Use a parse asset to improve the structure of your data. A parse asset defines a set of operations that can identify discrete values in an input field and write the values to appropriate output fields.
You add a parse asset to a Parse transformation in Data Integration. When you run a mapping with a Parse transformation, the transformation reads a single input field and writes the values that it identifies to new fields based on the criteria that the parse asset specifies.
You can configure a parse operation to identify values in the following ways:
Use a dictionary to identify values
The operation compares the values in the input field to the values in a dictionary that the parse asset specifies. When the operation finds an input value that matches the dictionary, it writes the value to a new output column.
Use a dictionary to find values based on their content.
Use a regular expression to identify values
The operation applies a regular expression to the input field and finds values that match the expression logic. When the operation finds an input value that matches the expression logic, it writes the value to a new output column.
Use a regular expression to find values based on their structure.
Use a pre-built pattern to identify values
The operation uses pre-built parsing logic to analyze the values in the input field and assign each value to a pre-defined output field. The parse asset includes built-in parsing logic for person name data. You can add patterns to the asset to enhance the parsing logic.
A parsing operation that uses a dictionary or a regular expression is called a step. You can combine steps that use dictionaries and steps that use regular expressions in a single asset. Each step parses data values to one or more output fields that you specify. The Parse transformation creates the outputs that you specify at run time and writes data to the outputs that it creates.
A parse asset can contain a single pattern-parsing operation. The Parse transformation creates the outputs that the pattern specifies and writes data to the outputs that it creates.