Source Qualifier Transformation in Informatica:The source qualifier transformation is an active,connected transformation used to represent the
rows that the integrations service reads when it runs a session. You need to connect the source
qualifier transformation to the relational or flat file definition in a mapping. The source qualifier
transformation converts the source data types to the Informatica native data types. So, you
should not alter the data types of the ports in the source qualifier transformation.
The source qualifier transformation is used to do the following tasks:
Joins: You can join two or more tables from the same source database. By default the sources
are joined based on the primary key-foreign key relationships. This can be changed by explicitly
specifying the join condition in the "user-defined join" property.
Filter rows: You can filter the rows from the source database. The integration service adds a
WHERE clause to the default query.
Sorting input: You can sort the source data by specifying the number for sorted ports. The
Integration Service adds an ORDER BY clause to the default SQL query
Distinct rows: You can get distinct rows from the source by choosing the "Select Distinct"
property. The Integration Service adds a SELECT DISTINCT statement to the default SQL query.
Custom SQL Query: You can write your own SQL query to do calculations.
Property
Description
SQL Query
To specify a custom query which replaces the default query.
User-Defined Join
Condition used for joining multiple sources.
Source Filter
Specifies the filter condition the Integration Service applies when querying
rows.
Number of Sorted
Used for sorting the source data
Ports
Tracing Level
Sets the amount of detail included in the session log when you run a
session containing this transformation.
Select Distinct
To select only unique rows from the source.
Pre-SQL
Pre-session SQL commands to run against the source database before the
Integration Service reads the source.
Post-SQL
Post-session SQL commands to run against the source database after the
Integration Service writes to the target.
Output is
Deterministic
Specify only when the source output does not change between session
runs.
Output is
Repeatable
Specify only when the order of the source output is same between the
session runs.
Note: For flat file source definitions, all the properties except the Tracing level will be disabled.
Pre and Post SQL:You can add the Pre-SQL and Post-SQL commands. The integration service runs the Pre-SQL
and Post-SQL before and after reading the source data respectively.
Informatica Interview Questions on Source Qualifier

Transformation
1. What is a source qualifier transformation?
A source qualifier represents the rows that the integration service reads when it runs a session.
Source qualifier is an active transformation.
2. Why you need a source qualifier transformation?
The source qualifier transformation converts the source data types into informatica native data
types.
3. What are the different tasks a source qualifier can do?

Join two or more tables originating from the same source (homogeneous sources) database.
Filter the rows.
Sort the data
Selecting distinct values from the source
Create custom query
Specify a pre-sql and post-sql

4. What is the default join in source qualifier transformation?
The source qualifier transformation joins the tables based on the primary key-foreign key
relationship.
5. How to create a custom join in source qualifier transformation?
When there is no primary key-foreign key relationship between the tables, you can specify a
custom join using the 'user-defined join' option in the properties tab of source qualifier.
6. How to join heterogeneous sources and flat files?
Use joiner transformation to join heterogeneous sources and flat files
7. How do you configure a source qualifier transformation?

SQL Query
User-Defined Join
Source Filter
Number of Sorted Ports
Select Distinct
Pre-SQL
Post-SQL

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Transformations in Informatica 9

A transformation can be called as an active transformation if it performs any of the following

Executes user logic

Joins data from

Lookup and return

Source qualifier for

Routes data into

Sorts data based on a

Represents the rows

Defines commit and

Merges data from

Reads data from one

Reads XML from one

Represents the rows

To specify a custom query which replaces the default query.

Condition used for joining multiple sources.

Used for sorting the source data

To select only unique rows from the source.

Informatica Interview Questions on Source Qualifier

3. What are the different tasks a source qualifier can do?

Filter the rows.

Sort the data

Selecting distinct values from the source

Create custom query

Specify a pre-sql and post-sql

7. How do you configure a source qualifier transformation?

Number of Sorted Ports

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