Use the Multiple Files option in the following instances:
When a single application file is used as input to create a single EDI message, and the input file contains multiple record types that need to be processed out of sequence.
When multiple application files are used as input to create a single EDI message, and each input file contains one record type.
When a single application file is used as input to create a single/multiple EDI message(s), and the input file contains one record type with specific fields that cause level changes.
ECMap uses two special fields to keep related information grouped together and to alert the program that a level change must take place - Match Field and Key Field.
Parent and child records are linked using the Match Field in the parent record and the Key Field in the child records. When these two fields match, the program knows that the input data being processed should be used together to create an EDI message. When the Key Field and Match Field no longer match, the program knows that all of the information for one EDI message has been processed. The program ends the processing of that message and begins the processing of a new EDI message.
The Multiple Files option should be checked in the following circumstances:
When the input is a flat file (sequential file), and:
There are multiple files with one record type per file. The record types are related via key and match fields. When a child record is read and its key field no longer matches the match field of the parent record, the program knows it has the next parent record. The program automatically ends the processing of the current EDI message and switches to the first level in a new EDI message.
There is one file that has one record type, but the order of the output to be created is different from the order of the input records in the file. A change in a specific field (called a break field) in the single record type causes a change in levels. When the program encounters a break field, it automatically ends the processing of the current EDI message and switches to the first level in a new EDI message.
There is one file that has multiple record types, but the order of the records in the input file is different from the order of the data in the EDI message to be created. The program splits the input file into multiple files, with one file per record type, to allow you to define a flow that is not in the same sequence as the input.
When the input is from a database and:
Multiple tables are joined into one view, creating one virtual table that contains all of the record types in the database. When the program encounters a change in a key field, it automatically ends the processing of the current EDI message and switches to the first level in a new EDI message.
Multiple Select Once commands are performed at the beginning of the map execution (at the I/O Rule on the Master Level.). The sets created by the Select Once statements are ordered by the same match/key linkage fields and are traversed according to these linkage fields.
The Multiple Files option should be unchecked in the following circumstances:
When there is one sequential input file with multiple record types, and the order of the records in the input file corresponds to the sequence of the data in the EDI message to be created.
Each time the record type changes, the program automatically ends the processing of the current EDI message and switches to the first level in a new EDI message.
The input is from a database and the child records for each parent are retrieved by doing a new Select command based on each row of the parent. Levels change based on the presence of rows in the set created by the Select commands.
Selecting the multiple
files option
Choose Option>Multiple Files to toggle the multiple files option on and off.
When the multiple files option is selected, a check mark appears next to Multiple Files on the menu.
