LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this tutorial you'll be able to:
- understand run properties
- create run properties on a dataflow
- create Run Property Sets
- understand Inherited properties
- import legacy Run Property Sets from LAE
Software version used: 3.6.3
Some facts:
- when you export a data flow, the Run Property Set values are not included in the export, they are saved separately to the dataflow
- they are a common place to store properties that are used by multiple dataflows
- if you have the required permissions to run and schedule data flows, you will be able to edit run properties.
RUN PROPERTY DEFINITION
Run properties are properties for which the values typically change from run to run. For example, limits or demographics for a particular run of a data flow. You can reference run properties from nodes in your data flow, and the run property values populate these nodes when the data flow is executed.
Run property sets allow you to group together a number of run properties which you can then reference across different data flows in your system. For example, you may want to create a set of run properties for a test environment, and another set of run properties for a production environment. By creating different run property sets with different properties and values, you can compare different versions of one data flow, either by running the data flow manually or via a schedule.
Benefits of run properties:
- a common repository for property values
- password types are stored in the keystore i.e. they are encrypted
- the "inherit" feature allows you to re-use properties from another library node
- when you're required to update your database / Salesforce / S3 passwords, you'll only need to change them in one place
- allows the test environment and the production environment to use the same dataflow with the location of the database or service as the only difference. So the only difference is in the schedule that runs it.
DATAFLOW LEVEL RUN PROPERTIES
Use case: I need to change the database password every 90 days, and I want to set up a Run Property Set so that I'll only need to change the password in one location, and not have to change it on individual nodes throughout Analyze
How to configure run properties at dataflow level:
- Select the Run tab of the Properties panel to view or define run properties.
- A single default group is automatically created for run properties to be added into. Add a new run property by typing a name for the property and pressing Enter.
GLOBAL LEVEL | RUN PROPERTY SETS
Use case: I want to have a set of database credentials that can be used by multiple users in multiple dataflows. I want the users to have access to the database but I don't want to share the password with them.
How to configure Run Property Sets:
- From the Directory, click Create then select Run Property Set
- In the Create Run Property Sets dialog, enter a Name for the new run property set.
- Optionally, enter a Description for the run property set.
- Choose the folder where you want to save the run property set.
- Select the Run Properties tab.
At this point, you can choose to:
A. add a new run property:
- Type a name for the property. The name must be unique within the run property set.
- Select a property type.
- Enter a property value.
B. add existing run properties which have already been defined on a data flow that you have access to:
- Click Add run properties from a data flow.
- In the Choose a Data Flow dialog, select the data flow that contains the run properties that you want to import, then click Choose. Only data flows that you have the required permission to view will be listed.
- In the Choose Run Properties dialog, select the run properties that you want to import, then click Done.
C. inherit run properties from an existing run property set:
- Click Inherit from another run property set.
- In the Choose a Run Property Set dialog, select the run property set from which you want to inherit run properties, then click Choose. Only run property sets that you have the required permission to view will be listed.
6. When you have finished adding run properties to the run property set, click Done. The run property set is listed in the document list in the Directory.
IMPORTING RUN PROPERTY SETS FROM LAE
When importing a BRP / LAE Run Property Sets, a Run Property Set will be generated in Analyze for each and every entry that you previously saw on the BRE Run Manager. For example, if you had all 19 sites listed in the BRP, plus six ‘test’ runs, then you’ll have all 25 Run Property Sets created. In this situation, you way wish to store the Run Property Sets in their own folder.
Additionally, Run Property Sets can be cascaded - you can have more than one attached to a single dataflow, or even to each other. You may wish to create some version of a 'master Run Property Set' with the truly common parameters stored there, rather than separately storing them in each site-based Run Property Set.
Inheritance in this case may require a bit of experimentation; the 'master' one may need to be first in the list.
How to import legacy Run Property Sets (.brp files):
1. click on the Run tab
2. click the Import Run Property Set button
- If the .brp file contains a single run, a single run property set will be created and stored in the same location as the currently open data flow, and will be used by the data flow.
- If the BRP file contains multiple runs, a new run property set will be created for each run and stored in the same location as the currently open data flow. In this case, the property set which is marked as the "currentrun" in the BRP will used by the data flow.
Note: when you access Run Property Sets via the Directory, you'll see that they come into Analyze as String types. With password properties they will be encrypted at data flow and node level because on the dataflow you have created Run Properties with the same name as those in the Run Property Set, and you had chosen these to be "Password" types.
From the Directory, you'll need to change the property Types to Password, to do this simply select the Run Property Set and click Edit, per these screenshots:
THE ATTACHMENTS
- A dataflow demonstrating how run properties are set at dataflow level
- A dataflow demonstrating how to import legacy run property sets from LAE
Note: these dataflows can be imported into 3.6.x or later versions
FURTHER READING
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this article and it's contents, or if you have a use case that you'd like to see demonstrated in a video / article, please let us know by posting in the comments below, or email me directly at ccostello@infogix.com
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.