Create External Output File via Assistant

Explanation

Use this activity to create an output file, by reading source data, packing it and then reading the lines to the file.

The assistant can handle any file type and file template defined in External Files. This means that this is a multi-purpose assistant that can handle the same actions as existing interfaces, e.g. the External Supplier Invoices Interface in Invoice.

A special feature is when you want to extract data from a source view. This is easily done by doing the following:

• Create a file type and a file template by using the special create function in the External File Types window.
• Start the assistant and supply the created file type and template. Supply parameter values, i.e. select conditions, and start the processing.
• Look up the created file on disk.

In this special case the general output method External_File_Utility_API.Create_External_Output is executed, that will mainly use the associated parameter values to define select criteria when reading data from a source view. The parameter value can be specified according to the following:

Prerequisites

• An external file type must be available.
• A parameter set must be available if it should be possible to supply parameter values during the output phase.
• A valid and active file template with template definitions for output files that is associated with the file type must be available.
• If an output file is defined then the file path must be valid if Online processing. For Batch processing the file path and name is of course essential but can not be validated before starting the process.

System Effects

The output process will gather data, pack them to a string according to the file template and then write the data to an output file.

Restrictions

Unicode Restrictions - File Generation in Finance

Window

External File Assistant

Related Window Descriptions

External File Assistant

Procedure

1. Open the External File Assistant.
2. Choose processing mode, Online or Batch.
3. Click Next.
4. Supply file options on this page, i.e. external file type, parameter set, external file template and the file name.
   The file direction is set automatically according to the following:

• If the referenced parameter set has the parameter FILE_DIRECTION_DB defined then the direction according to the value for this parameter will be used.
• Else if the file template has definitions for either input files or output files then the existing definition will decide the direction.
• If the file template has definitions for both input and output files then output will be the suggested direction.

Make sure that the file direction is OutputFile.

5. Click Next.
6. If a parameter set was supplied that has associated parameters then these parameters will be displayed along with defined default values. The values supplied are normally used as select criteria. Modify the values for each parameter if necessary. Click List, if available, to get valid values for each parameter.  The field might also support a drop down list with valid values.
7. If the processing mode is Online then click Finish to start the process, else click  Next.
8. If the processing mode is Batch then define the scheduling of the batch job and start the process by clicking Finish.